Since this season, the SCL Tigers have had an infrastructure that only a few clubs in Switzerland have. The results so far have also been good.
10.10.2024, 05:00
10.10.2024, 06:52
SDA
It is impressive, the athletics hall in the SCL Tigers campus, which opened at the beginning of September, with integrated synthetic ice. It offers the coaches completely new possibilities. A junior team is currently playing a fun game. Downstairs in the new building is a second ice rink with NHL dimensions. "The project is a beacon for the region. It goes beyond ice hockey," says Pascal Müller, Head of Sport at the SCL Tigers and SCL Young Tigers, in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency.
The campus was made possible by Peter Jakob, who has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SCL Tigers since 2009. The municipality only provided the land; otherwise it did not contribute to the construction costs of 22 million francs, nor did it cover any of the operating costs. However, this did not discourage Peter Jakob. He persevered and looked for solutions. In the end, 80 percent of the campus was privately financed, with the entrepreneur contributing the largest share himself with the proceeds from the sale of his own company Jakob AG to the fourth generation, his son.
The extension to the main hall built in 2012/13 with a large catering and event hall, the "Tigersaal" with space for up to 1000 people, is also owned by a non-profit subsidiary of Jakob AG. The use of the new infrastructure costs the SCL Tigers nothing. "That's our sponsorship," says Peter Jakob. "We no longer provide money for expensive players."
"Worth more than a dividend"
But where does the big heart for the club come from, especially as Peter Jakob himself plays ice hockey, as does nobody else in the family? "The Tigers are the figurehead of the region. That fascinated me. I think it's important that a team from the region is also represented in the National League." Would that be possible in the long term without the new campus? "I'm clearly of the opinion no," says Peter Jakob. "Wages are still going up. The campus also helps young players. The fact that so many youngsters can train optimally gives me great satisfaction and is worth more than a dividend."
Pascal Müller says of the importance of the campus: "It was absolutely necessary. Without the additional income, the gap to the top would have widened even further." He also helps with negotiations with players. For example, promising talents Joshua Fahrni (Bern) and Dario Allenspach (Zug) were brought in. However, Müller emphasizes that commitments have not become any easier. "Nothing is easy with our small budget."
Calm and stability as an argument
What arguments does he use to lure players to Emmental? "We have incredible calm and stability in the organization and give the players the time they need to develop." Müller, Swiss champion with HC Davos in 2007, took over as head of sports in the organization in 2022. From 2013 to 2017, he was head of sports at Kloten. In between, he worked for Swiss Ice Hockey for a year and a half and then for a newly founded company in the scouting and analytics sector. "I was right in the middle of ice hockey but still in the background," says Müller.
Müller received the offer from his home club Langnau after a season in which little came together. The Emmental team finished the 2021/22 qualifiers in penultimate place with just eleven wins in 50 games. New coach Thierry Paterlini, whose career impressed Müller and who recently extended his contract until 2027, also joined the team.
Cautious despite a good start to the season
Since then, things have been looking up. In the first season with Müller and Paterlini, the Tigers picked up 60 points in qualifying and saved themselves in the relegation play-off against Ajoie (4:2). In the second season, they finished 11th with 71 points, and now they want to make it to the "play-in", which is contested by the teams in 7th to 10th place. In any case, the start to the season has been a success. After nine games, the Tigers are in sixth place and are still unbeaten at home.
"We have a more balanced line-up. The core of the team has been together for a long time and we haven't replaced any foreigners for this season," says Müller. "In terms of tactics, as well as mentally, we're another step ahead." Nevertheless, he is cautious. He is a realist. "We certainly have to get more right than other clubs. We can afford to make fewer mistakes. A functioning team is essential for us, and we can't have too many injuries." However, the prospects are now much brighter thanks to the impressive campus.
