Breaking news -- Ilitch Wants to Buy the Pistons

**GREENTROIT** · August-09-10, 10:32 AM

Would be huge for downtown [[assuming he would move the team there).

From USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...51405028_x.htm

DETROIT [[AP) — Mike Ilitch, the owner of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings says he wants to buy the NBA's Detroit Pistons.
Ilitch said Monday he is interested in purchasing the basketball team in part because he fears the area could lose it if an out-of-town buyer comes forward.

I'm hoping this happens, monopoly or not.

**Lowell** · August-09-10, 10:33 AM

Just in from my Crain's alert:
Link

No further details as you will see

**GREENTROIT** · August-09-10, 10:37 AM

Official statement:

The following statement is attributable to Michael Ilitch [[ Michael Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers and Michael and Marian Ilitch are co-owners of Little Caesars Pizza, the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment and several other businesses).
" Marian and I grew up here, we raised our family here and we built our businesses here. Detroit is our home. When I read in the paper there was the chance that this great sports town could lose one of its professional sports franchises, I just didn't see how we could let that happen. The Pistons, just like the Red Wings, Tigers and the Lions, have a rich and storied tradition in this community and they've brought pride to fans and our community. You all know I love sports – all sports, from amateur sports to the various pro sports we've had the privilege to be involved with, and like a lot of others I'm sure, I really want to see the Pistons remain the Detroit Pistons. "We talked about it internally and when you take our 33 years of experience in professional sports, our commitment to this community, our passion for winning and pursuing championships, and you couple that with the opportunity to have a local, engaged owner for the Pistons, we decided to take a run at it. We believe we could bring a lot to the table that could be tremendously positive for the Pistons franchise, the NBA, and the fans of this community. So, today, we formally notified the Detroit Pistons that we have interest in purchasing the team. This is a required first-step and we look forward to the opportunity to move forward in the process."
CONTACT:
Jennifer Haselhuhn
[[313) 471-6517 - office

PS... Beat ya, Lowell!

**REL** · August-09-10, 10:54 AM

I'm shocked. SHOCKED, I tell you!

**daddeeo** · August-09-10, 10:55 AM

Is this region so hard up that one guy can have a monopoly on sports teams?
I would think Ilitch has got enough on his plate with the Tigers and Red Wings.
I'd rather have one person concentrate on making the Pistons a winner again.

**R8RBOB** · August-09-10, 11:08 AM

I noticed Smilovitz is jumping the gun about a Pistons/Red Wings combo at the Palace. He is probably the biggest cheerleader for the Wings and Pistons to play at the Palace.

**marcwigle** · August-09-10, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by GREENTROIT

Official statement:

PS... Beat ya, Lowell!

I'm sure that I know the answer to this question but, I'll ask anyway. Does Mike actually live in Detroit?

**marcwigle** · August-09-10, 11:16 AM

I assume that this is his... "house"?

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/...iew/?service=1

I don't mean to be negative but why do people who love Detroit so much, not live in the city? To me, it's a little self-serving... OK, I guess I'm being negative.

**R8RBOB** · August-09-10, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by marcwigle

I assume that this is his... "house"?

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/...iew/?service=1

I don't mean to be negative but why do people who love Detroit so much, not live in the city? To me, it's a little self-serving... OK, I guess I'm being negative.

Take a wild guess......

**marcwigle** · August-09-10, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

Take a wild guess......

I know, I know...

**R8RBOB** · August-09-10, 11:23 AM

I have never had a problem with people living in the suburbs. The suburbs offered lots and lots of land to build to spread out and I'm cool with that. The problem arose when it became the White suburbs vs. the Black city.

**Marlon_JB2** · August-09-10, 11:38 AM

Is there even any room for a place that gigantic inside of the city without buying up an entire abandoned city block in the middle of the worst neighborhood in the city?

I'm all for it. Maybe I'll actually go to a Pistons game now?

**Hypestyles** · August-09-10, 11:43 AM

I'm sure Brooks Patterson is fuming, but I don't care-- I want this to happen. It will be a local owner who will keep the team in Detroit, what's more they are willing to move the team downtown, this can help bring more economic activity downtown, bring jobs to the area, construction, restaurants, and more.. Mayor Bing needs to publicly declare his support for this, regardless of Brooks' inevitable rant.. Just remember, "It's just business, nothing personal!"

**BShea** · August-09-10, 11:44 AM

The full story this morning, including pertinent background:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/100809898

Mike Ilitch says he wants to buy Pistons and move them to downtown Detroit

By Bill Shea

Detroit sports and pizza industrialist Mike Ilitch confirmed today what’s been rumored for some time: He wants to buy the Detroit Pistons and move them downtown in deals that could eventually cost close to $1 billion.

Ilitch already owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings. He confirmed that he’s told the Pistons’ ownership that he’s interested in adding the National Basketball Association franchise to his holdings, the first step in a possible sale.

