Fans start petition to get Lenz back on the lot, claim she’s being unjustly punished

Jan 31, 2013 09:24 GMT  ·  By
Ravens Cheerleader Courtney Lenz isn’t going to the Super Bowl in New Orleans
   Ravens Cheerleader Courtney Lenz isn’t going to the Super Bowl in New Orleans

Witness the power of the people: fans are rallying to get Courtney Lenz on the plane to New Orleans, after she was barred from the Super Bowl because, they believe, she announced plans to retire at the end of the season.

The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event of the year in the US so, without a doubt, the petition is bound to cause some ripples or even to get Lenz back on the lot.

As ESPN confirms, she recently learned she wasn’t on the 30-strong cheerleader squad traveling to New Orleans for the Baltimore Ravens – San Francisco 49ers game at this year’s Super Bowl.

It’s not just the fans either who think she’s being punished for announcing plans to retire at the end of the season: Lenz too believes the same.

“I wouldn't even have reached out and let fans know if I didn't think it was clearly wrong. I'm just devastated by the whole situation. This was very unexpected... I didn't even think there would be a chance of me not going with being a five-year veteran,” she says.

“They've been really hard on me this year since I told them I was leaving,” the cheerleader continues.

When she found out she wasn’t going to the Super Bowl, she immediately put two and two together.

“I was the only three-plus year veteran that [is] not going. I immediately thought it was a mistake,” Lenz says.

The online petition (which you can sign at the link), notes that this isn’t the first time either that Lenz is being treated unjustly even though her work so far and experience would entitle her to much better treatment.

“Courtney announced she was retiring during the last home game at the end of the season which didn't go well with the director. She was told she didn't put in as many appearance hours this season as she did the past 4 yrs while in college,” the petition says.

“This season she earned her B.S. degree and got a full time job... Bad call. They also stated she struggled with weight on occasion & she had been benched for 2 lb [0.90 kg] weight gain during a game earlier in the fall, which is a absurd, unhealthy and a complete inaccurate measurement of a woman's ‘appearance’ and size!” it adds.