Which Detroit Team Matters Most?

[WingNut199 0]

I'll agree with most everyone here that hockey is the least popular sport in michigan along with the most publicized, but the question is which team matters most and IMO the team that matters most to the state of Michigan is the Wings

I mean, we have tolerated the lions losing every year and until last year the tigers were bums and no one really gave a s***.. and well the Pistons, lets be honest, its the biggest bandwagon team of all time, suddenly everyone loves bball and girls can't wait to buy their miniture jerseys and get dolled up, but do they really care if they loose? No.

If the wings suddenly didn't make the playoffs for the first time in 16 years I think you would find out just how much people care about them... it would be headline news.

[BlakChamber 8]

I'll agree with most everyone here that hockey is the least popular sport in michigan along with the most publicized, but the question is which team matters most and IMO the team that matters most to the state of Michigan is the Wings

I mean, we have tolerated the lions losing every year and until last year the tigers were bums and no one really gave a s***.. and well the Pistons, lets be honest, its the biggest bandwagon team of all time, suddenly everyone loves bball and girls can't wait to buy their miniture jerseys and get dolled up, but do they really care if they loose? No.

If the wings suddenly didn't make the playoffs for the first time in 16 years I think you would find out just how much people care about them... it would be headline news.

I don't see how that proves the Wings are the team that matters the most

[Wings_Fan_In_Exile 3]

I don't live in MI and I don't follow baseball or basketball whatsoever, but I can tell you that when I watched the Wings play in Phoenix & Colorado vs the Lions play against the Cards/Broncos that the visiting fans had a waaaaaaaaay larger presence in Red Wings jerseys then Lions jerseys. Visiting Wings fans almost overwhelm the home hockey team, but Lions fans were few and far between.

Maybe hockey fans are more loyal when they move, or maybe it's just bandwagon fans, but I know the Wings are well represented across the country, but at the same time I seem to be the only Lions fan in the state.

[Guest jaytan]

Here's a link to the poll.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/index

Scroll down a bit.

EDIT: Here's the mapping of the votes: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPol...te?pollId=46575

Finally, the link!

I voted for the Wings. Just because their popularity is due to bandwaggoning (I'm not sure if that's the right term, because a Detroit fan will still be a Detroit fan when the team sucks, they just don't care about the team as much) doesn't mean it doesn't count. If all four teams were equally successful, and had been for a generation, the Lions would take it, but the Wings would still be very popular.... But the Lions have sucked for 10 years, and the Wings have been the best team in the NHL over the last 20 years. The Tigers have been good every 20 years or so, but sucked for over a decade before last season. The Pistons were great 15 years ago or so, and are great now, but sucked in between.

Personally, I care about the Wings first (and would either way), Lions second, Tigers distant third and Pistons even more distant fourth.

edit: A few funny things I noticed about that map that breaks the results down state-by-state:

The Wings win by the highest margin in Colorado (62 per cent), and second-highest in bordering Wyoming.... I wonder why?

Also, states that have NBA teams but no NHL teams (Oregon, Utah, Oklahoma, Vegas if you count their all-star game), states that love college basketball (Kansas, Kentucky), or states in the South that don't have NHL teams (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana) are pretty much the only states to pick the Pistons. Nebraska and Hawaii complete that list.

Edited July 20, 2007 by jaytan

[Kass 7]

All of the teams have had their ups and downs in the last few decades. The Pistons and Tigers had almost no fan support in the '90s, neither did the Wings in the '70s. The Lions, however, have tons of fan support because of the popularity of football itself even though they've been terrible for years. The Pistons, Wings and Tigers are all doing great, but the Tigers only recently started winning, while the Pistons and Wings have had successes for a long while, so the Tigers are the more popular team because of the novelty of it all. Baseball is boring though, if the Tigers started losing games, all of the fans would stop caring and the Tigers would be back to where they were.

Right Now:

Tigers

Lions

Pistons

Wings

Edited July 20, 2007 by Kass

[Cicada 4]

well, personally it goes:

Red Wings

Tigers

...

