0161 continues to help champion the growth of ice hockey on this side of the Atlantic as Manchester Storm and the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL)at largemanaged to break respective record attendances.
The Altrincham-based team, who play out of Planet Ice over in the thriving Trafford town, currently sit eighth in the EIHL and even at times when the results are going their way, they continue to pull in some of the biggest and best crowds from around the UK.
Welcoming a total of 52,823 fans into the ‘Storm Shelter’ in 2023, Storm have boasted their best-ever numbers and ticket sales over the past calendar year and the fan base is only getting greater. Massive.
Better still, as per a press release on the club website, 80,745 filed into stadiums across 20 fixtures between Christmas and New Year, with Manchester Storm’s attendances also helping set a new league record for the festive period.
Not only was the league-wide tally a 5.5% increase on the same set of games last season (26 December 2023 -1 January 2024) and a whole 12.9% compared to the 2019/20 campaign, but the current average attendance per game now sits at over 4,000.
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A solid foundation that the British and Irish supporter base just keeps building on.
Outside of Greater Manchester, Glasgow Clan set a franchise record crowd of 3,577 on Boxing Day against the Belfast Giants and then went on to beat it again just days later with 3,602 fans turning up to the Braehead Arena for the game against Fife Flyers on 30 December.
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Meanwhile, the Dundee Stars’ crowd of 2,342 against the Giants was also a club record Belfast and are now aiming for their an unprecedented trio of consecutive games with attendances over 2,100. It’s a really good time for ice hockey in the UK right now.
The Storm, Giants, Nottingham Panthers, Sheffield Steelers and Cardiff Devils all enjoyed sell-out games over the holiday season, regardless of the weather and public transport obstacles that fans often face around this time of the year.
With four months left until the end of the regular season and plenty of time to secure a spot in the playoffs, now is as good a time as any to get behind the premier squad of Manc skaters.
Cole Palmer wins Premier League’s Young Player of the Year for 2023/24
Danny Jones
Manchester-born and bred footballer, Cole Palmer, has won the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year award for 2023/24 following a spectacular breakthrough campaign.
The ex-Manchester City youth product made his big-money move to Chelsea at the start of this season and has been comfortably one of the best players in the league this year, once again proving the old adage that if you’re good enough you’re old enough.
Sitting second in the race for the Golden Boot behind former teammate Erling Haaland and shining as one of the most creative midfielders in Europe in his first full season, you could have banked on him winning it months ago.
🔵⭐️ OFFICIAL: Cole Palmer wins the award as Premier League Young Player of the Year. 🧊
Chelsea star has scored 22 goals and provided 10 assists in Premier League this season. pic.twitter.com/HYpthQiOU3
Having bagged a hattrick in Chelsea’s remarkable turnaround against Manchester United as well as bagging four against Everton, just to name a couple of his most impressive performances over the past 12 months, he doesn’t like a player who only made a handful of appearances last year.
With the 22-year-old fittingly netting 22 goals not to mention 10 assists and quickly establishing himself as Mauricio Pochettino’s main man, despite the multi-billion squad assembled around him, it’s been nothing short of a remarkable emergence onto the biggest stage.
Having earned his first senior international call-up through his efforts too, he now looks set to be one the players England fans are dying to see start at the Euros – the point where many Blues are now wondering whether they made a mistake letting him go.
Congratulations to the Wythenshawe native on his well-deserved award and we sincerely look forward to seeing what he does in an England shirt this summer.
As for who will pick up the outright Premier League Player of the Year, surely Palmer picking up the youth award means that Phil Foden is set to mop up the main prize?
A clean sweep for Manc footballers. We like the sound of that.
Tom Aspinall vs Curtis Blaydes rematch confirmed as UFC’s main Manchester fight card is revealed
Danny Jones
Local fighter Tom Aspinall’s next opponent has finally been confirmed as the running order for the UFC’s return to Manchester has been revealed.
The Manc MMA star and interim heavyweight champion was always a certainty for his home event but with the main fight card for the UFC 304 at Co-op Live arena unveiled at last, we now know that the Salfordian will once again be facing off against Curtis Blaydes.
Not only will this be Aspinall‘s first title defence but it will also see the pair meet for the first time since their original 2022 bout was cut short just 15 seconds into the fight after the 31-year-old injured his knee and was unable to continue.
Civility aside, the two have had a score to settle ever since and judging by his reaction following the announcement, he’s clearly keen to finish what he started.
Now 14 wins into his career and with a belt to back it up, we’re expecting big things from the self-proclaimed ‘Honey Badger’ – especially with a name like that.
Fellow English fighters Leon Edwards and Scouse star Paddy Pimblett will all be joining Aspinall on the big night, showing just how much the UK MMA scene has grown.
Jamaican-born Brit Edwards, 32, is currently on a 13-fight unbeaten streak and will defend his welterweight title against American Belal Muhammad, who is also unbeaten in his last 10 fights.
Announcing the full 304 fight card on social media, UFC president Dana White described the Manchester crowds as “incredible” and there’s evident excitement around being the first sports event to grace the brand-new arena.
While there has been lots of criticism over the start times given that the fights will be taking place in the early hours for the benefit of American TV audiences, it’s still a huge deal to have the UFC coming back to 0161, especially with a Manchester native flying high at the top of the heavyweight division.
Not only is this the first time the franchise has been back to the city since 2016 but it’s also only the fourth time an event will have been held in the UK full stop.
Getting underway on Saturday, 27 July, Aspinall vs Blaydes II fight date is set to start at 3am local time and fans will be able to watch it live on TNT Sport.
As for those of you looking to go along and see the action in person, you can queue up to get your tickets HERE.