Latest news with #Gores
Axios
28-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Pistons exec "optimistic" on Detroit WNBA
As Detroit competes to land a new WNBA team, Pistons leadership says a major strength is its investor group, which left the league blown away. Why it matters: Landing the new team is being pitched as a needed addition to the city's growing sports-based economy as women's sports surge in popularity. It would also include significant investment in youth sports. The latest:"We've been hearing very positive things," Pistons Sports and Entertainment vice chairman Arn Tellem said in a Wednesday panel on the WNBA bid effort at the Mackinac Policy Conference. Detroit's bid is led by Pistons owner Tom Gores, along with Tellem. "I wouldn't be sitting here today if I wasn't optimistic … hopefully we'll hear good news soon," Tellem added. The panel also included Grant Hill, managing director of USA Basketball, and Swin Cash-Canal, a former WNBA player. Between the lines: The WNBA rolled out its intentions to expand over the last couple of years, and efforts started "in earnest" in Detroit, Tellem said. In forming the investor group, he adds, "I wanted to send a statement to the WNBA about the power of Detroit …" His first call was to Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp. Then he reached out to Hill, a former NBA player who was drafted by the Pistons and whom Tellem knew "would have a great impact" on the bid. Others in the group include GM CEO Mary Barra; Suzanne Shank, the CEO of investment banking firm Siebert Williams Shank & Co.; former Piston Chris Webber; and Lions quarterback Jared Goff. See the full list here. Sportico then reported in March that Eminem joined the bid. Catch up quick: The bid is tied to a prime piece of riverfront land near Belle Isle. Gores and the group want to turn the former Uniroyal site into a WNBA practice facility and youth recreation site to reduce barriers to Detroit kids accessing sports. What they're saying: "The (Detroit WNBA) vision isn't just about investing in women, which is good business … but that community and youth piece is so big for Detroit, and it's going to be the model for anyone else that's coming into the W," Cash-Canal said during the panel. Flashback: Gores submitted a bid in January to bring the WNBA back to the city. The Detroit Shock, the city's beloved former team, moved to Tulsa for the 2010 season. Tellem said Wednesday that he and Gores first discussed the possibility of bringing the WNBA back more than a decade ago. The intrigue: Tellem, asked about what the team's name could potentially be if it wasn't the Shock, said he was interested in doing something related to the city's Motown heritage, like referencing the Supremes, but that there may be legal issues.
CBS News
18-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Pistons pull off unprecedented turnaround, prep for 1st playoff appearance since 2019
The Detroit Pistons hit rock bottom not long ago, suffering from the embarrassment of the longest single-season losing streak in league history and slumping to the NBA's worst record for a second straight year. Tom Gores had seen enough. The team owner responded with a series of moves less than a year ago, including one that cost him $65 million to fire coach Monty Williams, to spark an unprecedented turnaround. The Cade Cunningham-led Pistons were 44-38 this season, one year after winning a league-low 14 games, and the 30-game improvement was the best by a team in the league that earned fewer than 20 victories the previous season. Detroit is also the first NBA franchise to triple its total number of victories from the previous year in an 82-game season. "I haven't seen anything like it," former NBA coach Dwane Casey said in an interview with The Associated Press, drawing on his three-plus decades in the league. There's a reason for that. It had never happened. After pulling off a feat no one saw coming, the Pistons will tip off their first appearance in the NBA playoffs since 2019 on Saturday night on the road against the New York Knicks. "It's surreal that we're here when you look back at what this team had been through when we took the job," general manager Trajan Langdon told the AP. "It's incredibly gratifying, and I'm so happy for the players who made it happen." Gores purchased the Pistons in 2011, when a three-time championship franchise was trying to rebuild, and failed to find the right combination of management, coaching and players to win until last year's retooling. Detroit had only one winning record before this season under Gores, who also owns 27% of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers. The Pistons were swept in the first round six years ago and in the 2016 playoffs, extending the NBA's longest playoff losing streak to 14 games dating to May 26, 2008. Casey endured some of the misery in the Motor City. He was fired by the Toronto Raptors in 2018, days after winning the NBA Coach of the Year award, and led the Pistons to a .500 record and a playoff appearance the next