Detroit Pistons Announce Opening Night Festivities At Little Caesars Arena On October 18
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Detroit Pistons will make their official return to downtown Detroit on Wednesday, October 18 as NBA All-Defensive performer Avery Bradley, Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson and the rest of the Detroit Pistons battle Kemba Walker, Dwight Howard and the Charlotte Hornets. On-court action will take center stage at the new state-of-the-art Little Caesars Arena as Head Coach Stan Van Gundy leads a young, growing roster in their season-opening debut.
"Opening Night at Little Caesars Arena launches a new era for our franchise and we look forward to an exciting season both on and off the basketball floor," said Charlie Metzger, Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer for the Detroit Pistons. "A great line-up of fan festivities and musical entertainment will make opening night an event our fans will remember long after the final buzzer."
Pregame and halftime entertainment performances in conjunction with additional fan activations around the venue before and after the game will make opening night a must-see event. Additionally, all fans in attendance will receive an interactive PixMob commemorative bracelet and t-shirt on their seat inside the venue, allowing them to become part of the show during pregame introductions and halftime.
Five-time Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Skylar Grey will perform at halftime alongside select members of the Detroit Friends Vocal Ensemble Choir. Detroit music star Eminem served as an executive producer on Grey's debut album, Don't Look Down, which debuted at No. 8 on the US Billboard 200 chart in 2013. She contributed the song, I Don't Know, on the chart-topping Fifty Shades of Grey official soundtrack and, I Will Return, for the official soundtrack of Furious 7 in 2015. Most recently, Grey co-wrote the single, Good Life, performed by G-Eazy and Kehlani for The Fate of the Furious soundtrack released in March 2017.
Michigan native and 2016 American Idol contestant Manny Torres will conduct a live performance outside on the Little Caesars Arena plaza beginning at 6:00 p.m. and sing the national anthem prior to the game. Torres is working on his first official studio album which draws influence from a diverse group of performers such as John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Michael Jackson and The Weeknd.
Detroit native and Southeastern High School graduate Dej Loaf will perform on-court during pregame inside Little Caesars Arena prior to tip-off. Nominated for three BET Awards, including best new artist, Dej Loaf collaborated on Eminem's "Detroit vs. Everybody" and opened for Nicki Minaj during the North American leg of her The Pinkprint Tour. Her No. 1 single, "Try Me" was released during the summer of 2014 and catapulted her career as a rap artist and placed her on Billboard's emerging new artist chart.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early and activation outside Little Caesars Arena on the plaza will begin at 3:00 p.m. Beverage carts will be accessible and entertainment will include performances from the Detroit Pistons entertainment teams, interactive basketball shooting and corn hole games, face-painting, access to arrivals of Detroit Pistons players and legends and the aforementioned performance from Manny Torres at 6:00 p.m.
Doors open to fans at Little Caesars Arena beginning at 5:30 p.m. where they can enjoy Power Hour presented by United Shore on the Via Concourse with a live DJ, appearances from Pistons' mascot Hooper and entertainment teams, give-a-ways from the Detroit Pistons promotions team and the aforementioned performance from Dej Loaf inside the arena bowl at 6:35 p.m.
Finally, fans will experience a unique opportunity to be fully engaged in welcoming the Detroit Pistons to Little Caesars Arena during both pregame and halftime. All fans in attendance will receive a commemorative interactive LED bracelet, courtesy of PixMob, designed to create togetherness through light. Each PixMob device becomes a pixel, transforming the crowd into a canvas, creating an immersive fan experience throughout opening night festivities. The bracelet will be commemoratively engraved and can be saved as a memento celebrating this historic event. Fans are asked to be in their seats by 7:00 p.m., with bracelet attached to their wrist, to become part of the show.
For all pregame entertainment schedules for Opening Night and information on attending a Detroit Pistons game at Little Caesars Arena – visit www.pistons.com/openingnight.