...

since i hate/deteste/have no interest in "football" or basketball..

if i did get interested in those sports, which i'm sure i wouldn't because i hate the mentality of the "celebrity" culture in them, i'm sure i wouldn't be supporting the Detroit teams...

being from half a world away, i get to have thjat luxury of choosing what teams in another country i support.

i can't give an oppion on Detroit or Michigan, having never been there, but i'd guess as with most of the us, "football" (rugby with protection), and then baseball rules all.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

The Wings are definitely the biggest NATIONAL Detroit team.

Nationally it goes:

Wings

Tigers

Pistons

Lions

Edited July 20, 2007 by Wings_Dynasty

[WingNut199 0]

I don't see how that proves the Wings are the team that matters the most

It doesn't prove anything I guess, but it shows that the Tigers and Pistons fanbase is for the most part bandwagoners that could care less if the team does well just as long as they look cool supporting them.. the Lions would be the exception to that since they've always had a strong following regardless of how bad they are..

So if your fanbase doesn't really care wheter the teams wins or looses it makes them less important

[Cicada 4]

The Wings are definitely the biggest NATIONAL Detroit team.

Nationally it goes:

Wings

Tigers

Pistons

Lions

i guess thats to do with all the teams but the Wings generally having 20 years of medricority, apart from the 5 or so good years of the Pistons and the 1 1/2 good tiger years

[BlakChamber 8]

It doesn't prove anything I guess, but it shows that the Tigers and Pistons fanbase is for the most part bandwagoners that could care less if the team does well just as long as they look cool supporting them.. the Lions would be the exception to that since they've always had a strong following regardless of how bad they are..

So if your fanbase doesn't really care wheter the teams wins or looses it makes them less important

You don't honestly think The Joe would be sold out every game if the Wings had 13 straight losing seasons like the Tigers, do you?

Of course the Tigers have picked up plenty of bandwagon fans, but there are also a ton of people who have been Tigers fans their whole life, who are finally just happy to have a good team to celebrate.

[Chase 0]

At least where I live, EVERYBODY is a Pistons fan. At work, for example, there is only ONE guy I can talk to about hockey/the Wings. The other dozen or so all talk about the Pistons and basketball, then the lions/tigers. Part of that has to to with the Wings winning ways this past decade or so. Everybody expects them to win the cup, and if they dont, then they suck. So, IMO:

In Michigan:

1. Pistons

2. Tigers (Only because of past years success, otherwise Lions)

3. Lions

4. Wings

Nationally:

1. Wings

2. Tigers

3. Pistons

4. Lions

Personal Choices:

1. Wings

2. Tigers

3. Lions

4. Pistons

[WingNut199 0]

You don't honestly think The Joe would be sold out every game if the Wings had 13 straight losing seasons like the Tigers, do you?

Of course the Tigers have picked up plenty of bandwagon fans, but there are also a ton of people who have been Tigers fans their whole life, who are finally just happy to have a good team to celebrate.

Actually I think it would.. the only reason I say that is because if that ever happend ticket prices would be cut in half and then even I could afford to go to the games.

Also, there are no bandwagon wings fans or hockey fans for that matter because hockey fans can't just fall back onto the hype and publicity that every other sport gets

Edited July 20, 2007 by WingNut199

[BlakChamber 8]

Actually I think it would.. the only reason I say that is because if that ever happend ticket prices would be cut in half and then even I could afford to go to the games.

Also, there are no bandwagon wings fans or hockey fans for that matter because hockey fans can't just fall back onto the hype and publicity that every other sport gets

There's no bandwagon Wings fans??? The Joe would still be sold out if the Wings strung together 13 straight losing seasons?? Ilitch would cut ticket prices?

Yeah, if you believe that, I have some ocean front property in Arizona I'm looking to sell. You might be interested, I'll sell cheap.

[WingNut199 0]

There's no bandwagon Wings fans??? The Joe would still be sold out if the Wings strung together 13 straight losing seasons?? Ilitch would cut ticket prices?

Yeah, if you believe that, I have some ocean front property in Arizona I'm looking to sell. You might be interested, I'll sell cheap.

