Rochester, NY—On July 2nd, 2019, hundreds of Rochester Red Wings fans are set to experience pride for the first time, and the impending game seems to be kindling anticipation and trepidation alike in the Rochester community.

“I know fans in San Francisco and New York must have pride every year at their games,” local Red Wings superfan Katherine Otsuka said in an interview we eavesdropped on from behind some bushes, “but Red Wings fans just aren’t ready for it. We’ve never had pride in the thirty plus years I’ve been coming to these games.”

But many Rochesterians are ready to finally have pride in a game played by the oldest sub-major league sports franchise in the United States. When asked for comment, an Inner Loop Blog editor-in-chief, who has asked to remain anonymous, said that they were “excited, sure, I guess”, and went on to inquire about “those stories you said you’d have done a month ago”.

Regardless of the community’s feelings, the Red Wings seem determined to finally let their fans experience some pride at one of their games: when asked whether he had any qualms about it, Red Wings mascot Spikes stared wordlessly, and yet with what this reporter regards as fierce determination, before walking away.