DETROIT -- The 11-time Stanley Cup champion Red Wings will be distributing bobblehead figurines depicting current members of the team to the first 7,500 fans in attendance at Joe Louis Arena at every Thursday night home game during the upcoming 2011-12 NHL season. Furthermore, a select number of Specially-Marked Bobbleheads will be handed out at every Thursday night game, with the lucky JLA patrons obtaining these exclusive items set to win additional prizes such as a one-of-a-kind Red Wings fan experience involving a post-game player meet-and-greet.
 
As part of ‘Operation: Bobblehead’, four of the six players to be featured in this special giveaway promotion will be determined by an impending multi-week online voting campaign, which will be conducted simultaneously at DetroitRedWings.com as well as via the club’s official Facebook page and on the Red Wings TV video portal.
 
“We always look for the best items possible to present to our fans,” said Tom Wilson, president of Olympia Entertainment. “Remarkably, it always comes down to bobbleheads being the souvenir that most fans want, and want to keep and display. It’s a great memory of a great time at The Joe. The difference this year is that the fans will tell us who they want portrayed on the bobbles – so we are in this together.”
 
Compliments of AT&T, the exclusive communications partner of the Detroit Red Wings and Joe Louis Arena, the first bobblehead to be distributed as part of this special season-long series will depict veteran playmaker Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk’s bobblehead will be handed out to arena spectators on October 13 prior to Detroit’s matchup with the Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks. The likeness of team captain and seven-time Norris Trophy recipient Nicklas Lidstrom, who recently announced that he will be returning to Detroit for his 20th NHL season, will adorn the final bobblehead given away – on April 5 vs. New Jersey.
 
Every active member of the Red Wings’ roster will be eligible to have their image emblazoned upon a 6 ½ inch polyresin figurine for the remaining four bobblehead giveaway nights. The ‘Operation: Bobblehead’ campaign begins on Thursday, July 28 at one minute past noon. Voting will be conducted on a week-by-week basis and will close at noon every Thursday. The following day (Friday) at 12:01 p.m. EDT, voting will begin anew; no ballots cast the previous week will count towards each player’s total. There is no limit on how many votes fans are able to cast throughout the duration of this campaign.
 
Red Wings’ 2011-12 Bobblehead Giveaway Schedule
Thursday, October 13 vs. Vancouver – PAVEL DATSYUK (Presented by AT&T)
Thursday, November 3 vs. Calgary – Winner of Fan Vote #1 (Presented by DMC)
Thursday, December 8 vs. Phoenix – Winner of Fan Vote #2 (Presented by Amway)
Thursday, January 12 vs. Phoenix – Winner of Fan Vote #3
Thursday, February 23 vs. Vancouver – Winner of Fan Vote #4
Thursday, April 5 vs. New Jersey – NICKLAS LIDSTROM
(NOTE: all games begin at 7:30 p.m.)

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2011-12 SEASON TICKETS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE!
There is a new buzz at The Joe as demonstrated by the arena’s active sellout streak of 28 consecutive NHL games.  As such, the prospect of becoming a member of the Red Wings’ Season Ticket Holder Family is now more appealing than ever. Citizens of Hockeytown are invited to be a part of the excitement as the most successful American-based team in NHL history looks to repeat as Central Division champions in 2011-12 and take a run at the 12th Stanley Cup in franchise history next spring.  In addition to enjoying an exceptional fan experience unlike any in professional sports, the tremendous benefits of becoming a Red Wings season ticket holder include:
 
• Significant savings off of box office prices
• Guaranteed same-seat location for all regular season home games
• Opportunity to purchase playoff tickets before the general public
• Invitation to exclusive team autograph session
• Plus more!
 
Information on Red Wings season ticket packages can be obtained by calling 313-396-7575 or by visiting DetroitRedWings.com.