Big recap of the Invasion VIII with all positives and negatives too

[EurolancheDavid]

As we reported at Eurolanche.com earlier this season, the Fan Club will organize the eighth trip of its members to Denver for the Colorado Avalanche games. Trip is called 'Eurolanche Invasion VIII' and a record number of 12 members from 5 different European countries (also record) will fly stay in Colorado for more than two weeks. This thread will be up-to-date by recaps, photos, videos and much more before, during and after the Invasion VIII.

The official announcement, a short report of the orientation meeting of the Invasion VIII participants and the event schedule follow below.

Click to read more...

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Invasion VIII to Denver announced

Fan Club is working on the eighth trip to Denver. In total, 12 of its members will visit the Stadium Series game in person. Take a look at the special logo too.

A tradition continues. The Eurolanche Fan Club will organize its eighth trip of its members called Eurolanche Invasion VIII to Denver for Colorado Avalanche games during the upcoming 2015/16 season. A record number of participants – 12 from five different European countries, will be a part of the unique project between, which will take place between February 24 and March 10, 2016. The fan club members from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and Switzerland will be in the stands of the Pepsi Center for five regular-season home games against the San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks. “The highlights of the whole Invasion will be two very special games. We will visit both the Alumni and the Stadium Series games at Coors Field on February 26 and 27,†announced Fan Club President David Puchovsky.

David Puchovsky will be back in Denver for a record seventh time. Four more countrymen from Slovakia will join him: Tomas Vnuk for the second time; Jozef Illes, Martin Machnic and Martin Jurkovic for the first time. The Czech Republic will be represented by Ondrej Kolinsky (second appearance), David Gavenda and Jan Nemcik (first time for both). Norbert Gruber of Austria will participate in the event for the sixth time, the second highest number in the entire organization. Robert Heppekausen and Boris Wiedemeyer will become the first Eurolanche members from Germany, who will be a part of the Invasion as well as Alexander Mader from Switzerland.

“Overall, the organization of the Eurolanche Invasion VIII is harder than ever as a total of 12 fans will travel overseas. It is a big challenge for the Fan Club. We do not want to take any risks, so we have been working on this trip since the end of the past season. Thanks to our effort, we could buy tickets for the Alumni/Stadium Series Game for all Invasion members in spite of the sale being strictly limited,†said Puchovsky.

The final number of the visited Avalanche games during Invasion VIII may be even higher – eight – in case the group will travel to Minnesota for an away game against Wild. For now, the final schedule is not known and should be published during the following weeks. “We are still working on it. There were talks about trips all over Colorado, the Grand Canyon or Las Vegas. We really, really want to do everything to make Invasion VIII the best and the most unique trip in Fan Club history. It will be a great honor for us to be in Denver during the Avalanche's 20th season and to be in the stands for the Stadium Series game,†concluded Puchovsky. As every year, the Invasion schedule will include personal meetings with Avalanche players and private meetings with both current and former players, visits to practices on both game- and off-days, interviews for the local media, trips within and outside of Colorado State, visits to other sports events and much more.

There will be special Eurolanche Invasion VIII coverage before and during the event for those members, who could not join the group of participants. Non-stop updated news, diaries, photo and video galleries will be available at the special website Invasion.Eurolanche.com that currently offers great reviews of all previous seven Invasions. Besides reading and watching, all Eurolanche members may takepart in a special contests for Avalanche merchandise. Dates and rules will be announced later. Finally, all breaking news and the rest of the coverage will be online at the main website www.eurolanche.com and on two official Eurolanche social network accounts - on Facebook and Twitter.

During Invasion VIII, the Fan Club will offer its members a chance for preliminary registration for the Eurolanche Invasion IX. The next trip should be organized in 2016/17 season - the tenth in Fan Club history. The members who expressed their interest to take part in the Invasion VIII, but ultimately could not take part, will have the first chance to send their preliminary registration for the Invasion IX. The public registration will be announced afterwards.

