Motoring … to the top

Sporting News, The, July 6, 1998 by Bob Hille

So what's the dish on Detroit?

It's a combination of factors that makes Detroit our Best Sports City for 1988, not the least of which is the success of the resident franchises, the University of Detroit's men's basketball team and the nearby University of Michigan's men's and women's basketball teams. Detroit's winter climate (today's forecast: partly gray, giving way to total gray) counts a tick against, but the warming appeal of fall/winter athletes Barry Sanders, Grant Hill and Sergei Fedorov more than make up for it.

Here, then, are some of the factors that earned Motown its crown:

PROFESSIONAL TEAMS

                             Conf./Div.
Team              W-L-T      Finish

Red Wings (NHL)   44-23-15       2nd
Tigers (MLB)      (*)30-45    (*)4th
Pistons (NBA)     37-45          6th
Lions (NFL)       9-7        (**)3rd

                                               Percent
Team              Venue                        capacity

Red Wings (NHL)   Joe Louis Arena               100
Tigers (MLB)      Tiger Stadium                  33(*)
Pistons (NBA)     The Palace of Auburn Hills     88
Lions (NFL)       Pontiac Silverstone            87

                   Ticket      Most recent
Team               prices        playoff     Titles

Red Wings (NHL)   $18-$67          1998        9
Tigers (MLB)      $4-$20           1987        4
Pistons (NBA)     $19-$275         1997        2
Lions (NFL)       $12.50-$50       1997        4

Team              Star power

Red Wings (NHL)   Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Slava Festisov
Tigers (MLB)      Jason Thompson, Damion Easley
Pistons (NBA)     Grant Hill, Joe Dumars
Lions (NFL)       Barry Sanders, Herman Moore, Mark Carrier

(*) Through June 25. (**) Wild-card playoff team.

COLLEGE TEAMS

                                           Conference
Team                                W-L    finish

Michigan football                   12-0      1st
Michigan men's basketball           25-9   (*)4th
Detroit men's basketball            24-5     T1st
Eastern Michigan men's basketball   20-9   (*)3rd
Michigan women's basketball         19-9      3rd

                                    Conference
Team                                Venue               Capacity

Michigan football                   Michigan Stadium    102,501
Michigan men's basketball           Crisler Arena        13,562
Detroit men's basketball            Calihan Hall          8,837
Eastern Michigan men's basketball   Bowen Field House     5,600
Michigan women's basketball         Crisler Arena        13,562

                                    Most recent bowl/
Team                                 NCAA Tournament    Titles

Michigan football                         1997            2
Michigan men's basketball                 1998            1
Detroit men's basketball                  1998            0
Eastern Michigan men's basketball         1998            0
Michigan women's basketball               1998            0

Team                                Star power

Michigan football                   Charles Woodson, Brian Griese
Michigan men's basketball           Robert Traylor, Louis Bullock
Detroit men's basketball            Derrick Hayes, Jermaine Jackson
Eastern Michigan men's basketball   Earl Boykins, Derrick Dial
Michigan women's basketball         Pollyanna Johns, Stacey Thomas