Ilosaarirock and Joensuun Maila team up
Joensuu Maila's Mehtimäki Baseball Stadium, renowned as the most beautiful Finnish baseball venue, will now be called Ilosaarirock Stadium!
Joensuu's top-level Finnish baseball is entering a new era with flair as Ilosaarirock, known as the best weekend of the summer, joins Joensuu Maila’s partner network. The newly established main partnership spans from 2025 to 2027, during which Mehtimäki Baseball Stadium will be renamed Ilosaarirock Stadium.
Over 50 years old, Ilosaarirock is one of Europe’s oldest and Finland’s largest music festivals. Traditionally held in mid-July, the festival draws over 70,000 music lovers to Joensuu’s Laulurinne over one weekend.
– Finland’s national sport, Finnish baseball, and live music both evoke powerful emotions and offer unforgettable experiences. They bring people together and leave a mark on individuals and the entire community. The collaboration between Ilosaarirock and Joensuun Maila is a wonderful example of how local organizations can work together to make Joensuu even more attractive, says Lauri Ruotsalainen, our Sales and Marketing Manager.
– It is a joy and an honor to help write a new chapter in the story of sports and culture in the Joensuu region. Ilosaarirock Stadium represents exactly what we love to do: bring people together and create experiences that will be remembered for years to come.
In the summer of 2024, Joensuu Maila and Ilosaarirock partnered to host a special Ilosaarirock game on the eve of the festival, drawing 3,137 spectators to the stadium for a single regular-season match. Following this success, plans for deeper collaboration began to take shape.
– Ilosaarirock is one of Joensuu’s most recognizable brands, just like Joensuu Maila is on the baseball field. This is not just a name change but a testament to how we can work together to make Mehtimäki an even more attractive destination for both sports and culture, says Nemo Huhta, CEO of Super-JoMa Oy.
– It was amazing to see how many festival-goers came to experience the atmosphere of our national sport at the world’s most beautiful Finnish baseball stadium last summer. Thanks to this new partnership, we can offer the same experience at the same time next season, Huhta adds.
The modern Mehtimäki Baseball Stadium, completed in 2018, provides a unique setting for Finnish baseball games as well as other cultural and sporting events. Over the years, the stadium has hosted unforgettable concerts and even an outdoor ice hockey game in Finland’s Mestis league.
– We want to remain an active player that brings together sports, entertainment, and culture. The collaboration with Ilosaarirock gives us an excellent foundation to expand our range of events. Our goal is to make Ilosaarirock Stadium a meeting place that delivers memorable experiences, whether at Finnish baseball games or other events, Huhta concludes.
Let the games begin, festival and baseball fans alike!
