Leaving the Palace wouldn't be a bad thing

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Lets hope and pray he goes for 4 Aces and just calls Mr. Ford too. Im getting to old waiting.

Any owner of a NFL team cannot own any other sports franchise. That's a rule initiated by the NFL. So Illitch couldn't buy the Lions without relinquishing the Tigers and Red Wings. Good try though, as I'd much rather see him with the Lions than WCF or Junior.

[R8RBOB]

Any owner of a NFL team cannot own any other sports franchise. That's a rule initiated by the NFL. So Illitch couldn't buy the Lions without relinquishing the Tigers and Red Wings. Good try though, as I'd much rather see him with the Lions than WCF or Junior.

Actually, Cincy you are incorrect. The rule states you cannot own different franchises in different markets. For example, Ilitch who owns the Wings and Tigers could not acquire let's say the Buffalo Bills unless he relinquish the two teams but because both of his franchises reside in Detroit, he could acquire the Detroit Lions.

This scenario was played out earlier this year when the owner of the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche could not acquire the majority share of the St. Louis Rams. Though he owns 40% of the Rams, he could not be majority owner because his two other franchises are in Denver not St. Louis.

[Hamtragedy]

Magic Johnson was shamefully pitching Rent-A-Center ads two years ago. I can't believe that if he was that desperate, he has any money to buy the Pistons, or credibility to manage them. As more evidence, notice how well his plans to revamp Grand River and Greenfield went.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Actually, Cincy you are incorrect. The rule states you cannot own different franchises in different markets. For example, Ilitch who owns the Wings and Tigers could not acquire let's say the Buffalo Bills unless he relinquish the two teams but because both of his franchises reside in Detroit, he could acquire the Detroit Lions.

This scenario was played out earlier this year when the owner of the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche could not acquire the majority share of the St. Louis Rams. Though he owns 40% of the Rams, he could not be majority owner because his two other franchises are in Denver not St. Louis.

Thanks for the correction.

[R8RBOB]

Thanks for the correction.

No problem.

I believe there was a rule that forbid cross-ownership if you were seeking or owned a NFL franchise but I believe the league changed the rule sometime before 1993. I suspect 1993 because Huizenga [[Blockbuster owner) was on his way to get the MLB baseball franchise in Miami and the family that owned the Dolphins needed to dump their interest and he owned a piece of the team at the time. He was the first US sports owner to have three teams at one time. [[Dolphins, Marlins and Panthers)

[Hypestyles]

I hope Ilitch gets to buy the team, then brings in Magic Johnson as a co-partner, they can bring Starbucks to the stadiums.. Also, Johnson can get involved in creating a new Magic Movie theater somewhere in downtown Detroit [[yeah, there's the Ren-Cen, but there can be more)..

[GPCharles]

The Pistons will not move back downtown.

First, they never drew squat when they were downtown. Why would they come back?

Second, Oakland County is their market. A good percentage of the moneyed people in Oakland County never set foot in Detroit. Also, NBA teams tend to draw very well from the Jewish portion of the population, which is also predominantly in Oakland County.

[Gistok]

The Pistons will not move back downtown.

First, they never drew squat when they were downtown. Why would they come back?

Second, Oakland County is their market. A good percentage of the moneyed people in Oakland County never set foot in Detroit. Also, NBA teams tend to draw very well from the Jewish portion of the population, which is also predominantly in Oakland County.

Care to back up some of those generalizations with some real facts??

Most of the "moneyed people" also go to symphonies and operas... wanna guess where those are located?? So I'm calling your "a good percentage of the moneyed people in Oakland County NEVER set foot in Detroit" comment as BS...

And most of the folks who boast "I ain't been across 8 Mile in 30 years"... tend to be less educated... which usually excludes "moneyed people"....

... and your comment "Why would they come back?"..... can you spell "I L I T C H"....

[R8RBOB]

The Pistons will not move back downtown.

First, they never drew squat when they were downtown. Why would they come back?

Second, Oakland County is their market. A good percentage of the moneyed people in Oakland County never set foot in Detroit. Also, NBA teams tend to draw very well from the Jewish portion of the population, which is also predominantly in Oakland County.

GPCharles.....I suppose you are one of those moneyed people. After all, you know the mindset right? They will never come to Detroit so the Pistons will stay in Auburn Hills. We are so heartbroken.

[GPCharles]

Yes I can - I would generally spell it with two "L"s - Illitch.

Symphony and opera draw 1,500 to 2,000, not 21,000.

They don't boast about it - they just don't do it.

GPCharles does not live in Oakland County.

