Why have a ceremonial banner-raising? You’ve already won the Cup, and spent the summer celebrating it. Some would argue that the traditional opening night banner-raising is the perfect chance to close the book by taking a final look back at that ultimate victory, sharing the moment with fans and teammates before embarking on the difficult journey of defending that title.
Wrong. The point is to make the other team feel bad.
OK, I may be alone on this. It’s probably at least a little bit about that other stuff. But I’ve always been fascinated with the banner-raising tradition, and more specifically with the selection of the night’s opponent. After all, that team is part of the event. Sure, they might hide in their dressing room until the ceremony is over, they know what’s happening out there. They know why the game is delayed. They can hear the roar of the crowd. And they know that it’s not for them.
It's a great opportunity to make that team and their fans feel sad. In a perfect world, the champs would raise their banner in front of an arch-rival. Or maybe a team that they had to beat on their way to the Cup, especially if it was a hard-fought and/or controversial series. Having a few former players or coaches or executives on the other side helps too, especially if they left on bad terms. And if all else fails, it should at least be a team that hasn’t won a recent Cup of its own, preferably with a snotty fan base that should be forced to watch your party instead.
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