The Pistons are moving from their arena in Auburn Hills, Mich. to Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit starting next season, the team announced in a Tuesday press conference. They were the last NBA franchise not located within the urban city they represent.
Pistons’ upcoming move means every NBA team plays close to its downtown
Also, all four Detroit professional sports teams are now located downtown.
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
“When the Pistons tip-off here in October, for the first time in 43 years, all four Detroit sports teams will be playing in the city of Detroit,” said city mayor Mike Duggan. “This is the only city with all four teams in the downtown area. We didn’t build stadiums surrounded by acres of asphalt and high fences. We’ve built these stadiums woven within the urban fabric.”
The Sacramento Kings moved from Sleep Train Arena, located on the outskirts of the city, to the downtown Golden 1 Center starting this season. The New Jersey Nets also relocated recently to a downtown area — though they re-branded and crossed state lines — when they moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. Before then, the Wizards also moved from their old USAir Arena in Maryland to Washington, D.C.’s Verizon Center in 1997.
(The Spurs’ AT&T Center is not exactly in downtown San Antonio, but it’s close enough to qualify).
In other sports, many teams play on the outskirts of their respective cities. The NFL’s Miami Dolphins play at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, nearly 15 miles from the Heat’s American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami. The Dallas Cowboys play at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the MLB’s Atlanta Braves are moving from their downtown home of Turner Field to SunTrust Park, located in the Cobb County suburbs.
Pistons owner Tom Gores emphasized that the move to downtown Detroit served as an economic boost for the community.
“We’re gonna create thousands of jobs...with this,” Gores said. “What is good for Detroit is good for the state. This is about the community.”
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