Worried the Pistons might get sold out of state some day?

[piston1423]

Do you guys ever worry that the Pistons might be the team that gets sold to Seattle? The Pistons are my favorite Detroit team(Not a huge Hockey or Base Ball fan) and it would seriously break my heart if the Pistons were sold to become the new Seattle Super Sonics. The Pistons are a top franchise so hopefully not but this is becoming one of my biggest fears honestly.

[DBC10]

Pistons have way too much history on their side to be merely sold like that. Championships doe

[DonVitoReturns]

The Pistons were a top franchise when Davidson owned it. It's been all downhill since then.

With Gores as owner, who knows. He lives on the other side of the country, and this team is by far the least followed of the four major sports in this area.

Given the state of the team (a complete mess void of much talent), and the terrible attendance which is not likely to change soon barring some major overhaul or extreme draft luck (like getting a J. Parker), I wouldn't say a move out of state is an impossibility.

[dVs33]

I can't see it happening.
i believe Gores will hang onto the team for a while and he won't move it.

[ImHeisenberg]

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20 ... the-palace

The biggest reason I believe Gores has zero intention of moving the team is in that link. 15 million on the first two phases of the Palace's renovations, and whatever he spends on the third and final phase (probably around 25 million total).

No reason to invest that kind of money if you plan to house the team there in the short term.

[kurtis48239]

Yea I think pistons are here to stay and wont be going anywhere in my lifetime.

[Q00]

If Gores weren't from Michigan I could see it happening, but I don't think he would do that to his hometown team.

[kurtis48239]

I also think ilitch would be willing to buy them befor gores would have to go looking for buyers

[momed11]

As many have stated - rich history, and a championship only 1 decade removed... Don't see it happening.

Feasible if we keep signing players to play the same position as other talented players over the next decade because than we will suck for a decade and with the local economy dwindling it may require change.

[MrBigShot]

There's way too much history here to move. The Pistons belong in Michigan.

[Snakebites]

I don't buy for one second that history guarantees that a team stays put.

Teams generate history in part by being in places that are good environments for professional basketball (LA, Boston, Detroit), but history in and of itself isn't going to stop a team from moving if its in the owners financial best interests to do so.

With that said, all of the evidence indicates a move isn't happening.

[Kilo]

League would never allow it. And Gores couldn't use "old stadium" excuse as Ilitch is building a new arena in downtown Detroit that ultimately could be shared with the Pistons franchise - only way it could be moved is if an exhaustive search for buyers to keep the team in Detroit/Michigan turned up nothing, and that would never happen given any potential buyer wouldn't have to buy the Palace as part of any deal and could work out a lease agreement to play at the new Wings arena.

[Warspite]

Pistons are one of the few teams that own there own arena. Having worked for the Suns its such a headache to get things done and make a profit with these stadium leases. The City is on its best day incompetent. If there is a problem at the Palace they they simply fix it instead of dealing with a city offical who cant wipe his own a$$.

[Laimbeer]

Pistons have way too much history on their side to be merely sold like that. Championships doe

That is either sarcasm or just about the most naïve thing I've read here.

[DBC10]

Pistons have way too much history on their side to be merely sold like that. Championships doe

That is either sarcasm or just about the most naïve thing I've read here.

I'll let your keen insight decipher that. Lol

Sent from my XT1034 using Tapatalk

[Liver_Pooty]

Seattle fans thought they had too much history on their side as well to be relocated.

That being said I severely doubt you guys go anywhere.

[DetroitDon15]

I think it is a few years too early to ask this question. If in 3 or 4 years, this team just draws the continous 8 to 12 k a game. I coud see a move at that time. The attendance will be key. Fans aren't coming out. Attendance will be the judge of this idea of moving. I could see it happening in all honesty but not for 4 years or so.

[mercury]

Gores knows the Palace will be filled regularly with a winning team (record of consecutive sellouts).

[Pharaoh]

I don't see the team being relocated.

Championships or not the population has shown in the past it will support a winning team.

All Gores has to do is get a GM in here that can build a winning team!

[NMerch]

I really don't see it happening. Gores owns the Palace, the only thing that's the problem is attendance. The Palace has the largest NBA capacity at 22,076 which makes it look really bad on TV and in person when we don't fill seats. And really, who wants to see a team lose as much as we have since 2009.

Put a good product out and get results. Look at the Lions, Wings, Tigers. If you win, you fill seats. Plus we technically have the new Red Wings arena going up downtown (completion in the next few years) so Gores has options. The only realistic team I see becoming Seattle is Milwaukee. If not that, the league expands and moves the divisions around. The only move the Pistons could be making is from Auburn Hills to Detroit. That's my 2 cents though.