Big Crowd For Stanley Cup Rally

[LeftWinger 4,962]

Dixie Wingslover,

that is seriously one of the most beautiful pictures i've ever seen.

wow that just makes me well up. and im not saying this in a self righteous way or anything but there is nothing like fans of the detroit red wings. look at that!

i see you're from charlotte?

how are the carolina hurricanes on the other side of the state?

haha pretty bad huh?

im actualy moving to south charlotte in a few years, one great thing about this is,

hopefully the Wings will play AT carolina and i could catch a game in person from then on unless im up here again and able to see one at the Joe.

...when the Wings move east, you'll see PLENTY of Wings in Carolina!!!

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

...Bettman and the NHL HANDED you the Cup, to try and spark interest in Hockey. You didn't earn it, rules were thrown out in order to keep you "STAR" players in the game. Rules were broken, progress was impeded.

Into conspiracy theories much?

Edited June 12, 2007 by SouthernWingsFan

[p_diddy_datsyuk_13 2]

and they think they are "HOCKEYTOWN"...

we had a few hundred thousand... probably half a million...

HOCKEYTOWN IS MORE THAN JUST ONE TEAM!!

we are called HOCKEYTOWN because this city is nothing but hockey... it is the hockey capital of the USA its not just cause of the red wings

[Drimo 0]

Every city around Tampa has their own rink within driving distance (less than 20 minutes)

I think you're mistaken. I lived in that area for 1.5 years. There are three ice rinks in the Tampa area: St Pete Times Forum, the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon and JP Igloo Ice Center in Ellenton. I lived in Venice, which is about 1 hr 20 mins south of Tampa, so the closest rink for me was JP Igloo... and that was a 45 mile drive!

[Kp-Wings 3]

Good picture, Dixie Wingslover. That is how a parade should be. You could see the fans stretching for miles down the road.

That is a true parade. Not this 15,000 bulls*** that went on in Anaheim. What a joke.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

we are called HOCKEYTOWN because this city is nothing but hockey...

You must not even live here cause that couldnt be further from the truth.

[SFWarrior60 0]

You must not even live here cause that couldnt be further from the truth.

What do you mean that couldn't be further from the truth? I live in the Detroit area and there are easily 25 rinks or more with in 35 minutes of my house, expand that to 45 minutes and that number easily doubles. I have played travel hockey for 10 years and still haven't been to close to all the rinks in the area. Let us not forget all the jr, semi pro, pro and college teams in the region. (Whalers, Wolverines, Spartens, Wings, Spirit, Jets, Generals, Wyane State) I could go on for a long time listing teams that draw big crowds. Hockey definitly has a strong following in Michigan.

[Seraph 240]

Mebbe the fans didn't know that a parade was part of the custom of winning?

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

What do you mean that couldn't be further from the truth? I live in the Detroit area and there are easily 25 rinks or more with in 35 minutes of my house, expand that to 45 minutes and that number easily doubles. I have played travel hockey for 10 years and still haven't been to close to all the rinks in the area. Let us not forget all the jr, semi pro, pro and college teams in the region. (Whalers, Wolverines, Spartens, Wings, Spirit, Jets, Generals, Wyane State) I could go on for a long time listing teams that draw big crowds. Hockey definitly has a strong following in Michigan.

Nobody is denying a solid hockey presence in that area. To do so would be insane.

But it would also be insane to dismiss the recent success of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Pistons, and the faithful followers of the Detroit Lions even though they have been bad for a long while.

Detroitis definitely not just "Hockeytown" and not just 100% hockey.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

What do you mean that couldn't be further from the truth? I live in the Detroit area and there are easily 25 rinks or more with in 35 minutes of my house, expand that to 45 minutes and that number easily doubles. I have played travel hockey for 10 years and still haven't been to close to all the rinks in the area. Let us not forget all the jr, semi pro, pro and college teams in the region. (Whalers, Wolverines, Spartens, Wings, Spirit, Jets, Generals, Wyane State) I could go on for a long time listing teams that draw big crowds. Hockey definitly has a strong following in Michigan.

