The Mighty Ducks (1992) is a Great Movie to Teach Your Kids About Gerrymandering

My mother and I spent Thanksgiving with my sister and her family this year, which is always a treat because she has three kids, all of whom are delightful weirdos like us. My 7-year-old nephew had just seen The Mighty Ducks for the first time two days prior, which of course meant he was ready to watch it again.

I was happy to oblige him. I hadn’t seen any of these movies since I was basically his age, and after all, we’re talking about a cinematic achievement so monumental that Disney founded and named an actual NHL team after it just one year later.*

This film is not quite as I recalled it.** I remembered Gordon Bombay, of course, but I did not realize that he was forced to coach youth hockey because he…got a DUI? Seems a bit dark, but things were different back in 1992. And I suppose it makes sense when you consider that the screenwriter named the character after his two favorite brands of gin. (Bombay isn’t exactly a great guy either; this whole initial coaching strategy is focused on taking dives, drawing penalties, and faking injuries.)

But my favorite revelation from this walk down memory lane was that the plot of The Mighty Ducks hinges on gerrymandering.

I think we all remember The Mighty Ducks as a story about a gang of loveable losers who defy the odds by coming together and believing in themselves. Which is only partially true. Yes, Bombay eventually shakes off his demons and becomes a real coach, and yes, the Ducks (a team named after Bombay’s soulless lawyer boss in an attempt at atonement) eventually start winning some games. But they wouldn’t have won the championship—or even made the playoffs, probably—if not for some fortuitous redistricting!***

Narratively speaking, this kinda comes out of nowhere. Bombay learns from his mentor one day that “one little thing has changed” regarding their little league districts: “They redrew the district lines last year. The lake is not the boundary anymore.” And after some light offscreen research, Bombay discovers that the best player on the best team—that would be Adam Banks of the District 6 Hawks—should actually be playing for the District 5 Ducks.

This is awfully convenient and even kinda lame for the plot of a children’s movie, but I think it’s pretty great as a teaching tool. Yes, kids, sports teams usually do need some help and some luck to be successful. That’s just how the game goes. But also, you’re never too young to learn about political corruption, right?

Not only is Bombay surprised to learn about the league redistricting, the mean ol’ Hawks coach is flabbergasted as well. When the league officials approach him and tell him that Banks is ineligible for his team, he thinks it’s a joke, and then he’s furious. Is he lying to cover up the fact that he knew Banks is ineligible? It sure doesn’t seem like it, but it’s possible. Even if we give him the benefit of the doubt, it’s clear that the league didn’t make any attempt to inform coaches and players of the redistricting and enforce this new change at the beginning of the season. Banks should’ve gotten a letter in the mail at least! Seems to me like the league wanted to continue propping up its dynastic world-beaters by withholding information.

But it gets even worse. Bombay’s lawyer boss cuts a deal with the league that will allow Banks to remain in District 6 and play with the Hawks this season.**** Heck, this deal even stipulates that the district lines will be redrawn again the following season to go back to how they were.***** Of course, being the hero that he is, Bombay refuses—he loses his job, but he gains a greater purpose.

A compelling plot twist? Maybe not. But it’s a great opportunity to show children how the real world works! You see, kids, everything in this country is determined by maps, which were somewhat arbitrarily drawn centuries ago, and within those maps there are other maps, and those smaller maps determine how political power is doled out from state to state, and sometimes the people in power manipulate those maps to stay in power and there’s nothing you can do about it. Now let’s get out there and play some hockey!

*I almost dedicated the whole newsletter to this factoid because it absolutely blows my mind. Can you imagine if this happened today? The cultural and financial equivalent would be like…Warner Bros. buying an NBA expansion team and naming them the Seattle Super-Pets. There would be pandemonium.

**I also didn’t expect to recognize so many of these child actors, like Joshua Jackson before Dawson’s Creek or Marguerite Moreau before Wet Hot American Summer or Elden Henson before Daredevil.

***My favorite thing about this playoff race is that only two teams miss the playoffs and one team, the Panthers, forfeited their entire season because of the measles. Shouts out to the measles.

****Bombay even hilariously says “You guys cut a deal…with the Pee Wee Hockey League?” Old men caring too much about amateur sports will always be funny.

*****The film offers no explanation as to why the district lines were redrawn in the first place, but to have them revert to the previous district lines after one season is ludicrous. Politics!

The Mighty Ducks is now streaming on Disney+, and it is available to rent elsewhere.