Kornheiser says Pistons are one of four teams that needs to be contracted..

**fuerstma** · 04-14-2012, 04:53 PM

On his 04/13 PTI show.

Admittedly he came up with the easy 3 first (Sacramento, New Orleans, Charlotte) but his fourth choice, much to my surprise, was Detroit.

Attendance is abysmal this year (it seemed like there were 4000 or so people at the Wizards game I went to) but they are coming off what, 15 straight years of sell outs?

Are the Pistons already considered the absolute bottom of the barrel?

**juicyj024** · 04-14-2012, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by fuerstma

On his 04/13 PTI show.

Admittedly he came up with the easy 3 first (Sacramento, New Orleans, Charlotte) but his fourth choice, much to my surprise, was Detroit.

Attendance is abysmal this year (it seemed like there were 4000 or so people at the Wizards game I went to) but they are coming off what, 15 straight years of sell outs?

Are the Pistons already considered the absolute bottom of the barrel?

Unfortunately yes..... the attendance isn't coming back any time soon, the team isn't bad enough to get the number one pick and an instant impact player, they are ****ed capwise (which isn't going to get better in the next 2 years, and even if they had cap space no FAs are going to come here to play unless Monroe and Knight prove they can be contributing peices if they have a superstar around them (even then good luck)

I wouldn't think the pistons with new ownership have anything to worry about, however it is going to get ugly down the road.

Cleveland I would think would be up there with detroit as well as Memphis (playoff team or not you still need to have fans) and probably Portland.

Putting the team in Auburn Hills was the absolute WORST idea Bill Davison ever had, He put it in an isolated area away from the general fanbase, (which is fine if you have a winning product) when the tigers were poop people still went to see them because they could make a "trip" out of it, with other things to do in the area, there is nothing by the palace and no nightlife (unless you count the YAK) for people to go out afterwards. If you think anyone is driving from Detroit, or even worse downriver or the westside suburbs to go see an average team youre nuts.

The palace while it may be "the standard" for an arena is unfortunately just located too far for people to drive.

If you aren't north of 696 and East of 275 you aren't going to pistons games.

**juicyj024** · 04-14-2012, 05:10 PM

Gores is going to have a tough decision to make, keep the team in AH and watch it wilt away to bolivia, or relocate it to a central area (downtown, or try and find a spot in a centralish location (royal Oak, Livonia, i dont know) which would alienate a lot of the current fans (most of the fans who go to games are a within a 15-20 minute drive of the palace) to try and rebuild a fan base and generate some interest.

I remember when there were rumors "comerica was going to be built off of M14 and sheldon that would have cut off the entire northern suburbs from games (but might have given more of a draw from Ann Arbor) Sad thing is the pistons would be in a much better position if the palace was in ann arbor than they are with it in auburn hills.

Hell the pistons would be in better shape if they played in grand rapids than playing in auburn hills.

**Fraze** · 04-14-2012, 05:22 PM

I saw this too, and I was wondering why he would have said that.
I think maybe he was trying recall "bad" teams, and the night before the Pistons played CHA so maybe it was in his head.

I can't believe that someone who is as involved as he supposedly is, would go to the Pistons in his first 4 out.
Toronto Raptors? Cavs? Nets? Oh and, what a surprise, he doesn't mention his hometown Wizards.

**juicyj024** · 04-14-2012, 05:27 PM

If I was the owner I would find a way to drop the arena in the middle of all the money in the suburbs, B-Ham, Royal Oak, West Bloomfield, Commerce, Novi, Northville, Ann Arbor and Market the game in a completely different way, build a smaller arena with the focus on an "upscale" sporting experience (you could still have cheap seats but put them behind the baskets on a separate level) make it almost "exclusive" (I know they tried to do that with the basement suites, what a ****ing waste that was) and hope for sustainabilty that way.

I am shocked that the pistons haven't issued MASS layoffs for palace staff, closed the majority of their concession stands (and even certain sections) to try and lose as little cash as possible.

It is sad because the pistons have been such a large part of the community and I am not saying the community has turned their back on them, but it does seem that 95% of metro detroit don't give a damn about them.

**juicyj024** · 04-14-2012, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by Fraze

I saw this too, and I was wondering why he would have said that.
I think maybe he was trying recall "bad" teams, and the night before the Pistons played CHA so maybe it was in his head.

I can't believe that someone who is as involved as he supposedly is, would go to the Pistons in his first 4 out.
Toronto Raptors? Cavs? Nets? Oh and, what a surprise, he doesn't mention his hometown Wizards.

Going to brooklyn there is no way the nets are an option, but I see your point.

**SportsFromA2** · 04-14-2012, 05:38 PM

I still don't see why the joint Pistons/Wings arena downtown isn't happening.

**Waxing Gibbous** · 04-14-2012, 05:46 PM

Egos ... not Gores necessarily, but definitely a war of egos and property ownership between the Illitches, Dan Gilbert, and Peter Karmanous. The city of Detroit is at historical lows in terms of political clout over those guys and their companies, so there's no one to create and enforce a plan that would be the best for the city and fans of the teams.

**juicyj024** · 04-14-2012, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by SportsFromA2

I still don't see why the joint Pistons/Wings arena downtown isn't happening.

Two billonaires can not force egos to co-exist, it is about the legacy, Illitch and Gores are not sharing that.

**mtdman** · 04-14-2012, 08:10 PM

IMO if they put the team downtown detroit they'd get more people coming to games. I refuse to make that huge trek out to auburn hills from here anymore. Plus the team sucks.

**SportsFromA2** · 04-14-2012, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Waxing Gibbous

Egos ... not Gores necessarily, but definitely a war of egos and property ownership between the Illitches, Dan Gilbert, and Peter Karmanous. The city of Detroit is at historical lows in terms of political clout over those guys and their companies, so there's no one to create and enforce a plan that would be the best for the city and fans of the teams.

Originally Posted by juicyj024

Two billonaires can not force egos to co-exist, it is about the legacy, Illitch and Gores are not sharing that.

and while I understand the ego part of it, if Ilitch just wanted an arena his way, he would've done it already, I would think...

Obviously they don't want to foot the entire 250 (or more) Million bill for a new place, they'd like to have contributions from the state/county/city whoever.

I figured IF they're going to be any taxpayer contribution to new buildings for the Wings/Pistons, they'll be better off on a dual-purpose arena like that...

I get that egos and stuff are involved, I just don't see any way 2 new arenas are built with taxpayer contributions.