30 replies to this topic

[DetroitYZ19]

I've kind of been out to lunch on this topic, but was it ever determined where the Wings will play next year? Will they extend the lease on the Joe until a new arena is built? I really hope this is the case. GO WINGS!!

[zombi]

My prediction is the Palace for the next two seasons.

[Hockeytown0001]

I hope to God not.

[dat's sick]

They're getting moved to Kansas City, Bettman's orders.

[DEVILSWATERBOY]

Put them into Ford field for 2 years, and lets see if the Wings can fill it up and maybe some of thier carma can off on to the Lions

[stevkrause]

it's starting to look more and more like the Palace for at least a couple years... ugh...

I HATE the Joe by this point, it's old, dilapidated and needs to be put to rest, but the Palace is a HORRIBLE place for hockey games (a la Vipers days) and I hate the idea of sharing an arena, it affects the playing surface for both the basketball and hockey teams in a negative way...

[hellsson]

it's starting to look more and more like the Palace for at least a couple years... ugh...

I HATE the Joe by this point, it's old, dilapidated and needs to be put to rest, but the Palace is a HORRIBLE place for hockey games (a la Vipers days) and I hate the idea of sharing an arena, it affects the playing surface for both the basketball and hockey teams in a negative way...

I disagree with that point. The Palace is really a GREAT venue and there is no problem with sharing an arena, the majority of the teams do. Do you really think the Joe always has Ice on the floor? They have concerts and wrestling there during the season and they have no problem taking the rink up and down.

The biggest problem, in my opinion, is location. I like the Wings in Detroit but if Ilitch wants to build a state of the art hockey arena downtown and need the wings to play at the Palace for a couple years I don't see it as a big deal. As long as it's not in Ford Field or the Silver Dome were the would put up a curtain as they did with the Pistons back in the day.

But I think we should all get used to the Pistons sharing an arena with the Wings because I have a feeling that, give the economics of it all, they will both end up in Detroit in a new building. Not to mention that it looks like Ilitch holdings may be interested in buying the Pistons.

[Wings_Dynasty]

I say they move to the Wolverines' pond (Crisler Arena). 13,751 attendance, close to Detroit and more likely to sell out due to the fact that it is in a college town where people can buy a ticket and walk to the game.

But the Palace is more likely.

Edited by Wings_Dynasty, 07 April 2010 - 08:40 AM.

[Hockeytown0001]

From an article earlier this year on MLive -

"In a "bottom line" sense, it would simply cost more money, never mind time, energy, and effort, to move the Red Wings to the Palace on a temporary basis than it would to remain at Joe Louis Arena.

The logistical concerns and expenses in abandoning the Joe would include but are not limited to the following:


-Moving the Red Wings' front office, which includes both its hockey operations staff and its ticket sales department, the core of its game night staff, media arm, and merchandising, to an as-yet-unknown home as the Pistons' front office occupies the Palace;
-Forming an temporary ticketing alliance with Palace Sports and Entertainment;
-Eliminating the jobs of its its arena employees while attempting to merge its rink maintenance staff with that of the Palace;
-Dealing with the whole, "Palace sells Domino's Pizza and Pepsi" issue;
-Working with Palace Sports and Entertainment to revamp its in-game entertainment;
-Building a separate locker room and revamping the training and fitness facilities in the Palace so as to share the facility with the Pistons;
-Considering building a separate practice facility as the Palace is booked for concerts and events at least twice as often as Joe Louis Arena--while juggling the fact that said practice facility should be located close enough to wherever the Red Wings' follow-on arena is built so as to make travel easy for the players and coaches;
-Attempting to manage the minefield that is cobbling a schedule together while competing against the Pistons and concerts/etc. after spending the last 30 years in what is essentially a single-use facility;
-Attempting to build and maintain an ice surface that isn't terrible due to the Palace's multi-use facility status;
-Managing the transfer the Red Wings' season-ticket base to a new building with new sightlines and a different configuration, which includes inevitably managing moves and possible losses due to the change in physical and figurative location;
-Dealing with the fact that the suite-holder base might disappear or have to compete with the Pistons' and Palace's suite-holders for space;
-Asking the club's employees, including a coaching staff and players that generally lives in West Side suburbs that are twice as far from the Palace as Joe Louis Arena to drive "across town";
-Considering the potential losses the team could incur in terms of its fan base due to the shift in geographic location;
-Corporately speaking, dealing with the fact that the Red Wings are taking business away from Olympia Entertainment's facilities and padding Palace Sports and Entertainment's bottom line as another jewel in that company's crown;
-Finally, delicately severing ties with the Palace and whoever ends up owning the Pistons whenever the Joe's follow-on rink is eventually built.

Rest of article

[F.Michael]

Agree with the post above.

I read that same article a while back, and it makes sense...As long as the city doesn't try to screw over Ilitch - there's really no reason to move to the Palace of Auburn Hills.

