Choosing the black and yellow of Skellefteå AIK was a dead cert when he moved to town.
Eight months ago Mark Duchesne moved to Skellefteå to work at Northvolt. He is originally from Canada, and grew up playing hockey in his home country, which accounts for his abiding love of hockey today. Once he arrived in Norrland, then, his decision to buy Skellefteå AIK season tickets was a given.
– If I remember correctly, it was my second day here that I was introduced to Skellefteå AIK. One of my first purchases when we moved here was two season tickets, one for me and one for my wife, says Mark.
At Mark´s workplace, he isn’t the only hockey fan.
– There are five of us from work who usually go to the games together. A colleague who comes from Wales bought a season ticket after his first Skellefteå AIK game; he immediately understood that this is the team that counts, says Mark.
One of my first purchases when we moved here was two season tickets, one for me and one for my wife, says Mark.
The guy at the games yelling, get the puck out of our zone' is usually me, says Mark.
Skellefteå AIK's arena is accessible to everyone.
Before every hockey game, Mark and his colleagues have their own set of rituals. It ranges from dressing in the team's colours, to having a special meeting schedule at work every game day so they make it to the arena on time.
– The club has made it possible for us to get to know people who we would otherwise not have met as new residents of a city. It binds us together, says Mark.
Every game is a special memory.
Mark Duchesne
Is it an advantage to have season tickets?
– For me it is, I don't have to worry about trying to find a ticket since I already have two seats and I know that my seat will always be used by friends even if I can't go to the game, he says.
Every match is a special memory, says Mark.
From the moment he opens his car door in the parking lot to the moment he enters the Skellefteå Kraft Arena, he has a feeling of excitement that often turns into happiness after the game.
– Considering the size of the crowd, it is an incredible, accessible arena. The restaurants offer good food and a fantastic atmosphere. The arena gets a little louder every game we get closer to the playoffs, but I must admit that the arena was pretty loud already from the very first game I saw, he says.
Nothing is as magical about the heel, it´s incredible.
Mark Duchesne
What does a game day look like for you?
– A typical game day starts in the office where me and my colleagues talk about the upcoming match everything from the strength of the opposing team to the development of our team. At the end of the day, we run to our cars and get to the arena as fast as we can, he says and continues:
– The guy at the game yelling "Get the puck out of our zone" is usually me. Then the next day we discuss and analyse what happened during the game.
Mark's new home arena is Skellefteå AIK.
What does Skellefteå AIK mean to you?
– It's a way to escape the everyday routine, a chance to meet people and feel community. Nothing is as magical as the crowd: it's just unbelievable, he says and continues:
– Skellefteå AIK means a lot to me and my family. My son's main reason for visiting me and my wife in Sweden is to watch a game. He even has his own AIK jersey waiting for him at our home.
When he steps into the arena, he has a sense of excitement that often turns to happiness after the match is over.
Is it noticeable around town when it’s game day?
– There is no escaping it. Over half the town seems to come to the games, and the restaurants fill up. You always feel a tension in the air when it's game day, says Mark.