20,000 say no to Nickelback

November 4, 2011



Detroit rock fans protest over Canadians’ NFL booking – saying they don’t want Motor city associated with Kroeger and co

NickelbackOver 20,000 Detroit rock fans have signed a petition calling for Nickelback to be ditched as the half-time entertainment during a high-profile football game.

The Canadian band have been booked to appear at the nationally-televised Thanksgiving game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers on November 24.

But thousands have come out in support of an online campaign to have them replaced.

The Change.org petition reads: “Do we really want the rest of the US to associate Detroit with Nickelback? Detroit is home to so many great musicians… and they chose Nickelback?

“Does anyone even like Nickelback? Is this some sort of ploy to get people to leave their seats during half-time to spend money on alcoholic beverages and concessions?

“This is completely unfair to those of us who purchased tickets to the game. At least the people watching at home can mute their TVs.”

Supporter Robert Jones says: “As a professional music producer, engineer, songwriter and lifelong Lions fan, I am disgusted with the choice of Nickelback as a representation of music and culture in Detroit.

“Our city is famous for the creation of an entire genre: Motown. Not to mention very strong hip-hop, DJ, and rock and roll scenes.

“Nickelback’s music doesn’t even reflect a musical genre that has ever been popular in the city. It is not rock and roll, its a nasty hybrid of the worst manufactured music on the planet.”

Lions fan Scott Brown says: “I am a 30-plus year season ticket holder with a vow never to be seen at a Nickelback show. I shouldn’t have to choose between the Lions and Nickelback.”

But the band have a strong following in Motor City, which has a history of adopting rock bands before the rest of the US.

Local radio boss Doug Podell tells Freep: “They broke out of here, they’ve been extremely popular here, and I think they’ve sold out pretty much every show here since the beginning.

“Rock audiences ought to be happy about these guys — they’re one of the few rock acts left that can still play a halftime show. There aren’t many of that stature anymore.

“It doesn’t matter how vocal the elite 1% gets about it. Detroit loves its mainstream rock, and more so than other cities.”