The Detroit Tigers’ annual Caravan brings the players to the people, allowing them to interact directly with fans and show their appreciation. During the two-day event, the athletes take part in fun activities and shine a light on the incredible people and organizations impacting their communities.

This year, Tigers players took part in an exciting array of events, from teaching fitness and life skills to kids at Detroit Public Schools, to visiting patients in the Children’s Hospital of Michigan to lift their spirits. The players also surprised and thanked some of the first responders who help keep us safe — and that was just in the first day.

In this 30-minute special for produced for Fox Sports Detroit, Tigers fans get an inside look at the dozens of amazing stops on this year’s Tigers Caravan. The show’s highlights include Matthew Boyd’s one-on-one interview with Ron Gardenhire during their car ride to Toledo; Niko Goodrum and Christin Stewart in a push-up-and-sit-up challenge with cadets at a police training academy; JaCoby Jones learns the art of shooting slap shots with the Grand Rapids Griffins; plus action-packed coverage of the incredible moments that happen when Tigers players and coaches interact with kids and fans throughout the state of Michigan.

Follow the players as they laugh and learn with fans from throughout the region in the video below.

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Restoring historic buildings goes beyond preserving Detroit’s history; it creates jobs for Detroiters, and draws job creators and visitors to the city. Olympia Development of Michigan and Detroit-based Kraemer Design Group are reimagining the historic Women’s City Club building, which, once completed, will become a hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs, creating jobs and bringing increased density to the Park Avenue Historic District.

As The District Detroit prepares to welcome Women’s City Club’s new occupant, Spaces — an open, shared office concept from IWG plc — we look back on the nearly 100-year history of this nationally and state-recognized historic structure.

The Women’s City Club of Detroit was founded in 1919 “to promote a broad acquaintance among women,” according to the group’s bylaws, and to give women’s groups in the city a place to meet, network and collaborate. The club grew in ranks rapidly, and a new dedicated space was needed. They purchased the site, now 2110 Park Avenue in downtown Detroit, in 1922.

The Women’s City Club building’s compelling style was led by Detroit architectural firm Stratton & Snyder. The firm took inspiration from contemporary European modern design and the Arts and Crafts style for the exterior and interior, respectively. Construction began on the six-story building in 1923, and the building opened on April 22, 1924.

Furthering the building’s connection to the Arts and Crafts movement, the building interior features stylized tiling by Pewabic Pottery, which was founded in Detroit in 1904. The building also has three ornately designed drinking fountains, each bearing Pewabic’s signature style.

Learn more about Kraemer Design Group’s approach to revitalizing the historic Women’s City Club building in the video below.

As club members advanced in age, membership declined. The organization left downtown and leased the building to the Feminist Women’s Club, founded by Gloria Steinem, in 1975. Their time in the building was brief, however, and they ceased building operations in 1978. The building then served as a notable live music concert venue throughout the ‘80s.

Now nearing its centennial, the Women’s City Club building will be revitalized into 46,000 square feet of office space and 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Many of the building’s striking details remain, such as the brick masonry, first-floor storefronts, the curved staircase and Pewabic’s tiling. Detroit-based joint venture Brinker-Christman is leading the construction.

The building’s restoration and occupancy will enhance a historic district that features thriving retail and restaurants, including Cliff Bell’s, Rusted Crow Detroit and Brass Rail Pizza Bar. It also sits near Columbia Street, a block-long pedestrian-friendly strip that includes Rush Bowls, Frita Batidos and The M Den. This area will continue to grow with the upcoming openings of Sahara Restaurant & Grill and a new Union Joints restaurant.

The Ilitch organization also restored the magnificent Fox Theatre, now a National Historic Landmark, and moved the Little Caesars headquarters to the Fox Office Centre in 1987. In addition to the restoration of these projects, other historic buildings are scheduled for restoration in The District Detroit, including the former Eddystone Hotel 110 Sproat and the former United Artists building at 150 West Bagley. Along with the restoration of the Women’s City Club building, these projects will proudly preserve Detroit’s history for generations to come.

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Michigan’s most heated sports rivalry will meet on the ice in the fourth-annual Duel in the D. The hockey game at Little Caesars Arena pits the University of Michigan Wolverines against the Michigan State Spartans in a Hockeytown clash to see who will hoist the “Iron D” Trophy.

Get a glimpse of the upcoming showdown, featuring interviews with former Spartan Justin Abdelkader and Wolverines Luke Glendening and Dylan Larkin.

Michigan has won the last three years, while Michigan State won the inaugural match in 2016. See who wins this year’s match on Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at 313Presents.com.

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Ever wonder what it takes to make an ad for the biggest football game of the year? We did. So we hopped a flight from Detroit to Hollywood for an inside look into the creation of Little Caesars’ first-ever “big game” commercial.

The live ostrich wasn’t even the best part.

To see how this hilarious ad came to life, check out this exclusive behind-the-scenes video.

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“Sliced Bread, Inc.” CEO Rainn Wilson is No Match for Little Caesars

New Delivery with Savings of $5 or More vs. Competition

Little Caesars new delivery service brings everything customers love about Little Caesars to your door: extreme value, quality and convenience. The innovative new delivery service, with savings of $5 or more over the competition, will be the focal point of the Detroit-based company’s first-ever commercial during the Big Game, airing in the third quarter of the game.

