Red Wings-Tigers owner Ilitch wants to buy Pistons
Mike Modano, left, shakes hands with Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch
DETROIT – Mike Ilitch, the Little Caesars pizza mogul who already owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, said Monday that he wants to buy the Detroit Pistons in part to make sure another buyer doesn’t move the NBA franchise out of town.
The Pistons declined to comment on Ilitch’s interest in the team, which Forbes valued at $479 million last year.
Pistons owner Karen Davidson has said she’s considering a sale of the team by itself or as part of a package with Palace Sports and Entertainment, which includes The Palace of Auburn Hills, DTE Energy Music Theatre and Meadow Brook Music Festival.
Her husband, Bill Davidson, died last year. The late owner known as “Mr. D” helped the Pistons win NBA titles in 1989, 1990 and 2004. Karen Davidson has said she expects the deal to be done by the opening game in late October.
‘King James’ thanks Cleveland fans in homecoming
LeBron James, pictured in July 2010, thanked his fans in Cleveland for their support on Saturday
LeBron James thanked his fans in Cleveland for their support on Saturday at a charity cycling event in his hometown, his first area visit since dumping the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
Hundreds of people attended the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player’s “King for Kids” celebration, which came a week after James was criticized for a newspaper ad thanking Akron backers but not mentioning fans in Cleveland.
“To the city of Cleveland, my fans in Cleveland, my fans in northeast Ohio, I want to say thank you for the last seven years and the years that continue to go in the future,” James said.