The guy said the city is nothing but hockey. When considering its clearly behind football, baseball, and arguably baskeball as well on the popularity scale here makes it a really silly comment.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

The guy said the city is nothing but hockey. When considering its clearly behind football, baseball, and arguably baskeball as well on the popularity scale here makes it a really silly comment.

Yeah but he's right in stating that it is most definitely a hockey town. When it comes to the US, there's no better place to play hockey, and there are no better fans than Wings fans.

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

Anyone remember how bad it was raining that morning, and as soon as the Wings and the Cup arrived the sun started shining. Shanny said "God loves the Red Wings." lol

OMG. That rain was horrible. And to make it worse, I forgot my umbrella. So I got drenched. But definitely worth it.... good times

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

OMG. That rain was horrible. And to make it worse, I forgot my umbrella. So I got drenched. But definitely worth it.... good times

Haha it was most definitely horrible! It wasn't just raining..it was freaking pouring down like crazy. We were so soaked. I remember all the fans went to find boxes to hold over our heads! Then all of a sudden the Wings arrives, the sun comes up, we all dry off, and it becomes the best day..EVER. lol

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Yeah but he's right in stating that it is most definitely a hockey town. When it comes to the US, there's no better place to play hockey, and there are no better fans than Wings fans.

Oh yeah, im not disagreeing at all that hockey is popular here! But what he said is still way off.

[VladyIBELIEVE16 257]

My exhusband and I were going to fly there for the parade. Tickets would've been $2500 bucks for us to fly.

My neighbors all heard us yelling and screaming..we took a victory walk to the Baskin Robbins for ice cream wearing our wings gear with our dogs. I remember going into the Baskin Robbins telling the guys that worked there OMG THE WINGS WON THE STANLEY CUP! The look on their faces..."the what?"

One of our neighbors stopped us on the way back and said we heard you cheering LOL (they are kings fans) lol

[Guest Shoreline]

I guess I'll echo the sentiments of other Californians that posted about California caring more about the news of Paris Hilton (an affliction with celebrity obsession not limited to California) than the Ducks winning the Stanley-something-or-other. Especially up here in Northern Cal. I'm pretty sure Norcal would have went nuts if the Sharks won. I'd have attended their parade too, despite never being a Sharks fan, if they had won it. However, roughly 15,000 for a parade of a large area of more than several million shows how little that area cares about hockey. I guarantee more than the Tampa showcase would have been in San Jose easy. Then again, Socal has a lot of other commitments, such as College Football, Pro Basketball, Pro Baseball, and even Pro Football (despite the two teams there moving away), all before hockey. Hell, POKER is surpassing hockey, and that isn't even a sport. It's saddening.

The Ducks have to compete with the Angels, Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers, Kings, and Sharks for attention. And that is just professionally. Consider that USC and UCLA are almost always solid in all sports, along with Cal (Berkley) getting good at football again, it's hard to keep up with everything down there. Don't forget Stanford, San Jose St, San Diego St, and Fresno St.

The Ducks aren't really in any competition with the colleges (Stanford, SJSU, Cal, or even Fresno) up north.

Yeah, California doesn't obsess over anything.. OJ, Scott Peterson, Stupid Hilton broad, daily car chase on the freeways, etc..

I've been to Cali and as the saying goes - Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't wanna live there.

We get a good laugh at uneducated southerners, like you, trashing California, and when they say they don't want to live here. Truth be told, they couldn't make it here. Too many of them "different" folk.

I don't know what San Jose has to do with this discussion at all. San Jose and the San Francisco bay area are so far from Anaheim and the Los Angeles bay area (6+hours) that they are considered by many to be in different states.