[kenp]

Last weekend the lowly Tigers played the lowly Indians in Baseball. For 3 games the average attendance was +30,000. Plenty of those folks were from Oakland county. And the Lions, who were right next door to the Palace constantly sold out at Ford field, that is until the only won 2 games in 2 years. Win just a few games and they will sellout again.
Not saying their isnt a nice Pistons base at the Palace, but downtown is very much a draw today.

[R8RBOB]

The Pistons will not move back downtown.

First, they never drew squat when they were downtown. Why would they come back?

Second, Oakland County is their market. A good percentage of the moneyed people in Oakland County never set foot in Detroit. Also, NBA teams tend to draw very well from the Jewish portion of the population, which is also predominantly in Oakland County.

GPCharles, I think you deserve a proper rebuttal to your statement. Your comment reflect a mindset that existed back in the 80's. You're right but you are in the wrong decade. In the 80's Suburbanites [[read: Whites) would not come to Detroit which led to the building of the Palace, however, this is a different day. Suburbanites are coming to Detroit. Okay, maybe they aren't hanging over by 7 and Gratiot but they are coming to Detroit and if the Pistons ever return back to Detroit, the suburban fans will follow them too.

[fryar]

Also, Johnson can get involved in creating a new Magic Movie theater somewhere in downtown Detroit

+1.
I've always wanted to see that as well. It would be very compatible with that venture's "mission," which is basically to put big suburban style multiplexes smack-dab in an underserved minority area in order to provide jobs and help develop it. Never could find a way to phrase it without giving him a hard time for anchoring a development in Harlem, which is by no means a bad deal, but parts of Detroit need it more, and it would probably be more "courageous" to do that here. There was already reason to be optimistic about Harlem at the time they did that deal. I don't know if specifically downtown is right, or the Gateway Plaza, but a development of some kind in a minority neighborhood in Detroit should be right up his alley [[provided there was reason to think it might be profitable).

[Detroitej72]

Symphony and opera draw 1,500 to 2,000, not 21,000.

Last year, and any year when the Pistons were below 500, they drew well less than 21,000 fans per game. That's the problem when you cater to those wealthy, O.C. elitists who go to the game to see and be seen, nothing more.

Move the team back downtown and you will broaden the fan base.

[Gistok]

Yes I can - I would generally spell it with two "L"s - Illitch.

GP... actually it only has 1 "L".... a lot of forumers have used 2 "L's" as well [[I know I used to do so).

As for the folks who don't come downtown... I would tend to think that generally the less educated and less moneyed folks would be more likely to not come downtown... also perhaps many of the older folks who moved out and saw their old neighborhood disappear due to urban blight.

[Enduro]

The Pistons will not move back downtown.

First, they never drew squat when they were downtown. Why would they come back?

Second, Oakland County is their market. A good percentage of the moneyed people in Oakland County never set foot in Detroit. Also, NBA teams tend to draw very well from the Jewish portion of the population, which is also predominantly in Oakland County.

When the Pistons were finally getting good they moved up to the Silverdome. When they were bad it was pre-Magic/Bird which were the dark days of the NBA when no team was drawing. Even the title games were shown on tape delay after the Tonight Show. Basketball just wasn't on the national radar until after the golden age of the 80's. I hope that addresses one of your wild statements.

[R8RBOB]

When the Pistons were finally getting good they moved up to the Silverdome. When they were bad it was pre-Magic/Bird which were the dark days of the NBA when no team was drawing. Even the title games were shown on tape delay after the Tonight Show. Basketball just wasn't on the national radar until after the golden age of the 80's. I hope that addresses one of your wild statements.

Man, the Pistons of the late 70's, early 80's really sucked. They were horrible and when Bill Davidson announced that he was moving the team to Pontiac, I doubt people really cared. When Norris hinted that he may follow Davidson to the suburbs, Coleman Young put Joe Louis Arena on the riverfront.

A lot of people tend to forget that the Pistons' fortune didn't change until 1986 when they dumped sorry-ass players like Kent Benson and Earl Cureton and drafted Rodman and Salley. The prior season, Isiah wanted out of Detroit because as he put it; as long as the Pistons get average players they were going to be an average team. Times has changed and if the Pistons are fortunate to return to Detroit, they will keep their fanbase regardless where they play.

[GPCharles]

Gistok - you are so right, it is one l. My apologies. I checked the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth website and looked up their various entities, all of which spell Ilitch with one l. And to think 40 some+ years ago I stood on their family piano and sang Jumping Jack Flash...

As to the rest, I will stay tuned and await developments.