That said it's still going to be 4 to 8 years before there's a new home for the Red Wings; Ilitch wanting public funds/support for a new arena is going to delay the construction until the local economy picks up.


EDIT - It's far too early to say, but the "best" deal for the Ilitch's, and for the fans may have been for the Ilitch's to sign on for an additional 20 years at the Joe, and then spend the reported $80 - $100 million outta their own pocket for a major renovation.

Edited by F.Michael, 07 April 2010 - 09:14 AM.

[VM1138]

Doesn't the Palace have really terrible sight lines? I've never been there but I think I remember a friend mentioning this once.

[Z and D for the C]

They're staying at the Joe until they build a new arena. Period. No chance in hell of them moving out of Detroit.

[stevkrause]

I disagree with that point. The Palace is really a GREAT venue and there is no problem with sharing an arena, the majority of the teams do. Do you really think the Joe always has Ice on the floor? They have concerts and wrestling there during the season and they have no problem taking the rink up and down.

The biggest problem, in my opinion, is location. I like the Wings in Detroit but if Ilitch wants to build a state of the art hockey arena downtown and need the wings to play at the Palace for a couple years I don't see it as a big deal. As long as it's not in Ford Field or the Silver Dome were the would put up a curtain as they did with the Pistons back in the day.

But I think we should all get used to the Pistons sharing an arena with the Wings because I have a feeling that, give the economics of it all, they will both end up in Detroit in a new building. Not to mention that it looks like Ilitch holdings may be interested in buying the Pistons.

have you ever been to a hockey game at the Palace? It is not setup for hockey... and, no, the ice isn't ALWAYS there at the Joe and the floor isn't always there at the Palace, but the tear down/set-up is much less frequent than 2 sports that run during the SAME season and have FREQUENT games... much different toll on the surface(s)...

Edited by stevkrause, 07 April 2010 - 09:59 AM.

[russianswede919293]

I think they will get a short term lease at the Joe until a new arena goes up.

If they decide to renovate the joe...then it could be an issue.

[Howard35]

I say they move to the Wolverines' pond (Crisler Arena). 13,751 attendance, close to Detroit and more likely to sell out due to the fact that it is in a college town where people can buy a ticket and walk to the game.

But the Palace is more likely.

1. Michigan plays at Yost Ice Arena, capacity 6,603. Crisler is the basketball arena and is an atrocious venue.

2. The Palace would be awful. Moving the Wings out of Detroit would be awful.

3. The Joe is a great building. It has character, which few of the new buildings have. It needs work, absolutely, but if they must build a new rink (instead of completing major renovations at the Joe) then at least sink some cash into making the Joe a solid temporary home until the new rink is available. The amount of money and effort required to relocate the team (including the administrative functions of the team) to the Palace is not worth it.

[JayUp88]

I asked my season ticket rep if they were going to move too the Palace and he said there's no way they'll be moving there next year. They haven't done anything they would need to do to move yet and it would take more then a couple months in the summer to do. He said from what they have been hearing look for a new 3 year lease on the Joe and a new two team arena to be built in Detroit

[Howard35]

I asked my season ticket rep if they were going to move too the Palace and he said there's no way they'll be moving there next year. They haven't done anything they would need to do to move yet and it would take more then a couple months in the summer to do. He said from what they have been hearing look for a new 3 year lease on the Joe and a new two team arena to be built in Detroit

I hope you're right about the lease on the Joe, but the thought of sharing an arena is nauseating. We need a hockey-only venue. This is Hockeytown. I don't want to see any stupid basketball murals/banners/merchandise when I go to a Wings game. If there has to be a new arena, it needs to be a gem and a shrine to hockey in Detroit. I'm in favor of a modern Olympia. Something with character.

[JayUp88]

I hope you're right about the lease on the Joe, but the thought of sharing an arena is nauseating. We need a hockey-only venue. This is Hockeytown. I don't want to see any stupid basketball murals/banners/merchandise when I go to a Wings game. If there has to be a new arena, it needs to be a gem and a shrine to hockey in Detroit. I'm in favor of a modern Olympia. Something with character.

Almost every city that has both has a shared arena its dumb business not too. I feel the same way about it but there's not much you can do. Hell if the Leafs an original six team can share so can we

[Howard35]

Almost every city that has both has a shared arena its dumb business not too. I feel the same way about it but there's not much you can do. Hell if the Leafs an original six team can share so can we

The Wings and Habs are the only Original Six teams NOT to share an arena (and Montreal lacks an NBA counterpart), but there's no need for the Pistons to move. This should be a Wings-only venture and if we want to lay claim to being "Hockeytown" then we should be able to build an arena that is befitting of that title. Something that is to hockey what Camden Yards was to baseball in the early 90s.

[KATIEBARTHEDOOR24]

Cobo Hall is right next door.