I live in Anaheim, not 5 miles from the Honda Center, and I didn't even know that the Ducks had won the cup until the next morning, listening to the radio on the way to work. And that wasn't until after they had talked about Paris Hilton being released from prison for like 45 minutes. Drunken, rowdy fans screaming and honking their horns after the game? Nope. Fireworks show? Not unless you count the one they have at Disneyland EVERY SINGLE NIGHT at 9:30pm. Christ, I even showed up to a sports bar later THAT NIGHT and didn't witness one thing to remind me that the game had happened, except for a Ducks flag on the wall. Now I've never actually been in Detroit the night they've clinched a championship, but I guarantee you, I'd have know it if I had been.

The Los Angeles metropolitan area has the second largest population in the country and California has the 4th largest economy in the world. You can try and make all the excuses you want, but the simple fact of the matter is that, by overwhelming majority, people in socal just don't care about the Ducks. Not now, and probably not ever. NOW, does that mean that the players, the organization, the city or the fans (that they can muster) don't deserve to win the cup? That's for the hockey gods to decide (and in my opinion they work in mysterious ways)

QFT. An unfortunate event, but the truth. Sorry Duckette. You're one of a very few good people in the area who appreciates a good sport.

[Matt 1,048]

<-- Proud attendee of the 1997, 1998 and 2002 Cup parade/celebrations

Anyway... It's really foolish for anyone here to compare the estimated attendance figures for a parade and compare it to something more akin to just the Hart Plaza portion of the whole deal.

If you really wanted to compare, you'd have to figure in who was crammed into Hart Plaza and not those on the parade rout -- because that is essentially what the Ducks did. Their party didn't stretch several miles through a downtown. Comparing the 1.2 million there and 15k in Anaheim seems silly. (Although I'm sure there was 15k several times over in Hart Plaza -- they were sardined in there... I would know, since I was one of the sardines for all three.)

(Of course, one could argue there was a *reason* there wasn't a parade due to the potential for 'lack of interest' or some other reason, but I don't know that for certain, and I'm sure no one outside of the Anaheim organization / city does, either.)

That said... Should the figure for Anaheim been higher? Sure. Am I surprised? No.

[Bannedforlife 403]

<-- Proud attendee of the 1997, 1998 and 2002 Cup parade/celebrations

Anyway... It's really foolish for anyone here to compare the estimated attendance figures for a parade and compare it to something more akin to just the Hart Plaza portion of the whole deal.

If you really wanted to compare, you'd have to figure in who was crammed into Hart Plaza and not those on the parade rout -- because that is essentially what the Ducks did. Their party didn't stretch several miles through a downtown. Comparing the 1.2 million there and 15k in Anaheim seems silly. (Although I'm sure there was 15k several times over in Hart Plaza -- they were sardined in there... I would know, since I was one of the sardines for all three.)

(Of course, one could argue there was a *reason* there wasn't a parade due to the potential for 'lack of interest' or some other reason, but I don't know that for certain, and I'm sure no one outside of the Anaheim organization / city does, either.)

That said... Should the figure for Anaheim been higher? Sure. Am I surprised? No.

This is true. But on the other hand, you'd have a hard time convincing me that 1.2 million people in Southern California were even aware of the fact that the Ducks had won the cup the next morning. I sure didn't, and I actually follow hockey.

[OsGOD 3]

<-- Proud attendee of the 1997, 1998 and 2002 Cup parade/celebrations

Anyway... It's really foolish for anyone here to compare the estimated attendance figures for a parade and compare it to something more akin to just the Hart Plaza portion of the whole deal.

If you really wanted to compare, you'd have to figure in who was crammed into Hart Plaza and not those on the parade rout -- because that is essentially what the Ducks did. Their party didn't stretch several miles through a downtown. Comparing the 1.2 million there and 15k in Anaheim seems silly. (Although I'm sure there was 15k several times over in Hart Plaza -- they were sardined in there... I would know, since I was one of the sardines for all three.)

(Of course, one could argue there was a *reason* there wasn't a parade due to the potential for 'lack of interest' or some other reason, but I don't know that for certain, and I'm sure no one outside of the Anaheim organization / city does, either.)

That said... Should the figure for Anaheim been higher? Sure. Am I surprised? No.

