Inspirational person of the week: Mike Helber

Mike, you are a very well-known figure in the entire ice hockey world, but please tell us a little about yourself for Based On People's

Mike, you are a very well-known profile in the entire ice hockey world, but please tell Based On People's network a little about how you ended up in Sweden and how it started?

"Hockey should work for you - you should not work for hockey!"
Those were the words that came from my coach when I was 18 and that stuck in my brain. This mindset took me to Sweden in 1992. I had received my degree from the University of Michigan and was listed by the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL. At the same time, I was very far from an NHL contract, so I decided to move to a new country and try to learn a new language and even learn a new culture.
In Linköping I got the opportunity to let hockey work for me. My goal was to play two seasons before returning to the USA and studying for a master's degree.
But life doesn't always go as planned – however, my personal journey was linked to Linköping Hockey Club. In March 2002, Linköping HC was in the Elitserien (SHL) to stay and I quit as a player after 10 seasons. Cecilia and I had been married for several years and our second child was on the way when I left the ice to become LHC's first club director.

As a former club director in the SHL and now an expert commentator in C More, how do you think this period with Corona will affect elite ice hockey over time?

Corona has affected the whole world. Elite sports are no exception, it can even be compared to the travel industry when almost everything was cancelled in a week in March.
In the short term, I see that sports will need to be carried out without a large audience. In the longer term, it could develop into a new obstacle or excuse for people not going to physical matches. There is a high probability that the effect will be that live TV will become increasingly dominant for "sports consumption". We will not have large sports gatherings until a vaccine for Covid 19 is available to everyone.
About 13 years ago, iPhones, together with a faster connection (streaming), changed the audience's behavior to consume sports more and more via phone, computer or TV.
Unfortunately, I think Covid 19 will be a new excuse for many to think twice about whether it is worth the risk of infection to go and watch a match, or whether it is safer and more convenient to be at home and watch the match on TV?

You have become a Swedish citizen - Was it obvious?

When our daughter Alva was born in 1999, I said that I would apply for Swedish citizenship as I had lived as long in Sweden as in the USA. I passed this point about five years ago but finally applied about a year ago. It went fast and I am proud to be Swedish but have actually felt more Swedish than American for the past 15 years. I have adapted to "Swedish - group and moderation values" and appreciate the security in Sweden for me and my family. It feels natural to: be a leader in sports clubs, go to the recycling center, run a company in work culture development, cycle to parties in a suit and the wife in a dress, have coffee with employees, inspect the car, lecture on individual development and group development and even dress up as Santa at Christmas. For me, that is typically Swedish.

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