Mayor: If Michigan wins national title, Ann Arbor will celebrate in style with parade Wednesday
If the University of Michigan basketball team wins the national championship Monday night, it's likely a parade will follow on Wednesday in Ann Arbor, said Mayor John Hieftje.
"The university has contacted us about a parade," Hieftje said on Monday afternoon. "We just had an initial query that asked, if they win, would we be able to have a parade. And of course we said, sure — we'll do everything we can to make it possible."
John Hieftje
The procession would include the full team carrying the championship trophy, the band playing music and more. Hieftje said the university would invite alumni back for the event.
"It's all just being put together today, so everything is subject to change," Hieftje noted, adding the preparations will start in earnest Tuesday morning if the Wolverines win.
"I have suggested that we have a parade if we win or lose, but I think the university only wants to do it if they win," Hieftje said. "I suspect people would be happy to see it."
The university announced Sunday morning that it will be hosting a national title viewing party, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor.
Michigan students, faculty and staff will all get into the event free with their M-Card. General public tickets will cost $5, with proceeds going to the Athletic Department Scholarship Fund.
Seating is first-come, first-serve. The "Maize Rage" seating area will be reserved for students.
Michigan will take on Louisville for college basketball's national championship at 9:23 p.m. Monday (CBS) in Atlanta.
U-M spokesman Jim Kosteva said if Michigan wins the Final Four, the parade will include this year's basketball team as well as the national championship swimming and diving team.
"First thing's first," he said. "We're all hoping for the team to have a victory tonight. Secondarily, the city has to provide its full consent for the street closures and for the commitment of city personnel to assist with this effort, but we just wanted to at least be preparing and thinking ahead."
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
pbehjatnia
Wed, Apr 10, 2013 : 3 a.m.
Aww. That would've been touching: a parade for John's employer and probably paid for mostly by Ann Arbor taxpayers - which of course does not include John's employer the U. Thank goodness the U is a bad loser.
T Wall
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 2:12 p.m.
I don't want to make this political but the University of Michigan should take care of the costs of the parade. The parade should go on regardless of the outcome of the game. I think it would be wonderful to have all the Michigan Student Athletes involved in the parade. The parade should be during the school day so all the surrounding schools could participate. The emphasis would be on teaching our youth to play their sport well but more importantly to study hard for the future. This would be a day young children would not forget. For the past 8 years the T. Wall Foundation and the Best Buddies of Michigan have put on Victor's Day. All the U of M Athletes come together to teach children with disabilities how to play their sport. The Michigan Athletes are very special individuals and we witness this each year as they open up their hearts to special children.
SMC
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 5:55 a.m.
No parade, but we got a few bonfires instead...
getyourstorystraightfirst
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 4:11 a.m.
So...can we still have the parade?! I would love to cheer on my Wolverines for an incredible season!!! I still remember the pep rally when the fab five got to the championship game n I was only 9 years old. PLEASE!!
djm12652
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 5:36 a.m.
was that before or after Webber got 280K while at UM?
JRW
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 4:07 a.m.
No parade this year...
Lifetime AA ND Fan
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 3:55 a.m.
Well, that ends that debate.
mmb
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 3:14 a.m.
Win or lose they deserve a parade
Dirty Mouth
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 1:20 a.m.
Don't count yer eggs before they hatch, young lass.
G-Man
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 12:56 a.m.
Keep us posted at about midnight, eh?.......
Susan Lignell
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 11:18 p.m.
It's a PARADE people - stop politicizing everything! It is time to celebrate this fantastic accomplishment for the U of M, for Ann Arbor and for the Big Ten. Put on your Maize & Blue and come support this huge win (regardless of tonight's outcome).
Homeland Conspiracy
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 10:18 p.m.
Will the parade have art?
Kafkaland
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:18 p.m.
The costs for this are negligible compared to the economic benefits of winning the national championships. Yes, UM will reap much of it, and should pay for it, but let's put first things first: Win the thing, celebrate the victory, then count the beans. Go Blue!
Brad
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:46 p.m.
It's all about the Benjamins! Damn the taxpayer costs as long as someone, somewhere is making a dollar.
Tom Joad
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:18 p.m.
After the Louisville player snapped his leg he's become a national celebrity, and of course Louisville will be the sentimental favorite and the tv coverage will probably highlight it a dozen times tonight and if Louisville wins the win will be dedicated to him. They always have to turn these contests into some kind of mania. Even lionizing Michigan's fantastic team has become tiresome and if they win they too will be insufferable from all the fanfare and coverage. It's just a college basketball game, big deal. Any drunken violence of destructive celebration just sours the entire event, in my opinion.
djm12652
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 5:34 a.m.
Tom, I've been listening to sirens for the last hour and a half....drunks yelling and of course the obligatory wretching of students and fans alike from having made poor choices of food and beverage....but I did read that there were some incidents near and on the U of L campus and 3 were arrested for setting off celebratory fireworks, and of course the burning of UK shirts....but no sofas! It's a basketball game for chrissake....nobody won or lost the chance to cure cancer or AIDS....
treetowncartel
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:14 p.m.
Funny, I would have asked for the parade route to go buy some businesses downtown in the city I am Mayor in to give them some exposure. Instead, they are just going by sandwich triangle.
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:04 p.m.
For fun, here's a video from the 1998 parade celebrating the Michigan football team http://youtu.be/yVddSanR8SU
Mart Mets
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 7:49 p.m.
What's with all this ----if----, it's -----WHEN---- to night!
Lifetime AA ND Fan
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 6:15 a.m.
Guess not...
MjC
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 11:42 p.m.
Exactly!! GO BLUE!
Ricebrnr
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 7:40 p.m.
Who is paying for this?
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:09 p.m.
As I said in response to Alan's question, the standard practice for these kinds of events is the hosting party, in this case the university, is responsible for reimbursing the city for any costs incurred. If the team wins tonight and there's actually a parade happening, I'll report more on this.
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 7:38 p.m.
Who's already camped out at a bar in Ann Arbor right now waiting for the game to start? What's the scene like where you're at?
Alan Goldsmith
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 7:22 p.m.
Will the University of Michigan be picking up the tab for any costs to Ann Arbor taxpayers? Apparently the Mayor didn't ask this question or it's not reported in the article. He's quite the negotiator. Lol.
pbehjatnia
Wed, Apr 10, 2013 : 3:04 a.m.
@ryan: the standard does not usually apply when hieftje is in the mix.
MjC
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 11:41 p.m.
And Alan... don't forget all the $business$ that would be brought into the city (restaurants, retail, etc.). It's all good! GO BLUE!
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Apr 8, 2013 : 8:07 p.m.
The standard practice for these kinds of events is the hosting party, in this case the university, is responsible for reimbursing the city for any costs incurred. If the team wins tonight and there's actually a parade happening, I'll report more on this.