Illitch to Buy Pistons

It is being reported that Mike Illitch will be buying the team and the purchase should be complete within the next 30 days.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...oit-pistons-owner-to-sell-team-to-mike-ilitch

Apparently he did buy them. Per breaking news on Channel 4 in Detroit a couple minutes ago..

is that a good thing? He wasn't the richest amongst the possible candidates, would he be able to enable JoeD to go in luxury cap territory if necessary?

This is fantastic news. I Hope it goes through.

Illitch is a first class owner with all his sports teams.

So does this mean the end of the "they made this move to make the team more attractive to sell" excuse for the questionable personnel moves? That's disappointing.

I do think what this means is that the Pistons will be willing to spend over the cap if it means getting or holding onto a player that can make us a championship level club.

Just on WWJ: Ilitch has been selected for further negotiations, which means his initial offer must be in the right ball park. Nothing is final yet, as the price is still to be negotiated. They mentioned a new stadium in downtown Detroit for both the Wings and Pistons to use if the deal goes thru.

By the tone of the report, you can tell they sound enthusiastic and believing that the deal will be done. Just an impression though. Still nothing final.

illitch definitely is not a bball fan but he knows how to run franchise.


but one stadium for both teams means pretty complicated schedules.

Wings and Pistons often play on the same nights...I don't see a single arena for both of them as really being logistically sound. I'm curious to see how that plays out.

I can't believe how bummed out I am right now, this old bag doesn't wear t-shirts with torn collars!!!

Hopefully the combined powers of all these teams can get the Pistons some extra $$ to compete with the luxury tax teams.

Its makes economic sense. Two teams sharing the expense of the Arena. Ilitch will give each league the availability dates for his areana- so conflicts will be minimized. (The schedule starts with the owners submitting their available dates - the the league puts something together trying to please as many teams they can.)

PS, on that note, right now, The Pistons are 2nd fiddle to concerts. Which haul in a ton of bucks per seat.

Very Ironic considering the relationship he had with Bill Davidson.

Illitch is a class act and the Pistons are lucky to have fallen into his hands (if the deal goes down).

It will be interesting to see what happens with Dumards in a year or two. I'm guessing he gets replaced...

Tom Wilsons strange journey

How convenient.
Tom Wilson - Trojan Horse?

Hmmm...Just wondering, did slippery Karen Davidson plant Tom Wilson on Illitch's knee so he could whisper sweet somethings in his ear?

I've heard it's pretty common - although I can't cite examples.

How exactly do you know this?

Sounds like good news to me. I don't see why Red Wings/Pistons couldn't share an arena when Rangers/Knicks do it. Doesn't Bulls/Blackhawks share too?

Edit: They do.

Edit2: The shared arenas according to wikianswers.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_shared_NBA_and_NHL_arenas

I suspect that illitch wants to buy pistons only to reduce upkeep burden for red wings. He has ambigious plans for red wings in form of new stadium but economic situation has changed from boom to kaboom! so that red wings can't carry the load alone and in this part pistons has to help.

I like Mike.

i just hope the pistons stay in auburn hills for the foreseeable future, i like the drive and the stadium and the enclosed parking and etc. etc.

Me too. I won't attend games in a new venue.