Why detroit lions play on thanksgiving. In 1934 owner george richards bought the team and. They have played every thanksgiving since. View this post on facebook.
For the 77th time the detroit lions will play a game on thanksgiving day. For as long as most of us can remember the dallas cowboys and detroit lions have played games on thanksgiving day. Richards purchased the portsmouth spartans and relocated.
Lets start with the lions. On november 29 1934 the lions hosted that game. If it seems like the detroit lions always play on thanksgiving well thats because they do.
It all goes back to when the lions were still a fairly young franchise. Detroit why are we forced to watch the detroit lions every thanksgiving. It all started when the lions were actually the portsmouth spartans back in 1929.
The nfls thanksgiving day games have traditionally included one game hosted by the detroit lions since 1934 and one game hosted by the dallas cowboys since 1966 with two exceptions in 1975 and. Why the detroit lions always play on thanksgiving day it all started when the detroit lions were actually the portsmouth spartans in 1929. Why do the detroit lions always play on thanksgiving.
Since its inception in 1920 the national football league has played games on thanksgiving day patterned upon the historic playing of college football games on and around the thanksgiving holiday. Not wanting to play second fiddle to the tigers richards a radio executive by trade scheduled a thanksgiving game for his lions during their first year in town. Every year since 1934 the detroit lions have taken the field for a thanksgiving game no matter how bad their record has been.
The lions tradition of playing on thanksgiving derives in part from the 1930s success of the detroit tigers who won the world series in 1935. The lions were unable to replicate the success of.