The high-octane spot depicts Rainn Wilson as the embattled CEO of “Sliced Bread, Inc.” He implodes in the wake of Little Caesars announcing delivery of their delicious pizzas and extreme value directly to front doors across America. And just like Little Caesars Pizza, the spot delivers.

Rainn Wilson is best known for his portrayal of Dwight Schrute on the iconic series “The Office.” The spot depicts his center of power crumbling, as the simple act of delivering a pizza unleashes a frenetic whirlwind of chaos at the headquarters of his “Sliced Bread, Inc.” empire. It culminates in comedic anarchy — equal parts disaster film and slapstick at its finest.

Watch the full ad on the Little Caesars YouTube channel.

As a bonus, Little Caesars is offering viewers a chance to score a free lunch at participating Little Caesars restaurants on Feb. 17. If Little Caesars ad wins USA TODAY’s Ad Meter, the company will give away one free HOT-N-READY Lunch Combo® to every family who visits a participating store between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. (local time) on Feb. 17 and mentions this offer at the check-out counter. Simply sign up at Admeter.usatoday.com and rank the ad no. 1 before 1 a.m. immediately following the Big Game. If the ad ends up at no. 1, you end up with free pizza!

Local organizations like SAY Detroit are vital to the community, helping Detroit families. Since its inception, SAY has brought together countless volunteers in the name of supporting Detroiters — from kids to senior citizens and veterans.

In partnership with this impactful organization, the Detroit Tigers’ Caravan tour stopped at the SAY Detroit Play Center, an after-school facility for students striving for academic success. There, Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd and second baseman Jonathan Schoop joined students to record a modern take on the 1908 classic “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

The students are part of Notes to Notes, a non-profit organization that designs, equips and staffs after-school recording studios inside Boys and Girls Clubs. The organization offers kids the chance to explore, create and record music with access to equipment and resources, and educates kids on careers in the music industry.

Ilitch Companies has partnered with SAY Detroit since its formation in 2006 to help Detroiters in need. The Detroit Tigers Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities, helped refurbish the outdoor baseball field at the SAY Detroit Play Center. The field was dedicated in honor of the Honorable Judge Damon J. Keith, a native Detroiter and civil rights icon, who passed away in 2019 at age 96.

Learn more at SAYDetroit.org and NotesForNotes.org.

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Detroit’s many youth organizations make a lasting and invaluable impact on the community, giving kids of all ages unique opportunities to bond, develop and grow beyond the classroom. As part of a newly formed relationship between the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) and the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, dozens of local kids were invited to experience the Detroit Red Wings’ Hockeytown Winterfest, presented by Coca-Cola and Meijer, at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, Jan. 19.

During the annual event, families enjoyed indoor and outdoor activities, laced-up and took to the Little Caesars Arena ice and learned about Detroit’s rich hockey history.

For many, stepping onto the Detroit Red Wings’ ice was their first skating experience.

The kids also toured the NHL Black Hockey History Tour presented by American Legacy, a mobile museum that celebrates today’s stars and the trailblazers who helped shape NHL history.

In addition to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Red Wings Foundation has recently partnered with other Detroit-based community organizations — including the Detroit Public Schools Community District, Salvation Army and Children’s Hospital of Michigan — to help create memorable and positive experiences across Michigan.

Share in the experience here:

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Free Autograph Signings for the Community, Featuring Dozens of Tigers Players and Coaches, on Jan. 25

Annual Kids Rally Open to Public at Lake Shore High School in St. Clair Shores on Jan. 23

Tigers fans of all ages will be treated to a new Comerica Park tradition during the 2020 season: Signature Saturdays. The series launches with a free autograph signing event in The District Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 25. The gathering will bring over two dozen current Tigers players and coaches to the downtown Detroit community where they will sign autographs, take pictures and share in the hometown excitement for the upcoming start of baseball season.

The inaugural Signature Saturday event will run from 10 a.m. to noon. Signings will take place in The District Detroit at storefronts along the new Columbia Street Plaza off Woodward Ave., beside the Fox Theatre. Featured locations include Hockeytown Café and The M Den.

Fans can also get up-close and personal with Tigers players at the annual Kids Rally, where hundreds of students from around metro Detroit will come together for a memorable evening of interactive games, the chance to hang out with players, win great prizes and more. This event is open to the public, and takes place on Thursday, Jan. 23 from 4:45–6 p.m. at Lake Shore High School in St. Clair Shores. Fans are encouraged to follow @Tigers channels on social media for the latest information on events.

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New headquarters features one-of-kind architectural glass facade

With final and finishing touches underway at the new Little Caesars World Headquarters, Little Caesars employees are already working inside this one-of-a-kind structure. This amazing building features a one-of-a-kind front glass façade — a window wall of curved triangular panes held together with nearly invisible brackets — creating an iconic and eye catching structure that everyone on Woodward can see. Highly skilled engineers and architects, glassmakers and tradesmen worked together to place more than 150 individual panes of glass on the building, each sealed and stacked separate from the next.

Thanks to a thoughtful and strategic design process, the Little Caesars World Headquarters will join the ranks of Detroit’s architectural gems, upholding our city’s legacy for important and meaningful design. Little Caesars looks forward to a grand opening once all the details are complete!

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