Minnesota Wild superfan buys iconic Xcel Energy Center 'X'
Wild fan buys ‘X’ sign of Xcel Energy Center
After 25 years, the Xcel Energy Center changed its name to Grand Casino Arena last fall, but to some people it will always be the "X." A diehard wild fan is keeping the buildings’ history alive during the team's current playoff run. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has the story.
LINO LAKES, Minn. (FOX 9) - A longtime Minnesota Wild fan is turning heads and keeping local hockey history alive with a massive tribute in his front yard.
Wild fan brings home a piece of arena history
What we know:
Jon Dusing and his wife have been Wild season ticket holders for more than a decade.
When the Wild Foundation auctioned off the iconic X from the front of the Xcel Energy Center — now renamed Grand Casino Arena — Dusing jumped at the chance to own it.
"As soon as I saw it, I was like, I have to get that. There's only one. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to get it," said Dusing.
Dusing placed the winning bid at just over $21,000 for the X, which stands 9-feet tall and 11-feet wide.
He decided to put it in his front yard as a show of support for the Wild during their current playoff run.
"It's just cool to have like that historic piece that everybody in the state, at least, knows exactly what it is once you say it's the X," said Dusing.
A longtime Minnesota Wild fan is turning heads and keeping local hockey history alive with a massive tribute in his front yard this playoff run. (FOX 9)
The X is more than just a sign — it’s a full playoff spectacle
What they're saying:
Dusing didn’t just display the X, he rewired it to light up, then added spinning goal lights, smoke cannons and even flamethrowers that he plans to set off every time the Wild score a goal in the postseason.
"There's just something really cool about being able to push a button on your phone and having fire go off in your front yard," said Dusing. "I just want to celebrate the wild. I just wanted to have something exciting."
A video of the X lighting up and shooting flames has already gone viral on social media.
Dusing hopes the X will serve as a good luck charm for the team.
"Hopefully, it does work as a good luck charm, and the whole process is worth it," said Dusing.
X after the playoffs
Big picture view:
The X is a symbol that’s instantly recognizable to Wild fans and Minnesotans.
Dusing says he plans to keep the X in his yard for as long as the Wild are in the playoffs — and maybe all the way to the Stanley Cup.
After the playoffs, he plans to move the X to his cabin for the summer.In the meantime, he’s set up a livestream so anyone can watch the X light up whenever the Wild score.