Thats cute

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I'll agree with most everyone here that hockey is the least popular sport in michigan along with the most publicized, but the question iswhich team matters most and IMO the team that matters most to the state of Michigan is the Wings

I mean, we have tolerated the lions losing every year and until last year the tigers were bums and no one really gave a s***.. and well the Pistons, lets be honest, its the biggest bandwagon team of all time, suddenly everyone loves bball and girls can't wait to buy their miniture jerseys and get dolled up, but do they really care if they loose? No.

If the wings suddenly didn't make the playoffs for the first time in 16 years I think you would find out just how much people care about them... it would be headline news.

What? How are Pistons fans the most bandwagon of all time? Could you please explain that?

I'm guessing your logic is that this five-year run of success that the Pistons have going has brought out the bandwagon fans. Not true. The Pistons are one of the most-storied franchises in NBA history. Just because they had some bad seasons during the 1990's and attendance was poor doesn't mean the fans now are on the bandwagon. By the way, the Pistons actually sold-out their home playoff games this past post-season. All excuses aside, your reasoning is off-base.

Most teams don't go on 20-year runs of success like the Red Wings are currently doing. Before all that success, they were giving away cars for people just to show up at Red Wings games. The Tigers were getting 10,000 fans per night, in a brand new ballpark, just a few years ago. Are the Tigers the biggest bandwagon team now too? Please consider using some logic before you make outlandish claims that are completely false.

Edited July 20, 2007 by GoWings1905

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Yeah I definitely disagree. IMO there are 3 times the amount of b-ball fans in this state then there are Wings fans. Think of it this way. Almost everyone likes basketball in some way. But there are loads of people that have no interest in hockey at all. My graduating class in high school was over 800 kids. And everyone liked the Pistons. But only a select few knew anything about hockey. You are right in a sense though. When the Red Wings win, us hockey fans get into it way more then b-ball fans do when their team wins. But the problem is, there are way more people in America that are fans of basketball, as opposed to hockey. You could walk up to 10 random people on the street, and ask them to name 3 Pistons and 3 Red Wings. And I guaruntee 9 out of 10 would be able to name the Pistons, but not the Red Wings. And hell, I really wish it was the opposite. But it's just the way it is in the United States. Hockey just isnt up there with the other 3 major sports. Not yet atleast.

I agree Ian. While the Red Wings fans are definitely by far more passionate about the team, going by sheer amount of fan interest numbers-wise, its easily the Pistons. Most everybody seems to have at least some basic knowledge regarding the Pistons, because basketball is just more popular. But like you said, poll some random people on the street about the Wings, and you'll be lucky if 20% of them can name more than the 3 Wings. Hell in all likelihood, you'd find people still naming Yzerman and Fedorov!

[Guest jaytan]

In Michigan:

1. Pistons

2. Tigers (Only because of past years success, otherwise Lions)

3. Lions

4. Wings

I haven't lived there in a while now, but I grew up in the Detroit area when the Pistons were easily the best team in town (and the league), the Tigers were average and the Wings and Lions were decent. The Pistons were really popular at the time, but you could tell that it was just because they were winning. The Lions were the team most people seemed to like the most, and after that, it was about even.

[BlakChamber 8]

Thats cute

Thank you.

I had another question for you. First, you say that the Wings matter the most because if they didn't make the playoffs, the media would be all over it and it would be headline news. Then a few posts down you say there's no bandwagon fans because there's no media coverage of hockey.

So, the only way the Red Wings would get covered is if they didn't make the playoffs?

[Kira 451]

Say what you want, but I can tell you this...my team is the Wings. No one else comes close. The Tigers are okay, but I don't follow them. The Pistons and the Lions are even lower on my radar. I'd rather watch lacrosse than either one of them.

But the Wings??? They rule at my house.

