The Red Wings on Thursday announced that the official name of their new $627.5M arena will be Little Caesars Arena, named after the pizza chain "led by" team Owner the Ilitch family, according to Louis Aguilar of the DETROIT NEWS. The deal is worth $120M over 20 years, which "means one part of the Ilitch empire will pay another part of an Ilitch organization that is managing the new arena." The arena is "owned by the city's Downtown Development Authority, but the Ilitch's Olympia Entertainment will run the venue." Ilitch Holdings President & CEO Chris Ilitch "pointed out the enormous advertising exposure it gives Little Caesars." The naming-rights agreement "paves the way for Little Caesars Arena branding on the roof of the venue, on the exterior, at entrances and at center ice." Aguilar notes the money from the naming rights "could help the Ilitches pay off" the $250M in construction bonds that "were sold by the state to build the venue" (DETROIT NEWS, 4/29). Chris Ilitch said, "For our organization, this is more than just about money. This is our hometown. This is a legacy business." In Detroit, John Gallagher in a front-page piece notes the Ilitches by "taking money from one family pocket and putting it in another" have "forgone the chance to sell the rights to an outside bidder for a considerable sum." Meanwhile, the team "unveiled a new logo, a swirling circular image that will adorn all marketing materials." Olympia Entertainment President & CEO Tom Wilson said that the new logo "symbolizes everything from a hockey puck to pizza, from the ice rink to a stage for music acts, as well as energy and motion." The 20,000-plus-seat arena "is said to be slightly ahead of schedule" and is set to open for the '17 NHL season (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/29).
NO ORDINARY JOE: In Detroit, Gregg Krupa writes when Joe Louis Arena "closes after the next Red Wings season," the words honoring the late boxer will "fall from the lexicon of mass media and sport." It "is unfortunate" that a "grand civic tribute to the remarkable Louis is getting lost in the shuffle." Louis' feats "cast in patriotic fervor transcended race 30 years before the Civil Rights Movement" (
DETROIT NEWS, 4/29).