If a deal happens, it’s expected to take several months. The NBA’s owners also would have to vote to approve a sale. [[Click the link for more)

**Danny** · August-09-10, 12:02 PM

Wow! Illitch he really building his business empire by buying every last Detroit sporting teams. What's next? Buy the Detroit Lions.

**bailey** · August-09-10, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

I'm sure Brooks Patterson is fuming, but I don't care-- I want this to happen. It will be a local owner who will keep the team in Detroit, what's more they are willing to move the team downtown, this can help bring more economic activity downtown, bring jobs to the area, construction, restaurants, and more.. Mayor Bing needs to publicly declare his support for this, regardless of Brooks' inevitable rant.. Just remember, "It's just business, nothing personal!"

Why would he be fuming? He's going to get another professional sports team playing in Auburn hills for a decade or more.

**R8RBOB** · August-09-10, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by BShea

The full story this morning, including pertinent background:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/100809898

Mike Ilitch says he wants to buy Pistons and move them to downtown Detroit

By Bill Shea

Detroit sports and pizza industrialist Mike Ilitch confirmed today what’s been rumored for some time: He wants to buy the Detroit Pistons and move them downtown in deals that could eventually cost close to $1 billion.

Ilitch already owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings. He confirmed that he’s told the Pistons’ ownership that he’s interested in adding the National Basketball Association franchise to his holdings, the first step in a possible sale.

If a deal happens, it’s expected to take several months. The NBA’s owners also would have to vote to approve a sale. [[Click the link for more)

I was over that area on Friday. This is were the former Motown Headquarters was located. I think it would be a perfect located for the new arena. It will clean up that area many times over. The Harbor Lights bldg can be knocked down and the blight can be removed.

Buying the Pistons is a win-win for Ilitch. To have two franchises booking 81 dates in the new arena and having it in FoxTown which will have the M1 rail passing through Ilitch holdings in the near future. He can't lose.

**R8RBOB** · August-09-10, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

I'm sure Brooks Patterson is fuming, but I don't care-- I want this to happen. It will be a local owner who will keep the team in Detroit, what's more they are willing to move the team downtown, this can help bring more economic activity downtown, bring jobs to the area, construction, restaurants, and more.. Mayor Bing needs to publicly declare his support for this, regardless of Brooks' inevitable rant.. Just remember, "It's just business, nothing personal!"

Mayor Bing did this back in the winter during the time when Tom Wilson joined the Ilitch gang. Remember what Brooks said? That Bing was "poaching" and that if he [[Bing) go after the Pistons then he would go after the Wings which everyone knew was a joke.

**GPCharles** · August-09-10, 12:44 PM

Pizza industrialist? What the hell is that?

**Crumbled_pavement** · August-09-10, 01:08 PM

Whew! *wipes sweat off brow*

For a second I was afraid that the Freep started cleaning up their comments section. Took me a while to find this gem.

Originally Posted by Moronic Freep Poster

Congress must pass a law forbidding any single entity from owning more than 2 major sports teams.
Moving the team to the D is a horrible idea, the Palace is first class . Look at the nightmare of parking and driving into the D already. Ilitch already ripped the Tigers out of Tiger Stadium which ceretainly could have been remodled[[ Fenway Park ). And Ilitch did that solely to prop up his other failing D businesses - Foxtown.
The D is the sewer of America, our own fourth world " city". Bringing all the teams downtown will do nothing to cure the demise/dissolution .
We have 3 teams downtown due to moronic owners. Enough already, no sale to the Ilitchs !!!!!
No smelly urine reeking bums & other able bodied beggars around the Palace, no risking your life nad family to see a basketball game. The Palace rules ! Detroit is dissolving right before our eyes, nothing can save it. There is no valid reason to live there.

**jtf1972** · August-09-10, 01:23 PM

It would be nice to have the Detroit Pistons actually in Detroit.

Now, imagine if Illitch made a pizza that didn't taste like one of his parking lots...

**R8RBOB** · August-09-10, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

It would be nice to have the Detroit Pistons actually in Detroit.

Now, imagine if Illitch made a pizza that didn't taste like one of his parking lots...

Not to go off subject, but I have to agree about the pizza. Little Caesar's used have one of the best pizza. They were the one to coin "Pizza, Pizza" and I admit that when I moved to Cali they had better pizza but now the pizza is no better than the frozen shit you buy from the market.

**marcwigle** · August-09-10, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

Not to go off subject, but I have to agree about the pizza. Little Caesar's used have one of the best pizza. They were the one to coin "Pizza, Pizza" and I admit that when I moved to Cali they had better pizza but now the pizza is no better than the frozen shit you buy from the market.

I think that I'm correct in this to say that the term "pizza pizza" was "borrowed" from the Canadian firm of the same name. In Canada, they [[LC) do not use that phrase in their ads... I could be wrong about the origins of the term. If he did coin that phrase you would *think* that he would have registered the trademark in Canada or gone after the Canadian company as some sort of trademark infringment issue.