Cheerleaders want to join Lions on the field
Mike O’Hara
Fox Sports Detroit
October 5, 2011
DETROIT — You can see the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders perform at Eastern Market and outside Ford Field on game day.
You can see them wave their pom-poms and cheer for the Lions during games from their seats in the end zone.
The 24-member team has a goal to get even closer to the action. They want to perform their routines on the playing field as sanctioned, official cheerleaders for the Lions, one of the hottest NFL acts around these days.
Formed in 2010 from the inspiration of director of operations Andrea Wilamowski of Grosse Pointe, as well as director of marketing and sponsorships Stacey Latona, the Pride have gained popularity largely through their own promotions and some media attention.
The Pride are launching a 2012 swimsuit calendar at the Skybox Lounge at Emagine Royal Oak at noon on Sunday. The team has been taking baby steps to gain official recognition since its formation.
“Our goal is to bring pride back to the Detroit area with a lot of classy, good, technical dancing,” said Latona, an account manager for Clear Channel Communications, parent company of seven Metro Detroit radio stations.
The Pride team holds audition tryouts to form its dance squad. Three other members serve as ambassadors. Appearances are booked through the squad’s website and Facebook page.
Not being sanctioned by the Lions presents some obstacles. The Pride pay for game tickets, raising money from sponsorships and donations to defray the cost.
The NFL maintains tight control of all matters related to licensing. That includes use of team names, colors and logos.
While the Pride’s colors are the same as the Lions’ — blue and silver — they aren’t identical.
For the Pride — or any other group seeking to be recognized as an official team entity — being sanctioned by the Lions would be the equivalent of a pro golfer earning a Tour card or a minor-leaguer being promoted to the majors.
Latona said she has communicated frequently with Lions management to discuss an official relationship.
Based on the Lions’ history of never having an official cheerleader team, the Pride’s chances of being sanctioned are like a fourth-and-never.
The Lions used to have high school cheerleaders who twirled batons in the corner of the end zone, but that was discontinued several years ago.
Lions president Tom Lewand reiterated the franchise’s long-held position that the primary source of entertainment is the team, which is off to a 4-0 start and has rallied from big deficits in its previous two games.
“We choose to focus on the football team,” Lewand said. “The most important entertainment we can provide on game day is between the lines on the field.
“Our fans want us to have a successful team more than anything else — like a lot of the other professional teams do.”
The Lions have won eight in a row dating to last season and will be rewarded for their success Monday with a nationally televised game against the Bears at Ford Field.
A sellout crowd will be there to support their Lions, including the Pride — but the cheerleaders will be in the stands, not on the field.
