Detroit ranked top sports city

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Recently, USA TODAY ranked Detroit as the top sports city in the country in their 10 Best Reader’s Choice poll. With the city not seeing a major sports championship in over five years, this gives Michiganders something to cheer about.

The poll asked for readers to vote for their favorite teams and events. According to the poll the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons all received a strong number of votes along with a good amount of support from IndyCar fans because of its annual race in Belle Isle.

Detroit sits on top of the list followed by Indianapolis, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Chicago, Green Bay, Wis., Boston, Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and Oakland, Calif. A strong showing from Wolverine fans placed Ann Arbor at number seven on the list making Michigan the only state with two cities in the top 10.

“We have great fans that are passionate about their teams —  even the Lions for crying out loud. They have filled up Ford Field for years for a less than stellar product,” Head of the Dow Journalism Program professor John Miller said.

Detroit is one of four cities in the top ten that has teams representing all four of the major sports— football, basketball, hockey, and baseball. Detroit is dubbed “Hockeytown” but all four teams receive overwhelming support from their fan bases.

Between Jan. 2004 and Feb. 2009, the Pistons had a home sellout streak of 259 games which broke the franchise’s previous streak of 245 games from 1988 to 1993. The Pistons have not exactly been relevant in recent years having not won a championship since 2004 but they successfully fill seats in the Palace of Auburn Hills anyway.

The Detroit Tigers went from one of the worst teams in MLB history in 2003 with their 43-119 record to a ball club that has won their division the past four seasons, including a World Series appearance in 2012. Fans have shown an appreciation of the Tigers’ recent success. Detroit has been ranked in the top ten in attendance in the MLB each of the last three years.

The Lions attract large crowds as well despite being one of four teams in the NFL to have never played in a Super Bowl and the only team to ever go 0-16 like they did in 2008. In 2011 the team made the playoffs for the first time since 1999 but they lost in the wild card game to the New Orleans Saints. Although the Lions are the least successful team in Detroit’s history, fans still come to watch great athletes like Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh. The team has sold at least 97 percent of its seats in each year since 2011.

It isn’t called Hockeytown for no reason. The Detroit Red Wings have one of the most loyal and passionate fan bases in the NHL. The Wings have made the playoffs in each of the last 23 seasons with four Stanley Cup victories during that span. Detroit was home to some of the best hockey players in NHL history including Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman and they plan to continue this tradition- the “Magic Man” Pavel Datsyuk has a bright future.

“I like the consistency in which the Red Wings play. There is something special about Hockeytown. If I move away from the Detroit area I will carry the Wings wherever I go, even if I am in Boston,” Michigan native junior Carson Burt said.

Luke Glendening, center for the Detroit Red Wings and brother of Hillsdale alumnus Joe Glendening ’13, is playing in front of Detroit fans for his second season. As a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan and an alumnus of the University of Michigan, Glendening gets to play for the team of which he has always been a die-hard fan.

“I am not surprised that Detroit was ranked number one. All four teams here have a great contingency of fans. It is an honor to be playing here. It’s a special place to play and the atmosphere is electric,” Glendening said.

Detroit fans have enjoyed a lot of great moments and endured a lot of heartache, but they still stand by their teams year in and year out. When asked about their favorite Detroit moments they can’t help but smile.

“My favorite moment was when Magglio Ordonez hit the walk off home run against the Oakland A’s to send the Tigers to the World Series in 2006. It was the culmination of a great season and that hit was magical. I felt like I was there even though I was watching it on television,” senior Vinny Delicata said.

“Mine was when the Tigers won the 1984 World Series. Every boy deserves to see his team win. I had been following them for about five years and it happened when it mattered most to me,” Miller said.

All four sports teams in Detroit give their fans something to cheer about. Their fan bases have stood the test of time through various ups and downs. They may not win every year, but Detroit is still number one.