I'm scarlet fu And I'm Mike lynch I've just got one word to say The Drake distance Last year the pistons had a great lead One of the last two now they'll do it Well well as lynchy said earlier it sounds like we had to get that off of an 8 track because it's been in the messing with my head So here's the man that's going to defend me We're speaking with Detroit Pistons chief business officer Mike zvox See Mike I was there in 1989 when we wanted all for the Detroit business course I was never on the court but I was there in spirit Well I wasn't there unfortunately but I would love a piece of the jewelry if I could Well welcome to the Bloomberg business of sports show First when I talk about the team itself the pistons is we started the young NBA season and we're just coming back from COVID How does it feel now that you have fans in the stands It's great I mean the return to little Caesars has been a tremendous boost for the team No different than any team players thrive on that fan engagement and energy that they provide But I think the biggest piece for us is the ability to engage with our fans again We've been doing a lot in the community and in and around the city of Detroit But for them to be able to experience a game the presentation all the fanfare that comes with it that's been the most exciting part I got to ask you Mike about the business side of running an organization that's in a rebuilding phase What does rebuilding look like now Because I think every time I hear the word rebuilding I think back to the 76ers and their trust the process mantra in the 2010s and how that influences people's expectations for the return on investment in that process If you're an advertiser if you're an owner of your management you're the talent at all affects you differently What does that rebuilding look like for you Troy said it a couple of times it's a restoration He keeps using the word restore And I think that's probably the best most appropriate word to use I mean for us what we've really been focused on for the last let's call it two seasons is restoring the brand Just like we started this conversation there's great heritage and history of this team with championships And I think in the move downtown we really wanted the brand to be reflective of where we're headed So that's been the part that we've been most focused on And in order to accomplish that it's been about authenticity Being authentic to the city of Detroit the people that are in it and making them a part of everything we're doing So whether it's our small business program we've leaned in on whether it's our talent search that we did this summer where all of the arena performers and acts are going to be people from the city of Detroit That really has been an emphasis in focus because we got to be rooted in the city that we call home Hey Mike Tom You had the number one pick with Kate Cunningham Somewhere back in the 80s the NBA went from a team league marketing standpoint to marketing individual players Is that pretty much hold true today Our approach is never built around in individual I always look at it as the players are communicators of the brand but not the brand So I think from us you'll continue to see a more team holistic approach when we go to market obviously is a big piece of that We had a great rookie class last year and Olympian and Jeremy grant some great acquisitions like Kelly Olynyk and the off season this year So I think you'll consistently see from us a more team oriented approach I want to build on that I know I hate using the phrase rebuilding And I hear that all the time But it is a rebuilding process And the pistons fans hang tight be patient because Micah I know we're going to come back to the fun that we used to have back in 1989 And I should say also what was it 20 O four I believe Yeah Can they come back once again from the rebuilding process Absolutely I mean I think the pieces are there right Like I just said you're seeing the development of some of our young players Sadiq bay is that a great start to the season as an example and some of our other guys So I think the building blocks are there This season our guys will continue to develop on and off the court And continue in that restoration process and getting us back to those 89.904 championship years What kind of expectations do you need to manage when you're talking with your corporate partners and trying to attract new corporate partners during a rebuilding time Everyone's on you need everyone on the same page And you want to make sure that there aren't expectations that can't be met but at the same time you want to build that excitement for what's to come not just later this year but in the years to come I think we and we have a little bit of a different approach I think the way that the landscape has changed particularly from an advertiser standpoint this is my 17th season in the business When I first got in it was putting up a logo and more of a prestige purchase Now it's very much an ROI driven conversation How is this accomplishing my marketing goals and objectives as a business because I have many other options So we take that approach and lens to it It's about how can we utilize the platform that we have to engage our fan base or those in the Detroit metro marketplace and beyond to accomplish those goals Taking it from that approach whether we win 20 games or 65 games it's the same it's the same approach Mike is it a tougher sell to bring people into the downtown area of Detroit than it was out in the suburbs say auburn hills the palace the silverdome My answer would be no Obviously I didn't wasn't in market at that time But I think listen you've got one of the best downtown entertainment quarters of any city in the country All four teams play within walking distance of each other You've got the Fox theater that's right there as well I think the downtown entertainment district is a desirable destination You've got some great restaurants in that area There's a million different reasons why people can wood and should and do come downtown for games Up next on the show stay tuned for more of our conversation with Detroit Pistons chief business officer Mike zimowski That's where we'll talk about revitalizing Detroit and what little Caesars arena has done for downtown Detroit straight ahead on Bloomberg business of sports on Michael Barr You can follow me on Twitter and big bar sports And you can catch me on Twitter at scarlet fu And I'm Mike lynch you can follow me on Twitter at lynch EW CD And don't forget to catch our podcast as Mondays Wednesdays and Thursdays on all your podcasts platforms and right here On Bloomberg business of sports.