The Passion Of The Los Angeles Kings Fan-Base

Brian of Culver City, who was born a Kings fan in 1989 thanks to his parents started things off by revealing,

“Every home game I have to wear the same gray jeans, a black thermal and a road jersey. During road games [I would wear] black jeans, a white thermal and a road jersey. Also by “favoriting” tweets to bring good luck. If I forget to favorite a tweet and the Kings end up winning, I won’t favorite it again.”

Dani from Torrance, CA, who like me fell in love with the Kings in 1987 admitted,

“I went through a phase that lasted three seasons between 2011 to 2014 where I had to repaint my fingernails before every single game.  My nails had to be Kings colors and they had to be fresh. Even if the Kings had just played the night before and my nails were still perfect, I had to take the color off and repaint them. I like to think this helped in the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup wins.  I also used to wear purple underwear every game day. One day I freaked out, realizing I had been in such a rush that morning, that I was wearing blue underwear [instead of purple] and we were playing Vancouver that day. The Kings still won … so I gave up on that superstition shortly after.”

Oh yes, the “freaked out” moment when one realizes that a particular superstitious routine wasn’t followed properly or was accidentally forgotten which creates a panic if the superstitious action or task isn’t completed at the appropriate time when normally needed. I have definitely been there (but not with the underwear part). What follows is the feeling of a strong guilt that you let your team, your players and fellow fans down and have angered the hockey Gods somehow.

Rosie from La Habra, CA and a fan since 1992 answered,

“I don’t consider myself an overly superstitious fan. I believe I’m at a “normal” sports fan level when it comes to superstition. One superstitious thing I must admit I have done (during the playoffs only) is instead of watching the game on television, I lay very still on the couch with no movement whatsoever while listening to the radio broadcast. Once the period ends, I get up and move around but once the period begins, I go back and do the same thing. I don’t know how or why I have rationalized this in my head as being “normal” but nonetheless I do.”

LA Kings Hockey Girl from the Los Angeles area, who has been a fan since the 1970’s told me,

“This all sounds silly to put on paper but I have to start my game day mornings by responding to several “GO KINGS GO” tweets (including one from the author of this article). If I didn’t I would shutter all day to think what bad things would happen in the game?”

It is good to know that my morning game day roll call tweets could have such power!

She continues,

“The oddest superstition my son and I have, started during the 2012 playoffs. We had a weird experience where a balloon with Jesus Christ on it blew onto my windshield on the freeway on the way to a game. We won that game so now before every playoff game we have to see Jesus before we hit our seats. It could be a Christian fish symbol on a car parked next to ours or graffiti art of Jesus on a building etc. It has to be totally random. The funniest one was before the 2014 playoff game 6 against the San Jose Sharks when we couldn’t find any signs. We were distraught! As we entered the Staples Center feeling low and depressed, we noticed the name tag of the man running the metal detector … and his name was JESUS! We nearly fell over laughing. We won that game as you well know!”

Kevin from Lancaster, CA who has been a fan for as long as he can remember (mid to late ‘80s) uses a simple formula that has found him and the Kings success,

“DURING THE FIRST CUP RUN I SWITCHED BEERS FROM COORS LIGHT TO TECATE. THE NEXT YEAR (2013) I SWITCHED BACK AND WE LOST SO THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 2014 I SWITCHED BACK TO TECATE BUT NOT UNTIL WE WERE DOWN 3 GAMES AGAINST THE SHARKS. REST IS HISTORY!”

Kevin likes to always write with the CAPS LOCK on which always makes it seem like he’s yelling at me when we talk. Not sure if using it is its own superstition?

Tonya Rose from Spokane, WA, a fan since 2011,

“If you say the word “shutout” before the game is over, you’re dead to me. DON’T EVER JINX THAT! EVER!”

It is funny to talk about superstitions openly and having them to begin with may seem very strange to someone who doesn’t follow sports in general.  As you can see, some superstitions can be painfully time-consuming and takes a full commitment to be accomplished. Others are quick and take no time at all. As I mentioned earlier, it brings us a feeling of comfort and control but I also truly believe we do these things because we all just simply care deeply about our beloved team.  As fans (or fanatics) we live and die by the Los Angeles Kings team in an emotional roller coaster ride every season and with the team’s success, such as winning the Stanley Cup twice, it also brings us a feeling of success as well, not to mention a deep and satisfying happiness (well at least until the next season that is).  Being a Kings fan is a way of life that has brought more into our personal lives than just simple wins and losses in a sports game ever could.

