Get Inspired by Detroit's Sports Culture and its Super Fans

With the 2024 NFL Draft officially happening in Detroit this April 25-27, new attention is on Detroit as a city of football fans (and fanatics).

Whether you’re a fan of football or one of Detroit’s other three major sports, you’ll find something to do in downtown Detroit. And yes – each team plays within the downtown area, only a few blocks away from each other. Since 2017, Detroit remains the only city in the United States that can say that!

In Detroit, rooting for your favorite team just might qualify as a fifth major sport. Such an intense sports scene means that over the years, some characters have come out of the woodwork. If you thought you loved the Detroit Lions or Tigers, think again when you meet each team’s super fans.

Whether you’re a sports-lover heading to Detroit for the NFL draft, on a vacation, or just want to brush up on your knowledge, here is your complete guide to Detroit sports culture, and the super fans that have defined it.

The football celebrations continue into spring this year, when the NFL draft is set to take over Detroit from April 25-27. The free event is expected to bring 300,000 visitors to Detroit (plus 10 million television viewers), with festivities spread across the downtown area including Campus Martius and Hart Plaza.

Fans will have the chance to visit interactive exhibits, enjoy musical performances, get autographs from players, take a photo with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and even participate in some football games themselves.

This huge, national event comes on the tail end of one of the Detroit Lions football team’s best ever seasons – but more on that below.

Detroit Lions fans are in a frenzy after the football team had what many consider to be their best-ever season in 2023.

But first, here’s a bit of context: The Lions actually trace their origins to Portsmouth, Ohio. In 1934, the Lions outgrew Portsmouth, and the city of Detroit purchased and relocated the Lions. Ever since, the Lions have called Detroit home. Sadly, the Lions have never played in a Super Bowl, and even hold some NFL losing streak records.

However, Lions naysayers changed their tune in 2023 when Detroit’s football team won game after game. 2023 marked their first division title in 30 years (and their first ever championship game played on Ford Field), and their first playoff win(s) in 32 years.

Unfortunately, the Lions lost the NFC championship, and their chance to be in their first ever Superbowl, in a tight game to the San Francisco 49ers.

Still, hope is the thing with feathers, or should we say claws and a mane. Lions fans are ever hopeful for a Superbowl appearance next season, especially these super fans…

If you want to talk about Detroit Lions superfans, then meet Denise Ford, a Detroiter who won the official Lions Fan of the Year award, granted by the NFL, in 2022. Ford is not your average football fan. At 70 years old, she is a mother, grandmother, and Wayne State University senior. Unlike what you might expect of a superfan, she doesn’t go to that many Lions games; instead, she hosts tailgate parties for her community in her senior apartment building. “Many seniors have a love of sports, but they don’t have the money or transportation to go to a game,” Ford says.

For Ford, winning the 2022 Fan of the Year award was surreal. “All of this because I do a tailgate party for seniors?” Ford laughs. She explains that she was told the Lions exemplify community involvement, and that’s why she won. “It’s not just about the game. It’s about caring about other people,” she says. ”That’s why I [host the tailgate parties.] We act as crazy as the people at the game act.”

As part of the award, Ford was given tickets to the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona, where she proudly wore her Lions jersey. She says that at the game, fans of other teams made fun of her and insulted the Lions and their losing streak. Still, Ford didn’t let that stop her sharing her support for the Lions.

In 2024, Ford paid her own way to attend the Super Bowl again. The response to her Lion’s jersey this time around was totally day and night. “The whole attitude [toward the Lions] was totally different, which made me so proud, because this was the same team that people laughed at me at the Super Bowl for last year,” she says. “People had so much respect for not only the Lions, but Detroit… The country feels like Detroit has pulled together and [the Lions] are mostly responsible for that.”

Between continuing her senior citizen tailgate parties, volunteering at the NFL draft, and writing a book (working title: Honey, Get Your Own Damn Beer: A Football Guide for Women), Ford says that she will continue to root for the Lions – and hopes for an appearance at the next Super Bowl, for both the Lions and herself.

For the past 15 years, the Detroit Lions have had someone looking over them – that’s super fan Michael Rollin, to be specific. But Rollin is better known among Lions fans as the Reverend of Roar. In 2010, during a particularly dismal season, Rollin had just been ordained as a minister. A friend suggested to him that now that he was a minister, maybe he could do some preaching to boost morale among fans. The Reverend of Roar was born.

Now, the Reverend of Roar is a staple at Lions games, shouting his sermon of faith everywhere from bar tops to tailgaters outside Ford Field. And ultimately, for Rollin and his congregation, being a true Lions fan is all about faith – no matter the score board.

Happily, this past season the Reverend of Roar had the opportunity to share his early game sermon at multiple playoff games at Ford Field – in addition to the NFC championship game in San Francisco.

One of the most popular people at any Lions game is 72-year-old Ron Crachiola – more commonly referred to as ‘Crackman.’ Ron will say that this nickname is derived from his surname, but Crackman has taken on an almost super hero status among fans. While Crackman may not have all the powers of Superman, he certainly has those of a super fan: inspiring, connecting, and raising up the voices of fellow Detroiters.

Crackman is instantly recognizable in his worn overalls, Lions jersey, argyle socks and work boots, and of course the hard hat covered in Lions player autographs. But Crackman’s super fan persona goes deeper than just love of the game – he’s really an homage to the blue-collar workers of Detroit, or the average working fan.

The Lions’ 2024 NFC championship game was actually held on Crackman’s 72nd birthday, and he flew out to San Francisco to celebrate. Unfortunately, we all know the result of that game, but here’s hoping for Crackman’s 73rd.