In total, after Invasion VIII, the numbers will speak for themselves – 44 Eurolanche members of eight Invasion trips visited 49 Colorado Avalanche games (two in Minnesota and Chicago).

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Invasion orientation meeting in Prague

Members of the trip to Colorado met in Prague, Czech Republic.

One year ago, the first pre-Invasion meeting took a place. It has become a tradition that continued this past weekend. Seven of 12 members of the Eurolanche Invasion VIII met in Prague, Czech Republic three months prior the trip itself. They discussed about the Invasion VIII schedule that will be announced in the upcoming days and the trip organization generally.

Besides official program, Eurolanche memebrs got know each other, had a tour in Prague, played sports games at Playstation 4 and watched a game between Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals. Besides fans from Czech Republic and Slovakia, there were Austrian and German member too.

The same pre-Invasion meeting will be a part of each Invasion in the future. The meeting may take a place in a different European city. Speaking about the meetings, dates of the meetings for all Eurolanche members will be announced later in the year of 2016.

Photo gallery of the meeting is available at http://www.eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7024

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Schedule of the Eurolanche Invasion VIII

Eurolanche Fan Club introduces a schedule of the eighth trip of its members to Denver called Invasion VIII that will offer the busiest program in the event history.

Eurolanche Invasion VIII starts on February 24 by a meeting of the members at the airport in Vienna, Austria and ends on March 10 by a departure to Europe from Denver. In total, 12 fans of the Colorado Avalanche will spend 16 days in USA. Eurolanche Fan Club has organized the best and busiest schedule for them. The schedule was creating for months and its final version have been approved by the Invasion VIII members at the orientation meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, recently.

Total of 12 members of the trip is absolute record in the event history. Also a number of countries represented by these fans is a record – Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia and Czech Republic. A highlight of the entire trip are visits to two outdoor games – Alumni and Stadium Series games between Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings. A rest of the schedule consists of visits to five more Avalanche games, many trips and activities in State of Colorado and even a trip to Las Vegas by car, 10-hour ride.

February 24
- early morning meeting at the airport in Vienna and departure to Denver via London
- rent a car (van for 12 people), check-in at the hotel
- game against San Jose

February 25
- a full-day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park

February 26
- Denver Downtown
- Alumni Game between Colorado and Detroit

February 27
- Denver Downtown
- Stadium Series Game between Colorado a Detroit
- departure to Las Vegas

February 28
- arrival to Las Vegas, check-in at the hotel

February 29
- a day in Las Vegas

March 1
- departure from Las Vegas
- visits to Grand Canyon and Four Corners National Monument
- driving to south Colorado and overnight stay at the local motel

March 2
- visits to Mesa Verde National Park, the oldest city of San Luis, Great Sand Dunes National Park and UFO Watchtower
- coming back to Denver

March 3
- Denver Downtown
- game against Florida

March 4
- visit to the Avalanche practice
- visit to Red Rocks Amphitheater
- NBA game
- TBA

March 5
- Denver Downtown
- game against Nashville
- NLL game (lacrosse)
- TBA

March 6
- visit to Aspen (skiing for one group)
- second group will relax at the Glenwood Hot Springs

March 7
- sport activities in Keystone Winter Park (snow tubing, skating, snowmobiling etc.)
- game against Arizona

March 8
- Pikes Peak Railway
- visit to Royal George Bridge and Park

March 9
- trip to Georgetown and Mount Evans
- game against Anaheim

March 10
- Denver Downtown
- departure from Denver, flying back to Vienna via London

Notes
- more information about visited places and attractions will be available to all readers of Eurolanche.com in daily updated diaries written by Eurolanche Invasion VIII members in four foreign languages
- „Denver Downtown“ activity means a group of members may spend a day in Denver area or nearby doing different activities (shopping, visiting museums, tours etc.)
- TBA shortcut means the schedule for this part of a day will be announced later, and offers a free space for the moving other activities from day to day respectively (depends on mutual agreement of the group and weather conditions e.g.)
- the schedule does not include activities that will be organized after arrival of the group to Denver and it will depend on third parties (visit to the gameday practice in Pepsi Center, meeting with Scott Parker and meetings with other players and people from the Colorado Avalanche etc.)

