ILVES+ to stream every Ilves home game free, starting with KooKoo opener

ILVES+ will carry free match broadcasts for every Ilves home game this season, with Mikko Aaltonen on commentary. The service has been updated with new audiovisual content this week, including a player portrait interview with new winger Aleks Haatanen, published today at 18:00, and a guest appearance by Tony Sund on the Ilvestyskirja. Nyt. podcast, alongside live coverage of Friday’s and Sunday’s home games at Nokia Arena.

The launch follows the club's roll-out of a unified ILVES+ streaming platform in July and complements the family-packed home-opener weekend at Nokia Arena this month.

The latest Ilvestyskirja. Nyt. episode has Tony Sund discussing his move to Ilves, past career moments and his player profile, with hosts Valtteri Makkonen and Sami Hintsanen. Podcast episodes go to subscribers overnight between Monday and Tuesday and become freely available on ILVES+ and Spotify from Wednesday.

The player portrait series opens with 25-year-old Aleks Haatanen, a Kiekko-Vantaa product who joined Ilves on a two-year deal. His wide-ranging interview covers junior years, previous Liiga seasons and hopes for the season ahead. ILVES+ will carry full match coverage of the home opener against KooKoo on Friday and the Sunday game against Turun Palloseura, including a one-hour preview, live commentary by Mikko Aaltonen and postgame analysis with Ilves icons Marko Anttila and Tommi Välimaa. Streams are available at ilvesplus.com and ilves.com, and via the Tampereen Ilves and Radioplayer Suomi apps.

The Liiga home opener is Friday 25 September at Nokia Arena, puck drop 18:30. It follows a five-game road trip in which Iivari Heikkinen scored in a 2–1 win in Kuopio; KalPa was credited with an own goal.

KooKoo lost 5–4 to KalPa on Wednesday; Roope Tossavainen scored twice and Axel Holmström had two assists. Last season the teams split their four meetings evenly. Early-season form shows Luke Henman leading Ilves with one goal and five assists, while Manu Mäkelä tops KooKoo with two goals and two assists.

Arena program details: gates and pregame entertainment start at 17:30; family activities include a Pihlajalinna 100-day challenge and children's attractions; match tickets and season passes include regional public transport; VIP areas open 90 minutes before puck drop. Expert Tommi Välimaa and host Mikko Aaltonen will begin Ilves+ coverage at 17:30.