Two top Finnish floorball clubs Tapanilan Erä and SalibandySeura Viikingit (SSV) have announced a merger, creating the EräViikingit Helsinki, which becomes the world’s biggest floorball club.

SSV had over 650 members and Tapanilan Erä was the biggest floorball club in Finland with over 1600 members.

Kurt Westerlund, who is part of the EräViikingit Central Board, says that the reason for the merge is using both club’s strengths.
– The competition is big. We wanted to do something that people didn’t think would be possible. We are combining our strengths and this way we will become stronger. We also want to challenge other sports. We are an interesting community for the society and the decision makers, and even more importantly for the sponsors. We want to create a new, successful brand. We want to be floorball’s first Real Madrid or Barcelona.

EräViikingit will have a team in both the Finnish men’s and women’s league as well as in the three top junior national league levels for both girls and boys. Westerlund emphasises that one of their advantages will be quality and they will hold on to all the coaches and personnel from both clubs.

More information (in Finnish): http://eraliiga.fi/uutiset/salibandyn-jattilaiset-yhdistyvat-helsinkilaisesta-eraviikingeista-maailman-suurin-salibandyseura
Photo: Salibandyliiga Flickr