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

How is it possible to join these trips? I would love to and currently I live in Prague.. Thanks!

 

[EurolancheDavid]

How is it possible to join these trips? I would love to and currently I live in Prague.. Thanks!

I am going to PM you.


-----------
Invasion VIII starts in two months

The eighth trip of the Fan Club will begin in February. The special coverage starts on Eurolanche.com today.

Eurolanche Invasion VIII will be organized from February 24 to March 10 of the upcoming year. The schedule and overall number of participants are great evidence that the Invasion VIII will become the biggest and the best Eurolanche’s trip to Denver in its history. In total, 12 members of the Fan Club from five different European Countries will travel overseas (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, Czech Republic). Both figures are absolute record in the event history.

The official Fan Club’s website www.eurolanche.com is about to start the special coverage on the occasion of Eurolanche Invasion VIII. Readers of the website will be able to read recaps of all seven past Invasions, each written by different member, in the coming weeks. Twelve members of the Invasion VIII will be introduced thru the interviews and short bio as well.

Those Colorado Avalanche fans that couldn’t join the Invasion VIII will have a chance to take a part in the special contests for the souvenirs bought in Pepsi Center and signed photos of the players. All details of the contests will be published later at the official website. All in-contests souvenirs will represented Avalanche’s anniversary season.

Eurolanche recently launched specialized website StadiumSeries.Eurolanche.com that will offer to its readers all and complete basic information about the outdoor game event including its history, history of Avs – Wings rivalry, projected lineups, general news and online up-to-day coverage from Denver.

Visits to the Avalanche – Detroit Red Wings Alumni Game and Stadium Series Game will be highlights of the upcoming Eurolanche Invasion VIII. The group of 12 fans will take one of the longest trips in the event history – a drive to Las Vegas and south Colorado on a way back. For the first time ever, Invasion participants will do sport activities in Denver like for example snowmobiling, snow tubing, ice skating, skiing and more. New attractions were added to the schedule because it has been always a motto of the Eurolanche to organize new activities and trips for each of the next Invasion.

The following information is important to those fans, who are thinking about their participation at the Eurolanche Invasion IX in 2016/17 season. Preliminary registration will start during the Invasion VIII and then you will be able to talk with Eurolanche’s executive staff about anything regarding the trip. Just follow Eurolanche.com for all major Eurolanche Invasion news.

Only two months left and Eurolanche will come back to Denver again. Be closer to this memorable event by reading the upcoming past-Invasion recaps, Invasion VIII interviews and more about the trip at Eurolanche.com in the next weeks.

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Fans' interest in the Invasion IX yet

More and more European fans of the Avalanche team would like to travel to Colorado with the Eurolanche.

The eighth trip of the Eurolanche Fan Club to Denver under a name Eurolanche Invasion VIII has not even started yet and there are some fans who have already expressed their interest in the Eurolanche Invasion IX that is scheduled for the 2016/17 season. To be concrete, 18 Fan Club’s members of 5 countries would like to travel overseas. This number doesn’t include those participants of the Invasion VIII who will want to come back to Denver in the nearest date as is possible.

The official preliminary registration for the Eurolanche Invasion IX will begin during the Invasion VIII that is scheduled from February 24 to March 10 of 2016. Members of the Invasion VIII crew and the Eurolanche executive staff/reporters will be eligible as the first group for the process. The second group will consist of those Eurolanche members who originally wanted to be a part of the Invasion VIII, but couldn’t travel at the end. At the final, all the rest of the Fan Club’s members will be able to send their preliminary registrations for the next trip.

The official rules of the preliminary registration process will be announced at Eurolanche.com during the Invasion VIII. There will be created a group of preliminary registered fans after this date and they will not be obligated to do anything. A date of the Eurolanche Invasion IX will be known in June when the NHL is going to release a schedule for the next season – and the date of the Fan Club ninth trip will depend on it.

