Nickelback Will Play Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving Game

After weeks of online protests from Lions fans, there's official word the band has been booked to play.
By James Montgomery

<P>Well, now it's official.</P><P>Two weeks after an <a href="/news/articles/1673783/nickelback-detroit-fans-petition.jhtml">irate Detroit Lions fan</a> launched an online petition asking the team to remove <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/nickelback/artist.jhtml">Nickelback</a> as the halftime performers for their annual Thanksgiving game, there is finally confirmation from the United Way &#8212; sponsors of said halftime show &#8212; that the Canadian quartet will be performing at the game.</P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="Detroit Lions Fans Have No Love For Nickelback" id="vid:709287" width="240" height="211"></div><p></P><P>"Nickelback will take the stage for the 2011 United Way Thanksgiving Halftime Show during the first game of the NFL's tripleheader when the Detroit Lions host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, November 24, at 12:30 pm ET," the United Way said in a press release. "The game and halftime show will be broadcast live on Fox."</P><P>It marks the first <i>actual</i> confirmation that Nickelback will be performing at the game. On November 1, <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/11/01/entertainment/doc4eb059c2b7801110071478.txt" target="_blank"><i>The Oakland Press</i></a> reported that the band had been booked &#8212; a story that led to the creation of that online petition claiming there are better choices for the gig &#8212; but neither the NFL nor the Detroit Lions commented on the matter (a spokesperson for the league did not respond to MTV News' request for comment last week, and a rep for the Lions had no comment when reached).</P><P>There is no mention of the online outrage in the United Way press release &#8212; though they do announce that "American Idol" season 10 runner-up Lauren Alaina will be singing the National Anthem before the Lions/Packers tilt &#8212; but there <i>is</i> a quote from Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, who thanked his fans in Detroit for their continued support of the band (petitions notwithstanding).</P><P>"We are honored to perform at the United Way halftime show on Thanksgiving Day," Kroeger said. "We always love playing in Detroit, our fans there have been tremendously supportive of us through the years and we can't wait to come back and celebrate an exciting day for the Lions and the city of Detroit."</p>

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Source:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674301/nickelback-detroit-lions-thanksgiving-game.jhtml

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