The Pistons can "say with confidence that the franchise made the right call to move from the Palace of Auburn Hills after 29 years" despite a number of empty seats at Little Caesars Arena through three games, according to Vince Ellis of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Palace Sports & Entertainment Vice Chair Arn Tellem "cited figures that said the Pistons’ ticket sales had grown substantially" since the move. Three home games is "too small a sample size to really challenge that assertion," but after "realizing the consistent 10,000-12,000 that show up to Pistons games are paying more for the privilege, it's easier to understand why the team moved." A season-ticket holder said that his package increased in price almost 52% this season. Tellem: "The building was designed too nice with too many options so I believe in the early part of the season everyone is exploring the new building, seeing all the amenities and I understand. I would be there, too." The Pistons drew a sellout crowd of 20,491 last week for their regular-season home opener against the Hornets, but drew only 13,790 for last night's game against the T'Wolves. Through three games, the Pistons are 26th in NBA attendance at just under 16,000 per game, a number "skewed by the sold out opener." They finished 25th last season. Tellem said that ticket sales "project 65% to 75% above last year’s totals" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/26).
SEEING RED: THE ATHLETIC's Craig Custance noted the Red Wings at LCA have "competed in front of a partially empty building for long stretches of play" early this season. But Olympia Entertainment President & CEO Tom Wilson said that it "isn’t from a lack of tickets sold." The team "cut off season ticket sales around 15,000 in order to preserve available tickets for non-season ticket holders." Wilson said that the empty seats have been "sold." They just "belong to fans catching the game in different parts of the building." Wilson: "People are enjoying games completely different now. The game and the concert has become the hub of why you go, (but) you don’t necessarily make that the evening" (THEATHLETIC.com, 10/25). Meanwhile, in Detroit, Helene St. James reported the ice at LCA has "gotten lukewarm reviews so far." The Red Wings "enjoyed good ice at their former home, Joe Louis Arena, but then again, that building wasn’t also home to an NBA team, as LCA is" (DETROITNEWS.com, 10/23).
