St.Paul chosen as new Hockeytown USA

[Manoir 70]

I didn't see this posted anywhere, I apologize if it already has been.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writ...1210/index.html

[redwingfan19 293]

what a joke, there is only one hockeytown and we all know what city it is.

nuff said

[Grittzkey 1]

Who caress.

[Cicada 4]

when are all of these people going to realise it isn't a title..

it wasn't awarded to the wings in the early 90's because they had the best fans..

it was a merketing ploy, and it worked wonders - so much that everyone thinks it's a title... almost 15 years of being known as Hockeytown USA. Helped build the fan base to massive levels throughout the world.

Does it matter if it's not "applicable" any more?

it's still our ******* trademark

[johnnyoski 0]

Center ice at the Joe says it all!

[Vincanni 1]

I agree entirely with the slogan point, people take this too seriously.

Makes more sense then calling Utah's (formerly New Orleans) basketball team "the Jazz" Why isn't any one up at arms about this? Salt Lake City knows nothing of Jazz music! Same overall logic in my opinion.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

It doesn't even matter. Everyone calls Detroit Hockeytown USA. It's not going to change based on what SI thinks. They can be called the hockey state, but this will always be hockeytown because of marketing.

[OsGOD 3]

Oh well, they might be Hockeytown...

but we are still...

Fire on Ice

[theman19 47]

uh huh,...until the wild start to suck and no one cares.

[Barrie 900]

I agree with most of the comments here, so what?! Did media/fans in other markets actually lose sleep over our marketing campaign? If so, that's sad. I'm starting to wonder if people were waiting for Yzerman to retire so they could say, "haha, see you're not Hockeytown, you have some empty seats in your arena now!". I don't care if Minnesota calls themself, "The State of Hockey", I think that's clever. It's their marketing slogan, it's not something that the NHL gave them.

Some people are so narrow minded, they need to look at the big picture. In Minnesota what other team is actually doing well? Currently the Timberwolfs are 2-15, Vikings are as good as the Lions (6-6), and the Twins are continuing their rollercoaster ride (losing Hunter and possibly trading Santana). The Wild are the only team actually doing something there.

Compare that to the Pistons record (13-6), the Lions improvement, and the blockbuster trade the Tigers did earlier this week. 3 of our 4 major sports teams are amoung the favorites to win their Championships. There's a lot of outstanding sporting events to go too, and so what if not all 150,000 seats are sold every game. There's also another 100,000 tickets to sell in Ann Arbor.

We're a blue collar town going through some tough times, give us a break.

uh huh,...until the wild start to suck and no one cares.

Or one of the other Minnesota teams actually does something positive.

How quickly they forget this is their second crack at the NHL. The first time didn't go to well.

[vangvace 12]

I agree entirely with the slogan point, people take this too seriously.

Makes more sense then calling Utah's (formerly New Orleans) basketball team "the Jazz" Why isn't any one up at arms about this? Salt Lake City knows nothing of Jazz music! Same overall logic in my opinion.

They thought about changing it but ownership didn't think the Jazz would be in Utah long enough to make it worth it. Then the team took off and the rest is history

[Guest DetroitIan]

What a joke. They pick a place where NHL hockey didn't even survive the first time around(Minnesota North Stars). There is only one Hockeytown, USA. And it will always be Detroit!

Edited December 8, 2007 by DetroitIan

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Well, you can't blame anyone for naming a new Hockeytown. The Wings are no longer the most popular team in Detroit, and the JLA always looks empty when you watch the games on TV. Not to mention, it's usually quieter than a golf course. Hardcore Wings fans still love the team, but with guys like Yzerman, Fedorov, Shanny, etc, leaving in recent memory, the club has lost a lot of its popularity amongst casual fans, even though it's still winning.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

SI can say w/e they want, thats the right to free press...but just cuz they say it doesnt make it true,

regardless we will be the only hockeytown until we take the name off of center ice

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Anything that might get rid of the Hockeytown song is good in my book!

[redmathew 0]

at least we never lost our franchise before

[auxlepli 17]

... with guys like Yzerman, Fedorov, Shanny, etc, leaving in recent memory, the club has lost a lot of its popularity amongst casual fans, even though it's still winning.

Yep, that's true. It's not the trendy place to be anymore either. It happens, and it goes in cycles.

Anyway that's a great article, but I don't agree with the conclusion. I also love the Hockeytown song and slogan.

The song is cheesy, but I like it anyway. It's a guilty pleasure I associate with a great organization.

[amberlynn25 9]

they can be the state of hockey all they want. detroit is still hockeytown

[Jwo 7]

SI must of not seen the Yahoo poll. The fans spoke and said Detroit is Hockeytown.

[Guest DetroitIan]

SI must of not seen the Yahoo poll. The fans spoke and said Detroit is Hockeytown.

That's the first thing I thought too. The poll results were pretty overwhelming. Detroit = Hockeytown.

[Echolalia 2,961]

That's the first thing I thought too. The poll results were pretty overwhelming. Detroit = Hockeytown.

Didn't we have about 60% of the votes, too?

[Guest DetroitIan]

Didn't we have about 60% of the votes, too?

Can't remember exactly. But I remember that there wasn't a team within 30% of us. Maybe more. It was pretty clear what America thinks. We all know whats up.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I agree with most of the comments here, so what?! Did media/fans in other markets actually lose sleep over our marketing campaign? If so, that's sad. I'm starting to wonder if people were waiting for Yzerman to retire so they could say, "haha, see you're not Hockeytown, you have some empty seats in your arena now!". I don't care if Minnesota calls themself, "The State of Hockey", I think that's clever. It's their marketing slogan, it's not something that the NHL gave them.

Some people are so narrow minded, they need to look at the big picture. In Minnesota what other team is actually doing well? Currently the Timberwolfs are 2-15, Vikings are as good as the Lions (6-6), and the Twins are continuing their rollercoaster ride (losing Hunter and possibly trading Santana). The Wild are the only team actually doing something there.

Compare that to the Pistons record (13-6), the Lions improvement, and the blockbuster trade the Tigers did earlier this week. 3 of our 4 major sports teams are amoung the favorites to win their Championships. There's a lot of outstanding sporting events to go too, and so what if not all 150,000 seats are sold every game. There's also another 100,000 tickets to sell in Ann Arbor.

We're a blue collar town going through some tough times, give us a break.

We all know how important the Red Wings are to you, and other fans, whatever city or location is "Hockeytown". Be happy with that and quit trying to find things to be upset about.

It's just a slogan people, nothing to get in a hissy fit over.

Edited December 9, 2007 by SouthernWingsFan

[VM1138 1,921]

Hm...I hate to get involved in this, because it's pretty stupid, but I do have one question:

How does a city/state with a historically mediocre hockey team (and an inability to KEEP a hockey team), with no storied past (what, the North Stars?) suddenly become Hockeytown, not to mention, take that "title" away from a town with a consistently AMAZING hockey team, a great following, and a long, long, storied past that chronicles the rise of the NHL itself? Oh, because they're not selling out every game this season? Holy crap, people knew that couldn't carry on forever.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

i also dont really agree that the wings arent the favorite team in detroit, and the article doesnt really say the decline in attendance is because most of the fans are blue collar workers and they had to take a lot of pay cuts/ a lot got fired