The final confirmation process will begin in the summer 2016. Preliminary registered members will be able to confirm their participation at the Invasion IX or simply leave the group and wait for the next trips. The order of the members for the final registration process will depend on the order of the preliminary registration. Those members, who sent their preliminary registrations sooner, will be able to confirm their final participation sooner as well. Rules of the Eurolanche Invasion don’t limit a number of overall participants at a respective trip, but when the staff will feel the potential high number of fans would have negative impact on the whole organization of the trip, they may limit the final number.

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Some stuff for our promotion that we will take to Denver with us:

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Invasion: Live broadcasting from Denver

Closer like never before! Many fans expressed their interest in the Eurolanche Invasion VIII – the project of the Eurolanche Fan Club that offers to its members a unique chance to watch the Colorado Avalanche hockey in person. But as every year, they’ve left many fans that couldn’t join the group at the end due personal reasons. There are many fans that are still waiting on their first trip overseas. The Fan Club is working on a new part of the Invasion coverage for them especially. In total, 12 members of the Invasion VIII will broadcast some moments of the trip in Denver via live videos.

Eurolanche on Periscope: https://www.periscope.tv/Eurolanche

How to watch the broadcast

You need to download an app called Periscope for iOS and Android for following the Eurolanche Invasion VIII broadcast. Her message is simple – to broadcast live videos via mobile phones for the entire world.

After downloading and installing the application, you can sign up with your Twitter account or a cell phone number there. Then just search for the Eurolanche account and start to follow it. When the Invasion VIII crew starts with a live broadcasting in Denver, you will get a notification in your smartphone. If you have an account on Twitter and you follow the Eurolanche, you will get a notification there as well. The crew will send notifications on the new broadcasts also on Facebook to its both fan pages occasionally – Eurolanche and Colorado Avalanche SK/CZ.

What you can expect

The Eurolanche Invasion VIII members will try to get closer all the Colorado Avalanche fans to the unique annual event that includes scheduled trips in Colorado and to Las Vegas too. It is hard to plan a concrete broadcasts now as it will be about spontaneous moments mainly. The scheduled broadcast will include live videos from Denver streets, the members’ hotel and rooms, Pepsi Center, sequences of the Avalanche games, practices, nature and much more.

The biggest highlight of the live broadcasting will be videos of the arena, practices and mainly of the meetings with the Avalanche players on their off days. Eurolanche will do all its best to inform you about scheduled exclusive video content in advance at its publishing channels.

Benefits of the app and the broadcasting

You will be able to not only watch but also listen the broadcasting as well. The viewers may add their opinion, questions for the players/trips’ members under a video. They can also click on “a heart†that is an equivalent to a like button. All broadcasts will be available for replay for the next 24 hours at the Eurolanche account and will be deleted automatically after this time expired.

Eurolanche on Periscope: https://www.periscope.tv/Eurolanche

Technical issues

The Eurolanche Invasion VIII staff would like to aware those fans that are looking forward for the broadcasting that there may be an unexpected complications and issues as this app has never been tried by the Eurolanche members in Denver. There shouldn’t be a problem with the live videos at the places where a WiFi network is available. The Invasion VIII crew will buy US SIM card to provide the unlimited broadcasting to the followers.

There will be many options how to follow the Eurolanche Invasion VIII. Daily recap with a photo of a day will be published daily at www.eurolanche.com along with the special and breaking Invasion stories. The sister website invasion.eurolanche.com will offer online coverage via Twitter embedded window (you don’t have to have this app); daily updated diaries of each day in four language versions and photo/video galleries. The extended online coverage will be updated continuously at the new website stadiumseries.eurolanche.com. All updates and alerts will appear on the mentioned accounts on the social networks of Facebook and Twitter.

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Where and how to follow Invasion VIII

Where and how to follow Invasion VIIIA review of all options how to follow the Invasion coverage.