season. Casey averaged just 20 wins over the next four years. He resigned to become a senior advisor for the team as it hired Williams and went from 17 victories to just 14 under another former NBA Coach of the Year in one of the worst two-year stretches in league history. Gores refused to let his franchise idle and hope for the best, triggering pivotal decisions that have panned out for the Pistons. He fired general manager Troy Weaver following four futile years, a decision that surprised no one, then shocked many by firing Williams after only one season. "Everybody thought it was crazy to let the coach go," said Casey, a senior advisor for the team. "It took a lot of guts to do that." It also took a lot of money. Gores paid Williams $65 million to leave last May after hiring Langdon, who put J.B. Bickerstaff on the bench shortly after the Cleveland Cavaliers fired a coach who won 99 games the previous two seasons. "Tom Gores' decision to move on from Monty created a domino effect, and it's a move most owners would not have made because of his contract," said former NBA player and TV analyst Jalen Rose, who often roots for his hometown team while standing up in front of a courtside seat at Little Caesars Arena. "The fact that he was willing to blow it all up sent a message to everyone, including media and fans, and then he hired one of the hottest GM prospects when he got Trajan. "It also helped that the No. 1 pick took a leap like SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) did in Oklahoma City and Anthony Edwards did in Minnesota." The Pistons gave Cunningham, drafted first overall in 2021, a five-year contract extension worth at least $224 million last summer and the point guard has made that deal look like a bargain. Cunningham became an All-Star for the first time this season, averaging 26.1 points, 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds, and went from being a good player with some injury issues to a durable, All-NBA caliber candidate. "It means everything," said shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., one of the key veterans acquired last summer along with Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley. "A lot of this would not be possible without him." The turnaround, though, may not have happened if Gores gave Williams another shot this season and yet he was quick to deflect credit to the men making shots and stops on the court and those calling the shots from the bench and front office. "It means a lot, but we're not done," Gores said. "The story has just started."
Associated Press
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Pistons pull off unprecedented turnaround, becoming 1st NBA team to triple wins from previous season
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons hit rock bottom not long ago, suffering from the embarrassment of the longest single-season losing streak in league history and slumping to the NBA's worst record for a second straight year. Tom Gores had seen enough. The team owner responded with a series of moves less than a year ago, including one that cost him $65 million to fire coach Monty Williams, to spark an unprecedented turnaround. The Cade Cunningham-led Pistons were 44-38 this season — one year after winning a league-low 14 games — and the 30-game improvement was the best by a team in the league that earned fewer than 20 victories the previous season. Detroit is also the first NBA franchise to triple its total number of victories from the previous year in an 82-game season. 'I haven't seen anything like it,' former NBA coach Dwane Casey said in an interview with The Associated Press, drawing on his three-three plus decades in the league. There's a reason for that. It had never happened. After pulling off a feat no one saw coming, the Pistons will tip off their first appearance in the NBA playoffs since 2019 on Saturday night on the road against the New York Knicks. 'It's surreal that we're here when you look back at what this team had been through when we took the job,' general manager Trajan Langdon told the AP. 'It's incredibly gratifying and I'm so happy for the players who made it happen.' Gores purchased the Pistons in 2011, when a three-time championship franchise was trying to rebuild, and failed to find the right combination of management, coaching and players to win until last year's retooling. Detroit had only one winning record before this season under Gores, who also owns 27% of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers. The Pistons were swept in the first round six years ago and in the 2016 playoffs, extending the NBA's longest playoff losing streak to 14 games dating to May 26, 2008. Casey endured some of the misery in the Motor City. He was fired by the Toronto Raptors in 2018, days after winning the NBA Coach of the Year award, and led the Pistons to a .500 record and playoff appearance the next season. Casey averaged just 20 wins over the next four years. He resigned to became a senior advisor for the team as it hired Williams and went from 17 victories to just 14 under another former NBA Coach of the Year in one of the worst two-year stretches in league history. Gores refused to let his franchise idle and hope for the best, triggering pivotal decisions that have panned out for the Pistons. He fired general manager Troy Weaver following four futile years, a decision that surprised no one, then shocked many by firing Williams after only one season. 