▁ice ▁hockey ▁teams ▁would ▁play ▁for ▁Esp oo ▁United . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 - 1 7 ▁season ▁the ▁Esp oo ▁United ▁women ' s ▁ice ▁hockey ▁team ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁Na isten ▁SM - s ar ja ▁and ▁won ▁silver ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Finn ish ▁Championship . ▁The ▁Esp oo ▁United ▁men ' s ▁team ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁M est is , ▁the ▁league ▁below ▁the ▁premier - level ▁Li iga , ▁where ▁they ▁won ▁bronze ▁in ▁the ▁play offs . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁J us si ▁Sal ono ja , ▁owner ▁of ▁Esp oo ▁United ▁O y , ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁abandon ing ▁its ▁women ' s ▁ice ▁hockey ▁and ▁basketball ▁teams ▁for ▁financial ▁reasons . ▁“ The ▁reason ▁is ▁two fold : ▁the ▁men ' s ▁teams ' ▁bud gets ▁are ▁far ▁greater ▁than ▁those ▁of ▁women ' s ▁teams , ▁so ▁their ▁running ▁is ▁more ▁demand ing , ▁but ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁[ the ▁men ' s ▁teams ] ▁are ▁more ▁interesting ▁to ▁spons ors ▁and ▁aud ien ces ,” ▁Sal ono ja ▁said . ▁ ▁The ▁future ▁of ▁women ' s ▁ice ▁hockey ▁team ▁was ▁left ▁uncertain ▁and ▁many ▁possible ▁solutions ▁were ▁proposed , ▁including ▁being ▁acquired ▁by ▁H IF K ▁or ▁mer ging ▁with ▁Esp oo ▁Blues ▁Junior it ▁( a ▁junior ▁club ▁with ▁strong ▁t ies ▁to ▁the ▁franch ise ). ▁ ▁Esp oo ▁Blues ▁part