Aerial photographs of a giant Little Caesar being painted on the roof of Little Caesars Arena, where early renderings had the Red Wings logo, are "stirring controversy on social media," according to a front-page piece by JC Reindl of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Photos of the half-finished Little Caesar -- the mascot of Little Caesars Pizza -- were posted yesterday on the Red Wings' official Twitter account and Facebook page. The posts said that the pizza chain's toga-clad mascot will "stretch 243 feet once completed, making it 'the largest Little Caesar in the world.'" But some Twitter and Facebook users "quickly voiced their displeasure with the rooftop pizza ad and noted how earlier design concept renderings for the arena," released in '14 by Olympia Development, "showed a red-colored roof on the structure with the hockey team's logo of a winged wheel." In fairness, the earlier design concept featuring a red roof and the Red Wings' logo "date to before the sports and entertainment venue was officially named Little Caesars Arena" in spring '16. More recent design renderings have "depicted the Little Caesars' mascot on the roof of the arena" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/12). In Michigan, Brandon Champion noted the arena's name has been "quite the talking point among fans since it was announced, with some feeling its too commercial and lacking flair." Champion: "He may be known as Little Caesar, but this pizza-loving mascot is anything but small" (MLIVE.com, 7/11).
