Since the publication of the fact that beer will be sold for 110 CZK at the World Hockey Championship held this year in Prague and Ostrava, barely two days have passed, but with the negative reactions of the fans, he has already managed to literally tear the bag open. After all, the unofficial anthem of the championship, the already older song Hell.o by the singer Lenny (Lenka Filipová Jr.), was received with not too much enthusiasm.
In the context of the above, therefore, the opinion expressed in this article, which says that the price of beer at such an amount is perfectly fine, seems surprising.
As Czechs, we are of course picky about the price of beer. Of course, we can argue that at the previous two home World Cups, beer cost 50 CZK (2004) and 80 CZK (2015), but the question arises whether the price was already excessive then. It is not at all a question of whether the price rises in proportion to the average wage in the country, rather the problem is that the organizers want to make as much money as possible from the event and the image of the Czech Republic as a country of cheap beer practically does not suit them at all.
But let’s compare. In the two richest countries that will participate in this year’s World Cup, viz in Norway and Switzerland, the normal price of beer is around 200 CZK per pint. This is less than twice the price we pay in the Prague and Ostrava fanzones for a week. At the same time, the purchasing power in these countries is significantly higher than here. The Germans, for example, usually have cheaper beer at home than at this year’s World Cup, and we probably don’t need to talk about comparing their purchasing power with that of the Czech Republic.
Of course, we pay a lot for services, for the experience, for being at a big event and being able to experience it for yourself. Certainly, many people will pay this price without any problems, but I cannot agree that it is set at a reasonable amount by the organizers. If any of the foreign fans really want to go wild, they will certainly not buy beer at the O2 arena for 110 CZK, but will simply go to the nearest supermarket, where they can get it five times cheaper. This is often done by Finns, for example, who are famous for their alcohol consumption.
The Czech Republic is famous for its beer consumption. If you ask 10 people what we should be proud of as a nation, you can be sure that at least 5 of them will tell you beer. And they will be right. Beer is a tradition here, and to the surprise of many foreign visitors, it is actually cheaper than water in many restaurants. As a result, I’m not so much annoyed by the high price, which perhaps some people can’t afford, but rather by the false effort to be worldly at all costs, to try to adapt to the surrounding trends while completely ignoring the traditions of this country.
Maybe it’s not as obvious as the fact that we sell matryoshka dolls on Wenceslas Square and there are dozens of “marijuana” and “absinthe” shops in the center of Prague, but it’s still a shame that when we have the opportunity to show the world what makes us unique, we do nothingthat everything here is the same as elsewhere in the world. I consider this a symptom of the low self-esteem of this nation.
survey
What price of beer would you consider reasonable at the 2024 World Cup in Hockey?
A total of 654 readers voted.
I believe that if you have paid thousands of crowns for tickets, the price of beer may be a small change for you. Of course, I wish you a pleasant experience in the arenas, to which beer – especially in this country – is an inherent part. The rest of us will enjoy the tournament, like every year, from the comfort of the living room and, after all, much cheaper. All the best.