The Detroit Red Wings have a dedicated (some might use the term “obsessed”) fan base, and for good reason. Of all the American teams in the National Hockey League, the Detroit Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cup championships. Detroiters are certainly proud of that. In 2017, the Red Wings moved from their longtime home of Joe Louis Arena, into the brand new Little Caesar’s Arena. At first, fans missed the gritty yet determined atmosphere of “The Joe.” But over the past few years, fans have fallen for the luxuries of Little Caesar’s Arena, especially its massive jumbotron that has to be seen to be believed. Recently, the Redwings have also been playing stellar hockey; they recently won their sixth straight game, which also happened to be their first eight-goal game since their first season at Little Caesar’s Arena back in 2017. Fans are hopeful that this year might bring the Red Wings’ first playoff since 2016.

The Red Wings gained their newest – and definitely youngest – superfan in 2023. Enter George, a 4-year-old who innocently attended a February game against Vancouver with a sign that read “its my first game -George.” Little did George (or his parents) know, he was about to become famous.

When George was shown on the Jumbotron, the crowd went wild. The fervor only increased throughout the game, with the crowd booing anyone on the Jumbotron who wasn’t George. Videos of this quickly went viral, and George was even named the “fourth star of the game” by the Red Wings.

But wait – George’s superfan stardom didn’t end there. A few months later, little George (accompanied by his mother, Chelsea Miller) were invited as special guests to the NHL Awards Ceremony in Nashville, where he walked the red carpet in sunglasses and a Red Wings jersey. George also starred in the official announcement of the Red Wings’ 2023-24 schedule – in an adorable Wes Anderson-style video featuring Detroit landmarks.

He may be young, but George has left a lovable impact on the Red Wings fandom. Let’s see what he gets up to in 2024.

One super fan known to all Red Wings fans is “Mo Cheese.” If you were lucky enough to attend a Red Wings game at The Joe, you likely would have been treated to Mo Cheese’s dance moves. No matter what was on the scoreboard, he’d hop into the aisle and throw down some moves. The aisle dancing was always completed with his usual ensemble of oversized Red Wings jersey and a life size Stanley Cup hat.

Fans would go wild for the aisle dancing and Mo Cheese became a verifiable Red Wings good luck charm. Mo Cheese hasn’t been seen at games in the past few years, and the rumor among Red Wings fans is that he moved to Florida. We can only hope he’s dancing to games on his TV down there in the sunshine.

The Detroit Tigers have been members of Major League Baseball and the American League for over a century. Winning the World Series Championships four times in their history (the last in 1984), Tigers fans are rooting for a comeback win any time now. Unfortunately, the Tigers have had a rather rough history, losing a record 109 games between 1997 and 2000. It was in 2000 that the team moved from Tiger Stadium into their new home in downtown Detroit, Comerica Park, and broke the losing streak.

Even through the ups and downs, Tigers fans have stuck with their team. Detroit Tigers fans are defined by their loyalty and spirit, but one fan clearly rises above them all…

You might think a Tiger is the Detroit Tigers’ mascot, but from 1982-1997 they had a very different mascot: Detroit local Joe “The Brow” Diroff, so named for his rather fuzzy forehead.

In 1982, The Brow decided to take on a new job, post retiring from his career as a 7th grade math teacher. He became the Detroit Tigers’ self-proclaimed cheerleader, taking it upon himself to boost morale in the crowds no matter the score. Heard across the Tiger Stadium, and some say the city itself, The Brow’s teacher voice could cut through any crowd.

He was famous for parading around the stadium with pun-inspired props in hand. On days when he carried his giant yellow mustard bottle, the chant was “They’ll never catch up ‘cause they CAN’T CUT THE MUSTARD!” And when the Tigers fell behind, he’d whip out a Heinz Ketchup bottle and banshee yell through the stadium: “CATCHUP! CATCHUP!” Other favorite props included a bicycle pump and a banana, and you can guess the puns he screamed while waving those in the faces of unsuspecting, and less flamboyant Tigers fans.

Sadly, in 1997 The Brow passed away from complications of a stroke. It does make you wonder that this coincided with the Tigers’ three year losing streak which began the same year. Coincidence or not, The Brow certainly left his mark on the Detroit Tigers and no other fan has compared to him yet.

Of Detroit’s four major sports franchises, the Pistons were the latest addition. They moved from Fort Wayne to Detroit in 1957. Like any team, the Pistons have had their ups and downs, with their most recent up in 2016 when they reached the NBA playoffs. With their new headquarters in downtown Detroit, they are getting even more support from their home city, especially from one particular fan…

The Detroit Pistons didn’t know how lucky they got when they hired Detroit East Sider, Shannon Sailes, as an usher. Back in the 2011-2012 season, Sailes was performing his usher duties, when the jumbotron suddenly featured his section. Overcome with the music, Sailes busted out some dance moves from the aisle. It’s safe to say that he stole the show from the Pistons at that point. Since then, Sailes, now dubbed the Piston’s Dancing Usher, has been featured on The Today Show and Good Morning America for his incredible dance skills. He also has an official page on the Pistons’ NBA website, and is featured on the jumbotron at all home games. Other NBA teams have tried to recreate with their own dancing ushers by hiring professional dancers to stand in as ushers. However, nobody can compare to Sailes – a real Detroiter and a professional usher, who just happens to have spectacular spontaneous dance moves. Attend a Pistons home game and you may even be lucky enough to be seated in the Dancing Usher’s section.