Detroit Lions fans don't want Nickelback

DETROIT, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Thousands of Detroit Lions fans want the Canadian rock group Nickelback dropped as the centerpiece of the team's Thanksgiving Day game halftime show.

The petition drive appears to have two motives, WWJ-TV reported. Some signers are motivated by a strong dislike of Nickelback and others want music that represents the Motor City, with its long history of R&B, hip hop and rock 'n' roll, and its roster of stars.

Robert Jones, a self-described "lifelong Lions fan," shared both views.

"Nickelback's music doesn't even reflect a musical genre that has ever been popular in the city," he said. "It is not rock 'n' roll, its a nasty hybrid of the worst manufactured music on the planet."

The petition suggests the organizers of the halftime show actually chose Nickelback to increase liquor sales by driving fans into the stadium bars.

At least 43,000 people had signed the petition by Tuesday. It was started by Dennis Guttman, a student at the University of Michigan.

Guttman told MLive, a news Web site, he wants Nickelback ditched for one simple reason: "It's because they suck."