Why Do the Detroit Lions Always Play on Thanksgiving Day?

Whether you love the Detroit Lions or love to hate the Lions, you've probably noticed that they always play on Thanksgiving Day. But why?

Detroit Lions Have Their Best Record in Over 60 Years

Lions fans are probably waking up this morning wondering if they need someone to pinch them to prove that yesterday (and the whole season for that matter) isn't a dream.

With the Detroit Lions' stunning come-from-behind victory over the Chicago Bears yesterday (11/19), the team is now 8-2 on the season. That's a noteworthy milestone for the club as it's the first time the Lions have had such a record since 1962, a full four seasons before the first Super Bowl.

What's Next for the Detroit Lions?

This Thursday the Detroit Lions take on the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Gametime is 12:30 pm and if you can't get tickets, can't afford tickets, or both, you'll be able to see the game on the Fox TV Network, WSMH-TV, Fox 66 in the Mid-Michigan area.

The Detroit Lions on TV - Why is it a Thanksgiving Day Tradition?

If you're wondering why the Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving Day, you can boil it down to just one word:  Marketing.

According to Mental Floss, there wasn't much enthusiasm surrounding the Detroit Lions when they moved from Portsmouth, Ohio to the Motor City in 1934. Detroit already had a major sports team - the Detroit Tigers - so the people of Detroit were underwhelmed.

But team owner George Richards had an idea. Richards was said to be well-connected and came up with the idea to have the Lions play on Thanksgiving Day. He also managed to convince the NBC television network to broadcast the game and it was carried on 94 affiliates across the country.

The idea worked. The Lions filled the stadium to capacity and had to turn fans away at the gate. A Lions game on Thanksgiving Day became an instant tradition.

Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys Always Play on Thanksgiving

In 1966, the Dallas Cowboys followed suit. The team was looking for a way to boost its popularity and wanted to showcase the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders to a national audience. The Cowboys had an opportunity to play on Thanksgiving Day that year and it has since become a tradition.