'Everybody thought it was crazy to let the coach go,' said Casey, a senior advisor for the team. 'It took a lot of guts to do that.' It also took a lot of money. Gores paid Williams $65 million to leave last May after hiring Langdon, who put J.B. Bickerstaff on the bench shortly after the Cleveland Cavaliers fired a coach who won 99 games the previous two seasons. 'Tom Gores' decision to move on from Monty created a domino effect, and it's a move most owners would not have made because of his contract,' said former NBA player and TV analyst Jalen Rose, who often roots for his hometown team while standing up in front of a courtside seat at Little Caesars Arena. 'The fact that he was willing to blow it all up sent a message to everyone, including media and fans, and then he hired one of the hottest GM prospects when he got Trajan. 'It also helped that the No. 1 pick took a leap like SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) did in Oklahoma City and Anthony Edwards did in Minnesota.' The Pistons gave Cunningham, drafted first overall in 2021, a five-year contract extension worth at least $224 million last summer and the point guard has made that deal look like a bargain. Cunningham became an All-Star for the first time this season, averaging 26.1 points, 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds, and went from being a good player with some injury issues to a durable, All-NBA caliber candidate. 'It means everything,' said shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., one of the key veterans acquired last summer along with Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley. 'A lot of this would not be possible without him.' The turnaround, though, may not have happened if Gores gave Williams another shot this season and yet he was quick to deflect credit to the men making shots and stops on the court and those calling the shots from the bench and front office. 'It means a lot, but we're not done,' Gores said. 'The story has just started.' ___ Follow Larry Lage at ___ AP NBA:
Axios
03-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
1 big thing: Riverfront land targeted for WNBA facility
Pistons owner Tom Gores wants to transform a prime piece of riverfront land near Belle Isle into a WNBA practice facility and youth recreation center as part of his quest to return the expanding league to the city. Why it matters: A new professional women's basketball team would add to the city's thriving sports-based economy and tourism. State of play: Detroit is competing with Nashville, Philadelphia, Cleveland and other big cities to land a new WNBA team as the league's popularity explodes behind the arrival of superstars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The intrigue: Billionaire Dan Gilbert, whose investments have helped restore downtown Detroit and beyond, is not involved in the city's WNBA bid, a spokesperson for Gilbert's Bedrock firm tells Axios Detroit. His Rocket Entertainment Group submitted a bid for Cleveland, where Gilbert owns the NBA's Cavaliers. Driving the news: On March 11, the city canceled long-stalled development plans at the former Uniroyal site in the heart of the city's riverfront, opening the door for Gores and his group of potential WNBA investors to plot a team practice facility there alongside a new recreation site for football, soccer and other sports. What they're saying: Mayor Mike Duggan spoke excitedly about Gores' plans for the long-vacant Uniroyal site in his State of the City speech on Tuesday. Gores' plan for Uniroyal would help fulfill Duggan's vision for a long-term overhaul of the city's riverfront. "This is the one that's always bugged me," Duggan said of the Uniroyal site. Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem and Gores "are leading a group to make this Detroit's finest recreation site." A source familiar with the matter confirmed to Axios that Uniroyal is a potential site for a WNBA practice facility and sports complex. Flashback: Gores submitted a bid in January to bring back the WNBA to Detroit on behalf of an ownership group that includes his wife Holly, Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, GM CEO Mary Barra and others. The Detroit Shock, the city's prior WNBA team, moved to Tulsa for the 2010 season. Zoom out: The group trying to bring a WNBA team to Nashville is making contingency plans if their bid for a new franchise fails, our colleagues at Axios Nashville reported. What's next: Any Uniroyal redevelopment plan would require City Council approval, but a potential timeline and development costs are not yet known, the Free Press reported. Annalise Frank Albert Kahn's Fisher Building, the ode to American work and artistry. The RenCen, a debatably historic skyline staple poised for redevelopment. The small but gorgeous treasures you pass daily on your way to work. We want to know: Which historic building in Detroit is your favorite? "Favorite" could mean whatever you want it to mean: prettiest, most historic, most interesting or simply the one with the weirdest gargoyles. Note: We are (unfortunately) only counting structures that remain standing. 