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Dallas Stars: Bandwagoners Welcome Here

By Micaela Hamid |
Apr 16, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; The Dallas Stars celebrate the win over the Minnesota Wild in game two of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeat the Wild 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; The Dallas Stars celebrate the win over the Minnesota Wild in game two of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeat the Wild 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

I know, it was kind of unfair to grab your attention like that. But it’s true that some bandwagoning might not be such a horrible thing for the Dallas Stars.

I know what you’re thinking. That sounds a little radical, right? Bandwagoners welcome here? As Stars fans, the first thing a lot of us think about is the Blackhawks, and a fan walking into United Center wearing a jersey for a player whose name he can’t pronounce, who he really knows nothing about.

Somebody somewhere decided that this dilutes the quality of pure, full-blooded fans. But hold on a second.

The same guy walking into the arena wearing the jersey of a player he’s not familiar with- what’s the difference between him and a starting-out-new fan? Well, mainly just the obnoxiousnious and insistence on knowing what they don’t. But other than that, pretty much the same, yeah?

Okay, so here’s my point. The Dallas Stars have seemingly been one of the NHL’s best kept secrets. So they won a cup back in 1999, and claimed a few greats like Mike Modano. But for the most part, the Stars have flown under the league’s radar. And that’s because, well, they’ve mostly not done a whole lot that’s radar-worthy.

Until last season. We got a taste of what it might be for the NHL to know the Stars’ name. In the last few seasons, the Dallas Stars have been building up their street cred and making a new name for themselves. Let’s recap.

The Stars have secured world-class players like Jason Spezza, Tyler Seguin, and Patrick Sharp, and the list seems to just keep growing. Lindy Ruff and Jim Nill are being increasingly recognized for their genius and dedication. Jamie Benn has been nominated for the Ted Lindsay (among others) two seasons in a row, and put Dallas on the hockey map by being the first in the organization to win the Art Ross trophy in the 2014-2015 season.

And although the Stars don’t win as many awards as we think they should (yet), their screen time is increasing. Winning their division and making it further in the playoffs than they had in a long time has awoken the league, and honestly a lot of us fans too, to what the Stars might actually be capable of.

So what do bandwagon fans have to do with anything? Usually, these are the guys that just follow the hype. But in order to have bandwagon fans, you actually have to have some hype surrounding you.

From where I sit, bandwagon fans might be a good thing for the Dallas Stars. Sure, the idea is annoying. But think about the crowds at United Center and how often Chicago’s team name is on people’s lips, and reconsider your sentiments.

Here’s how I see it. We all had a choice at one point in time. Either love what we loved and face being made fun of for it, or pretend to love something else all the cool kids were obsessed with.

must read: Jamie Benn Etching His Name Into Dallas History

We chose the hockey team that may not have been in the spotlight at the moment. But with the way things are progressing, the Stars could be seeing a proverbial overloading of the bandwagon in the years to come.

So see this as a sign that the Stars are still rising. Strike up conversations with people who don’t keep up with trades, or who don’t know the names of our GM and coach. And for heaven’s sake, don’t be condescending about it.

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Offer them an educational experience and a big Texas welcome. And, seasoned fans, here’s the most important step of integrating bandwagoners into the fanbase: don’t panic! Once someone is a Dallas Stars fan in any form, they’ll stick around for life. Who wouldn’t?

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