NHL fans mock Italy's Olympic hockey arena for tiny jumbotron amid mounting criticism

NHL and NHLPA officials said they were encouraged by advancement connected Italy’s "still-under-construction" crystal hockey rink for the 2026 Winter Olympics adjacent month, adjacent arsenic fans connected societal media proceed to mock the operation of the arena amid mounting scrutiny successful the lead-up to the Games.

The NHL’s long-awaited instrumentality to the Winter Olympics has been clouded by disapproval implicit the operation of the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which volition invited the league’s players to the Games for the archetypal clip successful implicit a decade. 

The operation tract of the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, wherever the crystal hockey contention of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics volition instrumentality place, connected Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, successful Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Last month, NHL lawman commissioner Bill Daly doubled down connected warnings astir the league’s information successful the Games, stating that players would not question to Italy if the rink was deemed unsafe. 

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Concerns astir the size and operation docket of the superior rink had surfaced successful the weeks starring up to his comments, with Daly noting that helium was "cautiously optimistic" it would beryllium completed successful time.

 But officials seemed pleased with the rink aft trial events this past weekend. Fans, however, continued their criticism, with galore mocking the arena’s unusually tiny jumbotron. 

"The Olympic Hockey rink successful Milan is yet complete," 1 station connected X read. "Instead of installing a jumbotron they opted for an iPad." 

"UPDATE they yet completed the Olympic hockey rink by hanging a refurbished iPad Mini from the ceiling truthful radical tin ticker the highlights," different station read. 

The Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, connected Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto /LaPresse via AP)

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The Athletic’s Chris Johnston shared respective updates connected societal media from wrong the rink. In 1 post, which featured the arguable jumbotron, Johnston commended the "good sightlines and acoustics." 

But fans were speedy to telephone retired the size of the surface again. 

"Thats not a jumbotron thats conscionable a tron," 1 idiosyncratic commented. 

"What is this, a Jumbotron for ants?!"

"Thats not a jumbotron thats conscionable a tron," 1 idiosyncratic commented, connected the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto /LaPresse via AP)

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The NHL and NHLPA released a associated connection calling the weekend’s trial events "a bully proceedings run" which "provided important penetration into the existent status" of construction. But the connection besides revealed that there’s inactive enactment to beryllium done earlier play begins connected Feb. 5. 

"While challenges are inherent with caller crystal and a still-under-construction venue, we expect that the enactment indispensable to code each remaining issues volition proceed astir the clock," they said successful a statement. "The NHL and NHLPA volition proceed to show the situation, lasting acceptable to consult and counsel connected the enactment being done to guarantee that the section organizing committee, the IOC, and the IIHF present a tourney and playing conditions befitting the world’s champion players."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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