The Pistons haven’t played played regularly in Detroit since 1978.
After spending decades in the suburbs – The Palace of Auburn Hills and, before that, the Pontiac Silverdome – they’re moving back downtown.
NBA release:
Of course, the NBA approved. The league loves local governments funneling millions of dollars in taxpayer money to billionaire team owners.
It probably won’t be so good for Detroit, which should invest more in schools, police and other services that serve more than just basketball fans. But this is the same type of bad deal local governments strike all the time as they eye tax revenue that almost never comes. This has sadly just become par for the course.
But it’ll at least be good for fans who can afford to attend games at the new arena, which was originally being built (again, with large amounts of taxpayer money) for the NHL’s Red Wings. There’s a lot more to do in downtown Detroit than around the arena in Auburn Hills.