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For me, this Stanley Cup Final has had its fair share of interesting storylines, and not all of which surrounded the players on the ice. The game on Monday in San Jose presented another moment worthy of discussion. Metallica playing the National Anthem may have stolen the show in the public light, but there was a group of about two dozen individuals in attendance that didn’t make the national news. The group, most of them veterans - some of whom homeless or have recently found housing - were invited to the SAP Center to experience game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final courtesy of the Arena Authority and San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo.
GO @SanJoseSharks awesome suite full of veterans at your game tonight! @AllThWayHomeSCC @sliccardo thank you! pic.twitter.com/4JveEj2Q5L
— Destination: Home (@DSTNHome) June 7, 2016
I never expect these types of stories to make the national news. I know, a trip to see the Stanley Cup Final will not solve the larger issue at hand. But, these types of stories remind me that hockey (and sports in general) are bigger than the game. For those who have the chance to experience a Stanley Cup Final game live know how special the experience can be (even if the final result is a punch-in-the-gut loss), and it was a great way to say thank you to the members of our armed forces.
For more information on Destination: Home, you can visit their website here: http://destinationhomescc.org/
And for more information about the All the Way Home campaign, you can visit here: http://destinationhomescc.org/allthewayhome/
About Jillian:
Jillian Fisher is a sport anthropologist who focuses on sport culture and fan culture. Growing up with three older brothers, sports have always played a large part of her life. While she enjoys all sports, hockey has always been her first passion. Jillian has traveled across the world - from the Philippines to Italy and across the US - studying the impact of sports, all while cheering for the home team and discovering what makes each place so unique, even being referred to as the Anthony Bourdain of sports. She is currently filming her own web series, Out of the Park, that highlights the different cultures surrounding our favorite sports across the country. Always in search of the next event, Jillian can be contacted on Twitter, Instagram, or emailed at jillianfisher00[at]gmail.com