🗳️ Let us know by answering here between now and the end of the day Sunday. Vote for one of our options or type in your own. 📬 Plus, if there's a story behind your choice, respond to this email to let us know why you picked what you did. We may feature your answer in a future newsletter. 3. The Grapevine: The Tigers are back ⚾ The Tigers fell to the defending champion Dodgers, 5-4, in last night's season opener in Los Angeles. Teoscar Hernández made the difference with a three-run home run off Tarik Skubal in the fifth. (Free Press) 🚗 President Trump's increased tariffs on imported vehicles will hit foreign automakers the hardest, though General Motors and Ford will also face a significant impact. (Axios) 🚨 Grammar police alert! A recently retired Ford executive, for more than a decade, meticulously logged mixed metaphors and malaprops said in company meetings. He documented 2,229 linguistic breaches — "too many cooks in the soup," for example — and the names of their corresponding perpetrators. (WSJ) 4. Top China is tops Annalise Frank 👋 Annalise here, shouting from the rooftops that Top China One is an affordable gem just a couple of blocks from Little Caesars Arena. State of play: That means crazy traffic if you're driving to the pickup-only spot during an event, but it does have a little alley-side parking lot. The Midtown restaurant scene is always changing, but I hope Top China One sticks around for a long time. Dig in: The New York-style Chinese restaurant has a long menu, including vegetarian options, and an $8.35 lunch menu that is making me second-guess my $9.35 Chipotle sofritas bowls. What I ate: I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I've always been a complete sucker for sesame chicken ($11.45 combo plate), but their Mongolian beef is special, too — though only if you love onions. The fried rice tastes like it's been freshly stir-fried, with seared slices of garlic throughout. I'll dig deeper into their menu next time I go.
Axios
28-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Detroit's WNBA bid tied to empty industrial site
Pistons owner Tom Gores wants to transform a prime piece of riverfront land near Belle Isle into a WNBA practice facility and youth recreation center as part of his quest to return the expanding league to the city. Why it matters: A new professional women's basketball team would add to the city's thriving sports-based economy and tourism. State of play: Detroit is competing with Nashville, Philadelphia, Cleveland and other big cities to land a new WNBA team as the league's popularity explodes behind the arrival of superstars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The intrigue: Billionaire Dan Gilbert, whose investments have helped restore downtown Detroit and beyond, is not involved in the city's WNBA bid, a spokesperson for Gilbert's Bedrock firm tells Axios Detroit. His Rocket Entertainment Group submitted a bid for Cleveland, where Gilbert owns the NBA's Cavaliers. Analysts have speculated that multiple cities could be granted new teams. Driving the news: On March 11, the city canceled long-stalled development plans at the former Uniroyal site in the heart of the city's riverfront, opening the door for Gores and his group of potential WNBA investors to plot a team practice facility there alongside a new recreation site for football, soccer and other sports. What they're saying: Mayor Mike Duggan spoke excitedly about Gores' plans for the long-vacant Uniroyal site in his State of the City speech on Tuesday. Gores' plan for Uniroyal would help fulfill Duggan's vision for a long-term overhaul of the city's riverfront. "This is the one that's always bugged me," Duggan said of the Uniroyal site. Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem and Gores "are leading a group to make this Detroit's finest recreation site." A source familiar with the matter confirmed to Axios that Uniroyal is a potential site for a WNBA practice facility and sports complex. Flashback: Gores submitted a bid in January to bring back the WNBA to Detroit on behalf of an ownership group that includes his wife Holly, Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, GM CEO Mary Barra and others. The Detroit Shock, the city's prior WNBA team, moved to Tulsa for the 2010 season. Zoom out: The group trying to bring a WNBA team to Nashville is making contingency plans if their bid for a new franchise fails, our colleagues at Axios Nashville reported. The new ownership group, led by the Haslam family, could pivot to purchasing an existing franchise that's struggling financially.