Dani continues,

“Los Angeles may not be known as a “hockey town” but we sure as hell are diehard fans. Some of my fondest memories include going to the Kings games at the (Great Western) Forum with my dad. I’ve always been a bit of a tomboy and a daddy’s girl so having the Kings in common with him just strengthened our bond. Plus being a fan of the Los Angeles Kings is like having a really large extended family. Sure there is drama and some emotional times but you’re there through it all, thick and thin. I met my best friend through being a Kings fan. I reconnected with an old flame who is now my husband through being a Kings fan. You see a random person on the street wearing a Kings hat, you give them a smile and a “Go Kings Go,” and you automatically feel like there’s a connection, because there is! You are both members of the same club, the LA Kings family.”

LA Kings hockey girl continues,

“My oldest son was in the army [in 2012] and my youngest son was showing a great deal of interest in the Kings. Being the only child at home at the time, I thought this was a terrific bonding experience for the two of us to share together. As the playoffs rolled around, I dug DEEP to purchase 2 playoff games. I blew my wad on the wrong New Jersey Devils game in the finals and could not afford the tickets for the game the Kings actually DID win the Cup in. My family had to settle that night for watching the CUP WINNING GAME together at home on TV. We actually had a 4 way Skype session going with my sister in North Carolina, my brother in Texas and also one of my cousins who is also in Texas. We would all scream and laugh together as each goal was scored and all of us were crying when the Kings won their first Stanley Cup! It was a surreal experience to have us all watching across the country but yet together on Skype! We had all grown up watching and loving the Kings, so in a way, it was very appropriate that it happened for us they way it did.”

Olivia, a younger generation Kings fan since 2009,

“My Dad is a die-hard Kings fan who introduced me and helped me understand hockey. I remember watching the games with him and being in awe of how easy the players made it seem and the rivalries they had with other teams. The Kings winning their first Cup was amazing and I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. The 2014 run was very emotional. I met some amazing friends and would watch the games with them. The Cup run was incredibly nerve-racking and stressful, especially being down 0-3 against the Sharks and playing game 7 against the Ducks and then playing against arguably the best team in the league in the Chicago Blackhawks. And all the overtimes in the Stanley Cup final! Having these friends around me helped me face these stresses. Seeing Alec Martinez score the overtime Cup winning goal gave me such a wave of relief that all I remember was jumping into my friend’s arms and crying my eyes out like a little baby.”

Trasi from Canyon Lake, CA, a fan since 1991 wrote me,

“I had lost my husband to leukemia in 2011. I was a bit out of the hockey loop for a few years because I was his caregiver and he was my top priority. It was in late March in 2012 when I had a premonition and said to my non-hockey friend, “Please make note of what I am about to say as I have NEVER said “this is our year” or we will get the Cup this year.” Just then something in my gut clicked and I started to cry. She asked me what was wrong and I said “We are going to win the Stanley Cup!” This was in late march! Being a football fan, she replied, “They haven’t even made the playoffs yet!” Through tears I answered, “Details, minor details.” And they did indeed win the Cup. I believe that premonition came from my late husband as a sign that he was still there and was now trying to comfort me.”

Being a fan would also provide some valuable life lessons.

Fellow Canadian Kings fan Brandon of Port Colborne, ON, a fan since 1988,

“I  can only walk with a rolling walker but I tried to bike a mile on my stationary bike between periods during the 2014 playoff run but all those overtime games were rough. It was quite difficult for me but I kept thinking to myself about how hard the Kings players were working to win that second Cup so I worked hard too. It was a grind and very rough with the 26 playoff games and all the overtime play but it was all worth it in the end.”

Lisa from Orange County (or as she says, “Mission Viego to be exact,” has been a fan since 2001,

“The Kings didn’t have very promising seasons when I first started becoming a fan. The main reason I fell in love with them was just due to the entertainment value. I will admit my fandom became an obsession during their 2012 run but not for reasons one would think. I had knee surgery in the beginning of 2012 and it was botched so I was worse off after then I was before. I was in a bit of a depression and couldn’t really get out and leave the house much due to mobility. Then the famous Cup run started … Watching the Kings make that historic run was the inspiration I needed to write my own ship and actively start fixing my knee/mobility. The Kings let me know that there are people out there that can push the boundaries and inspire me to be better.”