Detroit ― Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, often credited with ushering in downtown Detroit’s revival, sent busloads of fans to root against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena for Round 2 of the playoffs.
Gilbert is the chairman of Detroit-based of Rocket Cos. and a significant owner of downtown Detroit real estate. He and his team spearheaded a years-long revival of downtown Detroit real estate, accumulating more than 100 properties and redeveloping many of them for commercial or residential use.
But for the playoffs, he’s rooting against his home team.
Wednesday night’s game, the fifth in the series, was the third game Gilbert paid for Cavaliers fans to attend. About 500 season ticketholders attended each game and a pregame party at Rocket Cos.-owned event space, The Beacon, that included free food, drinks and entertainment, Cavaliers spokesman Zach Abaie told The Detroit News in an email.
“Dan Gilbert is amazing,” said Cavaliers fan Michael Meyer, who wore a T-shirt Gilbert paid for that read “Beat Detroit!”
“He transformed everything with our team,” Meyer said. “He gave us a ride up. He fed us lunch. He fed us dinner and then he brought us to the game.”
Pistons fans like Stacey Sorak said they weren’t worried about the mortgage mogul’s charity for their opponents. Sorak said her seats were right behind the area Gilbert had rented for Cavaliers fans.
“It doesn’t matter, we’re still gonna win,” Sorak said. “We silenced them pretty quick last time they were here.”
satwood@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert buses fans to Detroit for playoffs
Reporting by Sarah Atwood, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
