Halftime Not Imported From Detroit

With an abundance of homegrown headline talent – from Kid Rock to Bob Seger to Stevie Wonder and more – the Detroit Lions have a mighty pool of performers to choose from for a marquee Thanksgiving Day halftime show during a game against the undefeated Green Bay Packers.

So when word trickled out that Canadian rock band Nickelback would play the nationally televised show at Ford Field, an online petition opposing the pick drew at least 50,000 signatures within a week. Signers say they want a band with stronger local ties.

But the petition was for naught. The National Football League and halftime sponsor United Way announced in a joint statement Nickelback would indeed grace the stage.

Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger said the band from Hanna, Alberta, is “honored to perform” and that he and his bandmates “always love playing in Detroit.”

Lauren Alaina, the season 10 “American Idol” runner-up, will sing the National Anthem.