INTERVIEW - He has created an ice hockey dynasty – Walter Frey, how much of your assets have you invested in the ZSC Lions so far?

Mr. Frey, the ZSC Lions have won every title in Swiss ice hockey, with the exception of the women's championship and the Swiss League. Has your vision come true?

A vision sounds like an illness to me, something you see a doctor about. We had a goal of what we wanted to achieve with our pyramid of junior teams, as well as the teams in the Swiss League and the National League. We've now achieved practically all of our goals, and that's great.

What does this trigger in you?

Satisfaction, but also joy. It makes me content. But contentment can also be dangerous. Life goes on, and we have not achieved everything we wanted to achieve. Our standards are high. The work continues. We have to make sure we continue to fill our arena. We want to generate revenue as well as expenses. That is a big challenge. And I hope everyone in our organization is aware that the work continues tomorrow. Also aware that it is almost impossible to win as much year after year as we have this season. Nobody can expect that. Luck is always involved, too.

The merger of the old ZSC with the ice hockey section of Grasshopper Club took place over a quarter of a century ago. When you look back to 1997, what comes to mind?

We were told it wasn't possible to unite these two clubs and their cultures under one roof. Their roots were too different. The capacity of our arena shows that it was indeed possible, and we succeeded. And that makes me proud. The fact that we were also able to build an ice rink, which gives us a new home, makes the whole thing doubly wonderful.

The resistance to the merger was enormous. Traditionalists accused you of selling the soul of ZSC. There were street protests. Were you surprised by the vehemence of the reactions?

No, not really. Anyone who is committed to a club with heart and soul will resist if its DNA is changed. You have to wait and see what happens. When you introduce something new or try something new, there will always be initial rejection alongside approval. You have to deal with that.

Was there a point at which you noticed that the mood was changing?

The first titles in 2000 and 2001 were pivotal moments. They helped us immensely. Success unites people. That was the first time we saw that serious work was being done and that everyone was pulling together. From that moment on, the resistance was broken , and things started to improve.

When the team returned from the decisive final match in Lausanne this year, you waited for the team in Zurich and went to the players' locker room. What did you say there?

I couldn't say much. But my first words were: "Respect, I congratulate you and I'm very happy." Nothing more was needed. The team then retreated, and I went back to them and emphasized that we had achieved our goal, shaking everyone's hand.

Respect seems to be important to you. How much of it do you receive for your work?

It's normal not to always receive the respect you desire. Overall, however, we were treated with goodwill and support. The public's attitude changed when the city decided to allow us to build the new arena and even gave us a loan for the construction. This was also a signal to us that people were interested in what we were doing for the community and believed in us and the path we had chosen. The ZSC Lions are and will remain a city club.

The new arena was a matter close to your heart from the very beginning. Footballers are still fighting for a new stadium today. What did you do better?

You can't compare football with ice hockey. The conditions are different. In football, two rival clubs are involved in the project, each facing a variety of obstacles. I can only keep my fingers crossed for GC and FCZ that the project will soon be realized. In football, there's also the issue of fans. We were able to quietly approach the city council with a matter-of-fact coordinator (ZSC CEO Peter Zahner, ed.). We didn't have a single objection to our project. In football, on the other hand, everyone has a say.

Where would the Lions be today without the Swiss Life Arena?

That's pure speculation and impossible to answer. But let me remind you: When we first reached the Champions Hockey League final, we had to move the game to Rapperswil because the Hallenstadion was booked. Today, we're the masters of our own home. That makes things easier. We have priority in the arena.

In the public eye, you're a generous patron. But you're also an entrepreneur, and every entrepreneur wants to at least cover their costs. A variety of figures are circulating around the Lions. How close are you to the so-called break-even point?

We've come one step closer to achieving this with the completion of the arena. With professional sports, we're close to breaking even, if not breaking even. The Swiss League team (the GCK Lions, ed.), an important part of our pyramid, is still far from breaking even. However, I'm confident that we can get the entire organization there one day.

How many days does the Swiss Life Arena need to be at full capacity for you to achieve this?

I think if we could fill the arena for 50 additional days, we should be close to or even reaching breakeven. We're working on that.

Your goal has always been to give every girl and boy in Zurich the opportunity to play ice hockey, if they so desire. Your organization has now grown so large that it is increasingly reaching its limits.

That's true, we're approaching capacity limits in terms of ice rink availability. But I'd rather be crowded in a chapel than alone in a cathedral.

You mostly stay in the background, yet you're still a constant topic of conversation. How do you deal with that?

I'm happy when I can ride in the slipstream. I learned that from racing cyclists. It's easier to reach the finish line in the slipstream.

And what does your family say about your great commitment?

We're a hockey family. My wife, my son, who played hockey himself, my two daughters, and their husbands are all passionate about what we do. Even if not everyone is rooting for the same team, the whole family is fundamentally behind the ZSC Lions and what we do with this organization.

You come from a motorsports background; you've raced cars yourself. Your father won the Grand Prix d'Europe as a motorcyclist. What drew you to ice hockey?

I played ice hockey myself in my youth, with the Grasshopper Club juniors back then at the Dolder. But you can't really compare what I did back then with what we understand as ice hockey today. Everything has become much faster. I love the sport as it's played today.

How much of your assets have you invested in the Lions so far?

I've never calculated that, and I don't even want to know. My family supports this commitment. I don't like to talk about money, even though it's important. I've achieved good results with my companies even during difficult times. Money isn't the only thing that matters. It can also be a plague.

You'll be 82 in July. How long will you remain at the helm of the Lions?

This is a question that's been bothering me. We'll be discussing it on the board of directors in the near future. My son Lorenz is already president of GCK Lions Eishockey AG and vice president of the board of directors of ZSC Lions AG. He has the ability and the will to follow in my footsteps.

For a long time, it seemed certain that Stadler Rail CEO Peter Spuhler would sooner or later take over the ZSC presidency from you. He stepped down from the board of directors three years ago. Are you at odds?

Not at all, quite the opposite. Peter Spuhler contributed so much to the creation of the pyramid that I can only thank him. He continues to sponsor the Lions. However, his professional commitment with Stadler Rail is so demanding that he had to set priorities and step back from the front line at the ZSC Lions. He continues to attend games regularly. He was one of the co-founders of the ZSC Lions, and ultimately, he was the one who brought me to the Grasshoppers in the beginning.

You served in the National Council for the SVP between 1987 and 2001 and are still involved in politics today. What significance does sport have for society?

A very big one. For me personally, it was a life lesson, especially team sports. It taught me that you can't achieve anything alone. Only those who work as a team can be successful. Without sports, I wouldn't be where I am now. It worries me that we're increasingly pushing body and soul apart. We need both; only when both are one can we be truly healthy. A body without a soul isn't alive.

Last Monday, Zurich celebrated Sechseläuten. You're a guild member and, along with the ZSC Lions team, marched in the parade. How emotional was the moment?

It was an honor for us. And judging by how the crowd reacted to the team, it was obvious the crowd was enjoying themselves. Our foreign players, in particular, were overwhelmed and said they'd never experienced anything like it before.