Little Caesars Arena. The successor to the Joe Louis Arena - the 1979, $57 million venue that the Detroit Red Wings have called home - broke ground in late 2014 with a $627 million price tag. Although ground and the bank aren’t all that the new arena has broken - the announcement of the arena’s new name brought fans and spectators alike shocking to their knees. Many questioned the decision, asking “Why not the ‘Howe Arena?” - after one of the team’s greatest retired players.

Mike Ilitch, founder of Little Caesars

Behind the new arena stand Mike and Marian Ilitch - Little Caesars founders who also happen to own the Detroit hockey team. However, the arena isn’t the only thing changing in Detroit. Opening in fall of 2017, there will be an entirely new downtown entertainment district, where the new arena will be located. It will be the Red Wings’ home, alongside becoming a concert and event venue, seating 20,000 for all events. The Red Wings took their cut of $120 million in the deal, though the Little Caesars name will stick for the next twenty years, as agreed.

Little Caesars Arena, concept

To top things off? The arena will become one of the largest advertising ventures out there, with plans to include the Little Caesars character on the roof with aerial visibility. Though, there are few fans who are a fan of this change. The corporate takeover of the 40 year-old Joe Louis Arena begs the question of whether money really should outweigh the history and legacy of the team’s home rink. Although the Ilitch family has owned the Red Wings name since 1982 - and have build a strong team of athletes, alongside their ownership of the Detroit Tigers baseball team in 1992 - they saw the opportunity to invest in their original franchise, rather than to support them individually.

A conflict of interests, or simply good business? Despite strong opinions, the fact remains that the 57 year-old Little Caesars name will continue to thrive - at least another twenty years, or so.