The #SupportKontiolahti campaign started quickly

Companies and citizens can, if they wish, participate in covering lost ticket sales revenue.

The #SupportKontiolahti campaign, born from the initiative of the partners and citizens of the Biathlon World Cup event, gives individuals and companies the opportunity to support the race organizer, who faced a massive financial loss.

In order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the Biathlon World Cup event in Kontiolahti was organized without an audience and with a competition organization reduced to a minimum. As a result of the public ban, the organizer was left without ticket sales revenue, the amount of which was previously estimated at 400,000 euros.

─Financial support can be shown by citizens and companies who bought tickets to the event, as well as by people who haven't bought tickets yet, says Kimmo Turunen, chairman of the Kontiolahti Sportsmen's Association.

Ticket fees may not be collected

The organizer goes through practical questions related to the return of tickets purchased for the event with Lippu.fi, which was responsible for ticket sales. There are several options in the plans, Turunen says.

─If they wish, the person who bought the ticket can show their support by not collecting the ticket price, even if the event was cancelled. Another support option is that tickets can be transferred to the World Cup in November. If you don't want to direct the money to cover the organizer's losses, the person who bought the ticket can collect the fees themselves.

Turunen expects that the plans will be confirmed soon.

Support for tens of thousands of euros

Turunen says that the support shown by citizens and partner companies has been great at the beginning of the #SupportKontiolahti campaign.

─We will contact business partners and make a situation review. During Monday and Tuesday, it has been confirmed that, for example, companies that bought VIP tickets will participate in the talks for more than ten thousand euros.

More than 80 percent of the companies that have already been contacted and bought Joy of Biathlon ticket packages have said that they will transfer the tickets to the November event.

─The task is big, but the support shown by the companies increases our faith in the future. Even a little support is necessary, says the chairman.

Online store to sell competition products

Subcontractors have also shown their support.

─We receive messages in which subcontractors who provided services or products for the event say that they will not invoice for their services. There are other sports clubs and companies involved in the talks, Turunen thanks.

Turunen is also waiting for an online store where you can buy World Cup products. Currently, the online store is built by entering the products to be sold on the website and making agreements to organize payment traffic, among other things.

─The public in Finland and abroad has also wanted beanies, t-shirts and teddy bears for sale. We can respond to this demand with the help of the online store. We expect demand especially for "Colder. Darker. Kontiolahti." for products.

More information: Kimmo Turunen, chairman, Kontiolahti Urheilijat, 050-5633480