We’ve informed you about the Eurolanche Invasion project in many ways in the recent time, mainly about the eighth trip to Denver under a name Eurolanche Invasion VIII. A record number of 12 members will be a part of this trip. They come from five different countries that is a breakout number as well. Both figures guarantee the group will experience unforgettable and life-time moments that they would like to share with other fans. The review of all publishing channels and contents where you will be able to follow the Invasion VIII follows:

Eurolanche.com – daily updated recap of a day and photo of a day; breaking news and special stories

Invasion.Eurolanche.com – continuously updated online coverage via Twitter’s embedded window; chosen top moments of a day; daily updated diaries in four language versions; links for the photo galleries and YouTube videos

StadiumSeries.Eurolanche.com – continuously and extended updated online coverage written by all members of the trip; complete information about both outdoor games

Periscope (app) – broadcasting live videos of basic and special moments, stadiums, practices, meetings with players on their of days and with other people (click here for more info)

Twitter – all updated information about the mentioned parts of the coverage above; online coverage; links; breaking alerts and notifications via Periscope for a new broadcast; photos

Facebooks fan page Eurolanche – all updated information about the mentioned parts of the coverage above; links; recaps; photos

You can read all recent Invasion VIII coverage including interviews with all members of this trip at >>> http://eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7328 <<<

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Unbelievable dedication and organization has gone into this. Amazing job. I hope the team can catch wind of this and work closer with you guys. Keep up the fantastic support.

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Unbelievable dedication and organization has gone into this. Amazing job. I hope the team can catch wind of this and work closer with you guys. Keep up the fantastic support.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

--
Invasion VIII first media appearance >>> http://prohockeynews.com/eurolanche-make-annual-pilgrimage-to-denver-this-week/

 

[EurolancheDavid]

We are in Denver!

Don't miss our updated coverage after day 1:

Diaries - http://invasion.eurolanche.com/invasion8.php
Daily recap - http://www.eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7571
Extended online coverage - StadiumSeries.Eurolanche.com
Photo gallery - http://eurolanche.com/gallery.php?id=64
Eurolanche live from Coors Field - http://eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7365

 

[S E P H]

Great work lads!!! It's awesome to see such a passionate group not only spend big amount of money to travel just to see a team play, but also update and share stories as well.

 

[Former Ladder]

In case it has not been recognized, there is a story on you guys on NHL.com!

https://www.nhl.com/news/colorado-avalanche-european-fan-club/c-279146908?tid=278542160

 

[Foppa2118]

Awesome stuff guys! Well done!

 

[R S]

Good job guys. Definitely jealous of you all making the trip for such a big weekend.

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Thank you very much guys!

Our recap after Day 2 follows.

And yes, we have made it to the NHL.com!!! This is a link: https://www.nhl.com/news/colorado-avalanche-european-fan-club/c-279146908?tid=278542160

Our car:

Diaries - http://invasion.eurolanche.com/invasion8.php
Daily recap - http://www.eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7571
Extended online coverage - StadiumSeries.Eurolanche.com
Photo gallery - http://eurolanche.com/gallery.php?id=64

 

[dahrougem2]

Haaa I love that van. Decked out in Avs decals

 

[Foppa2118]

Thank you very much guys!

Our recap after Day 2 follows.

And yes, we have made it to the NHL.com!!! This is a link: https://www.nhl.com/news/colorado-avalanche-european-fan-club/c-279146908?tid=278542160

Our car:

Diaries - http://invasion.eurolanche.com/invasion8.php
Daily recap - http://www.eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7571
Extended online coverage - StadiumSeries.Eurolanche.com
Photo gallery - http://eurolanche.com/gallery.php?id=64

One step closer to Eurolanche groupies. They gotta be out there somewhere.

 

[ColoradoSportsFan]

Hey fellas, one of your guys gave me a Eurolanche flyer outside the stadium. By the time I realized who/what it was the guy was gone.

Cool flyer.

 

[EurolancheDavid]

Thanks guys again!

Lets look at our updated coverage after the ALUMNI GAME:

Invasion diary > http://invasion.eurolanche.com/invasion8.php
Photo gallery > http://eurolanche.com/gallery.php?id=64
Daily recap > http://eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7571

Our own photo and video gallery of the Alumni Game > http://eurolanche.com/article.php?id=7603

We are going to drive to Las Vegas after tonights game so we will be back with you on Sunday or Monday.

