Ilves Ikuisesti expands beyond hockey with diverse events

Tamperelainen reports that Ilves Ikuisesti ry in Tampere operates more than a hundred annual events, many unrelated to Ilves or the club’s sports activities. Founded in 2016 by Marko Iso-Mustajärvi after launching a positive-minded Facebook group, the association now schedules a wide array of activities in Tampere, from theatre evenings and concerts to away trips and social get-togethers. The calendar lists a Titanique parody musical, Haloo Helsinki, Deep Purple, Lauri Haavin and Eppu Normaali concerts, an Ice Cage event, a summer theatre show Täydelliset häät, and golf tournaments. Away trips are a core feature, with journeys to the World Championship in Switzerland, the association's 10-year anniversary trip to Riga, an NHL trip to Dallas, and a Christmas cruise between Helsinki and Stockholm. Iso-Mustajärvi says the diverse program brings members together and that Ilves Ikuisesti is unique in Finland as an informal supporters’ club with breadth beyond match days. The group’s roots go back to a 2016 Facebook initiative born to foster positive Ilves support. The first trip was to Maarianhamina to watch Ilves’ football game, and the group has since visited Åland more than ten times; the first concert trip was to the Hartwall Arena for a Vain Elämää show. The membership stands at 964 at the end of last year, with roughly 10 percent leaving each year aside from one COVID year. Ilves Ikuisesti is a minority owner of Ilves Hockey Oy and Ilves Football Oy, and this season the association backs Ilves’ women’s floorball academy team as well as supporting other junior squads. Iso-Mustajärvi has dedicated years to the group, often answering messages around the clock, and says Ilves has been his life since 1967.