Gazprom president Alexey Miller addressed a remarkable milestone from the Kontinental Hockey League. He highlighted that the league’s regular season game between the Saint Petersburg based SKA and the coastal club Sochi drew unprecedented attention, setting a new world record for attendance at indoor hockey arenas. As reported by TASS, Miller’s remarks underscored the growing popularity of hockey in the region and beyond.
The crowd numbers were stunning, with 21,481 spectators filling the arena to witness the decisive moments. By the 12th minute of the third period, the scoreline stood at 7 to 1 in favor of the home team, underscoring SKA’s strong performance on the ice that evening and contributing to the overall electrifying atmosphere inside the arena.
The Saint Petersburg facility, opened recently, accommodates up to 21,500 fans, reinforcing the city’s stature as a premier venue for elite hockey in Russia. This capacity edge helps explain how a single game could reach such extraordinary attendance levels, surpassing the previous indoor hockey record set in North America. The former record was held by the Bell Centre in Montreal where the Canadiens play, which seats 21,100 spectators and has long been a benchmark for indoor hockey arenas. The latest figures confirm that the Russian venue has now joined the short list of venues capable of hosting unprecedented spectator turnouts for indoor hockey.
Historically, the indoor attendance record for KHL matchups had previously stood since 2014 when a game between the Czech club Lev and Magnitogorsk Metallurg attracted 17,073 fans. The new record represents a significant leap forward and reflects both expanding fan interest and improved arena infrastructure across the league. The data point also highlights how the KHL has been growing its regional and international footprint, attracting diverse audiences and elevating the game’s profile in major markets.
In the standings, SKA has demonstrated consistency through the regular season, recording 61 matches and accumulating a total of 85 points, a figure that places the club at the top tier alongside Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Dinamo Moscow sits three points behind in third place, illustrating a tightly contested race at the top of the table and the competitive depth present within the league this season. The results matter not only for the points tally but also for the momentum they generate as the season progresses toward the playoffs, where teams strive to maximize home ice advantage and future earnings from rising attendance and broadcast interest.
For SKA, the season has also featured a symbolic moment tied to its home arena’s opening, a milestone that has served to crystallize the club’s identity and its connection with fans. The arena itself has become more than just a venue; it is a focal point where players, supporters, and the broader hockey community converge to celebrate the sport. The record-setting attendance underscores the wider appeal of hockey in Russia and the northern regions, where community pride and the thrill of high-stakes competition combine to create memorable experiences for spectators and participants alike. The league continues to monitor attendance trends, aiming to balance sporting excellence with sustainable fan engagement as it expands its footprint across both national and international audiences. Source attribution for these observations is provided by TASS.