Detroit Digs the Octopus Come Playoff Time...

Are you looking for a unique component to feature in your pre-game introductions? Has your organization capitalized on leveraging its mascot and/or historical elements?

During the playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings do something very unique that leverages the team's "Legend of the Octopus" tradition. The team features a large octopus, nicknamed "Al", that emerges from the video board onto the ice during pre-game introductions and then drifts up into the stadium's rafters... It is pretty incredible, check it out:

The octopus tradition stems from Red Wings fans throwing an octopus onto the ice at every home game for good luck. The giant octopus is nicknamed "Al" after Red wings ice manager Al Sobotka, who generally cleans up all of the octopuses that are thrown onto the ice during the game and usually will wave them above his head to get the crowd going. The tradition of throwing octopus on the ice in Detroit dates back to 1952 when an owner of a local fish market threw one from the stands onto the ice. At that time, the octopus' eight legs represented the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup and it has been a tradition ever since.

Dig deep into your team's historical roots to add value and entertainment to your pre-game festivities!