[Heaton 1]

My personal order is

1: Tigers

2: Red Wings

3: Lions

4: Pistons

But I think overall the order would be

1: Lions

2: Tigers

3: Red Wings

4: Pistons

Completely agree with the overall order to a certain extent and here's my reasons:

When the Wings started their rise in the early '90's, they had no competition in Detroit. The Lions still had Barry but they were going no where and everyone knew it, the Tigers were awful and the Pistons were awful. Detroit and Michigan in general needed a winning team and the Red Wings happened to be it. That traveled all the way up until the Pistons won their championship in 2004. The Wings were a year removed from the cup and they had just gotten swept by Anaheim (or maybe I'm mistaken and it was when we lost to Calgary, it doesn't reallly matter) When that happened it wasn't as big as when the Wings won the cup in '97, the buildup just wasn't the same and I say that as a Michigan Sports fan, not just a Wings fan.

In Detroit, the Lions are king, they haven't won a god damn thing in modern history and people still find the time to make them the most relevant, I, personally don't get it, but that's why the NFL is the monster it is. The Tigers are next, what they did for the city last year is what stories are made of, if there weren't so many mindless Lions drones out there the Tigers would easily be #1, but anyone an see that if the Lions ever got good (ha ha) it would be no contest. The Tigers pulled the city back together, much like what the Wings did but to a greater extent. Detroit will always be a baseball town.

The Pistons are big, but they're not that big, from my experiences most people are Lions or Tiger fans first, then Wings "fans" then they watch some Pistons games. I just think Basketball as a sport is going in the wrong direction and it's turning some people off. Personally, I just think the Pistons, much like the Wings to an extent, are getting or have gotten stale to people. As funny as it sounds, winning is boring to a lot of people, unless it's fresh and brand new.

[joshy207 156]

As people have already said, the Lions run this town and they haven't won a title in like 60 years. The Tigers are the new Red Wings/Pistons, the hot team of the hour--but Detroit is, has been, and always will be a huge baseball city. The Pistons are 3rd, the Wings 4th, and the evidence of that was this spring, when the Wings and Pistons had so many conflicting playoff games. It was virtually impossible to find the Wings game broadcast over the Pistons game at a local bar. My buddies and I spent a couple Saturday afternoons driving all over Royal Oak and Berkley trying to find a bar carrying the Wings game as their primary draw... and there wasn't one. If we were lucky, we could find the Wings on one of the corner TVs while the Pistons occupied all of the big screens and all of the speakers.

My list, both now and if all were championship caliber:

1. Lions

2. Tigers

3. Pistons

4. Red Wings

[reyalp 4]

I don't care about who the most important team is, the Wings will always be MY #1 team so thats all that matters.

QFT.

[kylee 727]

I don't care about who the most important team is, the Wings will always be MY #1 team so thats all that matters.

personally i think the tigers are so popular right now cause of all of the bandwagon fans. (not that im saying there wasn't/aren't red wings fans) but to be honest, it was hard to watch the tigers prior to their out of nowhere success last season. i couldn't believe my eyes. and the team got carried all the way to the world series.

thats unbelievable to me. (thinking about the 03 season, i remember actually get so frustrated in the beginning of that year cause they started so badly that after a game i took my schedule from the Detroit News and ripped it up - it was that bad for me)

i compare it to the Lions going out there this year and making the wild card and going to play in the super bowl.

it was that big and surprising to me. im a big fan of baseball, but hockey will always be my number one.

it just seems like there are more bandwagon fans for the tigers than the red wings. meh, i guess im okay with it, the city prior to last year might as well have not had a baseball team in the 90's and early 2000's

my order:

1. red wings

2. tigers

3. lions

4. pistons

Edited July 21, 2007 by kylee

[DyingAlive 27]

Sorry about not providing a link. But I saw it on the ESPN homepage. They change their polls every couple hours and I didn't know where to find it after that.

[Feldmarschall 9]

I have a bit of a problem with the whole thing in that I can't even name three players from either the Lions, Tigers, OR Pistons respective rosters. No kidding. I'd have to wiki it, particularly the Lions, for whom I cannot name a single player. The popularity of a crappy football team is actually pretty astonishing. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't figure anyone in Michigan really gave much of a damn about the Lions aside from occasionally making fun of them. I never hear anything about them at work, though football in general runs the day.

Really, other sports hold no appeal for me whatsoever. I've sampled baseball, basketball, football, golf, NASCAR, MMA, and boxing. Simply put, nothing compares to hockey, so for me, the Wings have and always will matter the most.