Can anyone explain to me how the heck Pantern is playing so well? And why the heck do they only get around 400 spectators per game? I understand most people in Malmö follow the Redhawks but still...
Late reply but anyway.
Couple of reasons here...
Let's start with why Pantern had such a nice season.
Good leadership and great chemistry amongst the players.
Is that all? Well, basically yes.
The cooperation with Malmö Redhawks sure means a lot too in terms of being able to sign the right players and having a full roster on a shoestring budget.
But why aren't people supporting the team?
First of all, Pantern has almost throughout their existance been a low tier team.
As such and especially in a town like Malmö where everything is about soccer, soccer, soccer, some more soccer and then maybe hockey...well, you get close to nothing when it comes to attention.
Newspapers never mentioned a word about the team for years and years.
(With very few exceptions)
Basically you already had to be a hockeyfan to know the team even existed.
I've even heard interviews with players in todays Pantern roster saying things like:
-When I meet new people in Malmö and tell them I play for Pantern they ask me, "what team and sport is that?!"
Seriously...
I don't even know where they're supposed to find new supporters.
Maybe doors have been opened with these last two seasons in Hockeyallsvenskan, but for now a lot of the attendance are basically Redhawks-supporters and they already have a first choice team.