 

[AslanRH]

It has been great following along your journey and success. Congratulations on getting some well deserved main stream recognition as well.

 

[Kanenenights]

I saw you guys

 

[EurolancheDavid]

WE WERE INTERVIEWED BY JEREMY ROENICK FOR NBC SPORTS DURING THE OUTDOOR GAME!!!





Dreams come true. This has been one of our mottos over the years. But what may happen if you are experiencing such great moments that you can’t believe they aren’t dreams? It exactly happened to me on Saturday when I was interviewed by Jeremy Roenick for NBC Sports. Yes, Jeremy Roenick - former NHL superstar. Yes, for NBC Sports, the biggest US sports national channel. As I was journalist in the past, I wouldn’t be surprised if I had a chance to talk with Jeremy at some point. But wait… Roenick interviewed me. Oh my God.

We, at Eurolanche Fan Club, always try to spread word about our voluntary work, about our support of the Avalanche and a dedication to their organization. Trips to Denver under a name Eurolanche Invasion are great proofs our commitment and uniquennes. There is no other similiar NHL fan project that is so active on various fields and organize trips from Europe to North America annualy. So we have been done the same again this year during the Eurolanche Invasion VIII. And one evening I got an email from NBC producer. It was a request for the interview. The interview that was scheduled during the Stadium Series Game - the biggest Avalanche game of the year.

Firstly I was little shaking when I finished reading the email. Yes, we have talked to several national and regional media before, but being interviewed on national channel is quite different. Just add 50 095 spectators in the arena, millions in front of TVs and you got the biggest media challenge for us. Of course my response was sent very quick - and I got confirmation next. Jeremy would meet us during the second period. Period.

I didnt want to jinx it so there was’t any in advance information about the upcoming interview for our supporters, followers and members. It was - and it is still like a dream. Who would believed me either?

I was nervously watching all people coming near our row at Coors Field. I just didn’t want to miss the NBC producer. Wouldn’t be a tragedy if the interview couldn’t be done due my inattention?

It went very fast. Exactly in the second period as I was told. NBC producer came to meet me, introduced me Jeremy. We had a brief talk about Eurolanche and then I came back to my seat. Minutes later, Jeremy and whole NBC crew came down. A little chaos for European when many TV companies back in his country still lack professionalism and work ethic. Many people around, many instructions. But Jeremy’s smile, voice and humility made me less nervous.

Then it came. Live interview on NBC Sports. For million fans around the world. I little messed my first answer when I just coulnd’t remember on a word “promiseâ€. I wanted to say we promise our support for the Avalanche will last for long time. Fortunately, Jeremy helped me to get out of nearly embarassing moment and the talk went on. Next two questions and we were done.

Jeremy kindly accepted my request for a selfie. I was laughing inside. As I wrote above, Jeremy interviewed me, not vice versa. Life may bring crazy moments in any life. But I have to say many of them are well deserved. Without hard work of all Eurolanche active members, there would not exist trips to Denver. There would not exist any real reason why even small media would have to talk about us. But it is not our case.

Jeremy even found a time to get a signature to one of our members. Big thank goes to thim and whole NBC crew for the amazing opportunity. Thank you.

What else to write? Do we think there’s nothing left to reach? Do we think we are super fans who don’t have to do anything and just enjoy their recent success? No way.

Eurolanche will exist in its standard form. Or it will even improve its activity, fan base and service for the European Colorado Avalanche fans.

Yes, we know we reached many succesfull moments that many fans would have never. But we are staying the same persons. It just motivates to move forward and set another level for new goals.

We sitll have unfilled dreams. We still would like to do more activity with the Colorado Avalanche support. We will do everything for that.

Interview on NBC Sports is a great proof of my words.

Let’s see what may happen in Denver for the rest of the Eurolanche Invasion VIII.

- by David Puchovsky