Comparin' or nah, we all know that they (detroit) could nah even dream o' holdin' any o' th' "final parade destination" celebrations INSIDE o' th' joe louis arena. I too was at all three.

Even th' fact o' havin' it IN th' arena be funny.

[Hank 0]

This is very true, BUT I would be willing to bet Tampa Bay had A LOT more fans show when they won a few years ago......

I'm trying to find the link that shows this, but I'm almost positive TSN reported a measley 20,000 for TB's Stanley Cup celebration.

EDIT: Found it:

http://www.ci.tampa.fl.us/dept_mayor/Going...oing_places.asp (you have to scroll down a bit to find it).

The City of Tampa held a parade in celebration of the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup victory. Over 20,000 fans attended the parade, which began at the St. Pete Times Forum, looped around the streets of downtown and ended with a celebration inside the Forum.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Hank

[eva unit zero 271]

I am willing to bet that they barely sold 3,000,000 tickets in the entire Ducks history.

I'll take that bet...If you assume the Ducks sold only half of all tickets to regular season games for their thirteen years of existence, that's still about 5 million.

I think you're blowing what he said out of proportion.

....And do a lot of people follow the Lions? Up north where I live hockey is #1 and any other sport is a mear 2nd. But could be different in different counties.

City, not state.

[OsGOD 3]

I think you're blowing what he said out of proportion.

....And do a lot of people follow the Lions? Up north where I live hockey is #1 and any other sport is a mear 2nd. But could be different in different counties.

Ahoy, down in wayne (City of detroits county), oakland and washtenaw it is all Lions all the time. The lions have a Huge followin' in Se lower michigan.

Edited June 12, 2007 by OsGOD

[RedRockit 0]

Ahoy, down in wayne (City of detroits county), oakland and washtenaw it is all Lions all the time. The lions have a Huge followin' in Se lower michigan.

Actually, Lions representation is not too shabby in NWO, either. The Infamous Modell Brownoutage contributed to a lot of littles growing up with their local loyalties going instead to the Lions. Barry Sanders' brilliance had much to do with that-- really, who cared if the Lions won or lost back then, as long as the chat at recess (or the water cooler) was an excited "Did you SEE that move he made on the safety?"

This (the Browns loss) reminds me that the Storm is gone as well (as if I needed reminding). I dunno how Toledo will react when they come back. Given history, I'm concerned, even though the Sports Arena is as antiquated as all heck, but I do remember the abortive arena in Rossford. Yikes.

(sorry for rambling so far away from the OT)

Back OT: From another forum (non-sports, although this is from the Sports Forum on the site) that I frequent, this post from a highly respected member thereof, and one who is sports knowledgeable (though not a rabid hockey fan):

"So I live on Southern California and there was ZERO sign or mention of a parade or celebration.

Paris distracted any camera crew or copter if there was a Stanley Cup shindig.

Maybe if the NHL gets a pic of Paris and the cup in prison..."

*shrug* FWIW, this was just one man, one opinion. But an opinion that has been hit a few 10K times, and that ain't cool. It's the Butterfly Effect.

[Winged Scooter 0]

I'm trying to find the link that shows this, but I'm almost positive TSN reported a measley 20,000 for TB's Stanley Cup celebration.

EDIT: Found it:

http://www.ci.tampa.fl.us/dept_mayor/Going...oing_places.asp (you have to scroll down a bit to find it).

Wow! Thanks for posting the actual figures.. I must say though I'm shocked, I really got the impression that is was a much bigger deal there when they won, my bad!

[servo 15]

San Jose and LA would never cheer and they were around longer. That's one of the MANY MANY MANY reasons why the Wings have so much support.

Sorry, but I can't sit and see that comparison based on population dynamics of MI and comparing big urban areas like the SF bay area and LA as a whole. Most (including myself) have moved away from Detroit and those that still live there are only around 4 million. Compare those numbers to the support for the WIngs 10 years ago and you realize that certain areas contain fans, while others don't. We could would likely never be able to support another NHL team in MI due to population dynamics, not fan support.

Lets see where the Ducks are in 25 years.