Ilitch's 1500th Win

[The Zetterberg Era]

The Detroit Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch got their 1500 win last night. The most in the league since they purchased the Wings from Bruce Norris for 8 million dollars in 1982.

One of if not the very best ownership group in sports and massive in terms of all they do for the city of Detroit. Congratulations to them, it has been a privilege to root for their franchise (actually both of them for a bunch of Detroiters) all these years.

Click to read more...

 

[mjlee]

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. I! I think Marian's influence is sometimes underestimated. Love the old stories about how she was handling the finances back then personally and had to occasionally rein in her husband when he wanted to spend too much, and not always wisely It was typical that when Stevie Y took on the Tampa GM job, he visited the Illitches and asked for their blessing. The Red Wings really could not have a better owner, a fan who also knows when to back away, and with the financial clout to back his GM with whatever was necessary.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/02/24/Champions/Michael-Ilitch.aspx

 

[Swervin81]

Congrats.

Your pizza still sucks.

 

[Yemack]

Congrats.

Your pizza still sucks.

actually we could use his $5 large pizza in Canada.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

The Detroit Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch got their 1500 win last night. The most in the league since they purchased the Wings from Bruce Norris for 8 million dollars in 1982.

One of if not the very best ownership group in sports and massive in terms of all they do for the city of Detroit. Congratulations to them, it has been a privilege to root for their franchise (actually both of them for a bunch of Detroiters) all these years.

Eight. Million.

The team is worth more than $470 million today.

I know it's been 30 years but that is one ridiculous investment. And a fun, rewarding one at that.

 

[Shrimper]

$8m in 1982 is the same as around $20m today.

 

[Roomtemperature]

Think they'll put up a banner for this?

 

[CanadienShark]

From what I know, their family is heavily involved in an attempt to revitalize Detroit. It seems like a family that basically runs the city. Seems like a classy family at the head of a classy organization, and I hope their pursuit at revitalizing Detroit is successful. Got a little soft spot for Detroit, for nostalgic reasons. The Victoria Cougars (my hometown) won the Stanley Cup early in the 1900s and then moved to Detroit and became the Red Wings.

 

[Mickey Redmond*]

Think they'll put up a banner for this?

Not enough room with all the other banners they have hanging from the of the Joe.

 

[CanadienShark]

actually we could use his $5 large pizza in Canada.

Damn Americans and your cheap pizza and beer. Those are two things that Americans always have over us.

Eight. Million.

The team is worth more than $470 million today.

I know it's been 30 years but that is one ridiculous investment. And a fun, rewarding one at that.

Even taking into account for things like inflation and a fluctuating dollar, that's astoundingly cheap. That's one hell of an investment, and as you noted, a real fun one.

 

[benusmc]

Congrats.

Your pizza still sucks.

Congrats Mr. I

And you get what you pay for

 

[Mount Suribachi]

Eight. Million.

The team is worth more than $470 million today.

I know it's been 30 years but that is one ridiculous investment. And a fun, rewarding one at that.

It was also a huge risk. They'd sucked for a decade and we're getting crowds of 2000. When I lived there 10 years later they were still know as the Dead Things, even though they were a playoff team on the verge of breaking out.

 

[Brandel*]

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. I! I think Marian's influence is sometimes underestimated. Love the old stories about how she was handling the finances back then personally and had to occasionally rein in her husband when he wanted to spend too much, and not always wisely It was typical that when Stevie Y took on the Tampa GM job, he visited the Illitches and asked for their blessing. The Red Wings really could not have a better owner, a fan who also knows when to back away, and with the financial clout to back his GM with whatever was necessary.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/02/24/Champions/Michael-Ilitch.aspx

I've never read that article. That's great. Thanks for posting. Interesting to read how proud he is of changing the European scouting scene within the sport.

 

[Roomtemperature]

Not enough room with all the other banners they have hanging from the of the Joe.

They could drop a few of the Western Conference Regular Season champs banners to make room

 

[dtones520]

From what I know, their family is heavily involved in an attempt to revitalize Detroit. It seems like a family that basically runs the city. Seems like a classy family at the head of a classy organization, and I hope their pursuit at revitalizing Detroit is successful. Got a little soft spot for Detroit, for nostalgic reasons. The Victoria Cougars (my hometown) won the Stanley Cup early in the 1900s and then moved to Detroit and became the Red Wings.

I can't even imagine what Detroit would be like without the Ilitch family. The amount of money they pour into that city is unreal, and yes they do take public money to make some things happen, but I think the jobs they have saved and helped create in the city of Detroit outweigh that tenfold.

On top of that they genuinely seem like good people and all of the people who have worked/played for them agree with that assessment. Hopefully the Wings and the Tigers stay within the Ilitch family long after Mike and Marian pass, which is sadly going to be coming sooner than later.

 

[Kcoyote3]

$8m in 1982 is the same as around $20m today.

Holy hell. That investment is absolutely insane. That's like buying google stock in 1999.