• Global pizza chain takes a bite out of the Big Apple with plans to open hundreds of restaurants in the New York metropolitan area over the next several years

Little Caesars, the global family-owned pizza chain with stores in each of the 50 U.S. states and across 27 countries and territories, announced today the signing of a 10-store restaurant agreement to expand its presence in New York City. Veteran multi-brand franchisees Suhel Ahmed and Saurabh Desai signed the deal and will develop 10 Little Caesars restaurants in the Bronx and upper Manhattan by 2026. The first opening is scheduled for late 2023.

“New York City is an iconic pizza market, and we’re eager to bring more of our high-quality, great-value products and fast, convenient ordering options to the city,” said Jeremy Vitaro, Little Caesars chief development officer. “Convenience is key in a fast-paced city like New York, and our brand’s digital-first offerings—like our Pizza Portal® pickup, the first heated, self-serve mobile order pick-up station in the quick service restaurant industry—are ideal for residents there. We’re excited to work with Suhel and Saurabh, who have extensive experience developing restaurants in New York City, to help grow our presence in the market.”

Ahmed and Desai—both New York City natives—have more than 40 years of combined restaurant experience. They also own and operate dozens of franchise locations by other global quick service restaurant chains throughout New York City.

“We know how to own and operate a multi-unit franchise business, and we know what brands work in New York City,” said Ahmed. “We chose to franchise with Little Caesars because it has decades of experience as a global pizza chain and because of its recognized value, quality and convenience that revolutionized the pizza industry.”

In addition to its planned New York City expansion, Little Caesars is looking to grow across the Tri-State area. Little Caesars is seeking accomplished multi-unit franchisees with extensive QSR experience to help grow the brand. There are several multi-unit opportunities available with a three-store minimum agreement throughout Long Island, the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, Connecticut and the five boroughs. Little Caesars franchising investments range from $378,700 to $1,695,500 million, with incentive programs available for veterans and first responders. Interested prospects should visit franchise.littlecaesars.com.  

• Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion Has Recorded 17 Points in 49 games with an average annual value of $3 million.

The Detroit Red Wings today signed defenseman Olli Maatta to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3 million.

Maatta, 28, has skated in 49 games with the Red Wings this season, recording 17 points (5-12-17), a plus-five rating and 10 penalty minutes in 18:11 average time on ice. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound defenseman was signed by Detroit as a free agent on July 14, 2022 after spending the previous two seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, where he notched 12 points (1-11-12), a plus-nine rating and 16 penalty minutes in 107 appearances from 2020-22. Maatta helped the Kings clinch their first Stanley Cup playoff berth in four seasons in 2022, finishing with six shots, eight blocks and 12 hits in 16:55 average time on ice across seven postseason contests. In total, Maatta has played 10 seasons between the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Kings and Red Wings since 2013-14, compiling 153 points (35-118-153), a plus-75 rating and 144 penalty minutes in 534 games, in addition to 27 points (5-22-27), a plus-28 rating and 24 penalty minutes in 85 postseason games. Originally selected by the Penguins in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Maatta won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the organization in 2016 and 2017. He placed fifth in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy as a 19-year-old after picking up 29 points (9-20-29), a plus-eight rating and 14 penalty minutes in 78 games during the 2013-14 campaign.

Prior to turning professional, Maatta spent two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights from 2011-13, helping the team earn two-consecutive OHL titles. During his major junior career, Maatta logged 70 points (13-57-70), a plus-34 rating and 55 penalty minutes in 115 regular-season games, in addition to 37 points (10-27-37), a plus-21 rating and 10 penalty minutes in 40 postseason appearances. A native of Jyvaskyla, Finland, Maatta won a silver medal representing his country at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, recording a pair of assists in 10 games. He also made three appearances at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and captured a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, where he posted five points (3-2-5) in six games. Maatta skated in three-straight IIHF World Junior Championships from 2011-13 and served as an alternate captain at the 2011 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, collecting four points (1-3-4) in six games.

Mario Milosevic, a veteran branding and creative design professional, has been named the Vice President of Creative for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment (IS+E).

In his new role, Milosevic will direct all creative services and design elements for the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers, in addition to The District Detroit and 313 Presents. He and his team will closely collaborate with IS+E’s marketing, communications, ticket sales & service, corporate partnerships and entertainment services departments.

Milosevic has spent the past 18 seasons in the creative department for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. He served as the team’s Art Director from 2015-21, and was promoted to Creative Director in 2021, where he led creative direction and design for all aspects of the organization’s company-wide print, digital, broadcasting and retail platforms.

“I had the pleasure of working with Mario for nine years with the Portland Trail Blazers, and have always been impressed by his strategic creative vision,” said Chris McGowan, President & CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “He will do a tremendous job leading our talented creative team. We welcome him to the Ilitch Sports and Entertainment family.”  

Milosevic led many major design projects during his tenure with the Trail Blazers, including the team’s identity rebrand, new team uniforms and court designs. He also launched the brand identity for Portland’s NBA 2K League team, Blazer5 Gaming, and the Phil Knight Invitation Basketball Tournament (PK80) in partnership with Nike.

“I’m thrilled and honored about the opportunity to join Ilitch Sports and Entertainment. I look forward to getting started and helping elevate visual identity for the iconic Red Wings and Tigers brands, as well as IS+E’s other properties,” Milosevic said. “The city of Detroit is known for its strong sports and art culture, and I’m excited to be part of the community.”

Milosevic graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design. Personally, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends. His favorite show is “Shark Tank,” and is always brainstorming new business and innovation ideas.

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As the nation celebrates Black History Month and recognizes the ongoing contributions of Black Americans to society, culture and the country, the Ilitch companies are supporting a number of activities for the community and its colleagues in the Detroit-area.

Supporting Local Black-Owned Restaurants. Continuing an ongoing initiative to partner with local black-owned business at its venues, guests of Little Caesars Arena can support local Black-owned restaurants throughout the year, including The Lobster Food Truck, Shell Shock’d Tacos, Bert’s Marketplace, Breadless and Yum Village during the 2023 Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons seasons.

Ilitch Companies colleagues will also have the opportunity this month to experience local African American and African cuisine during a Black History Month food fair taking place at the Little Caesars World Headquarters. Featured restaurants include Fork in Nigeria; Urban Soul; Ronnie Love’s Catering; and Carrot Cake with a Twist.

Exploring and Celebrating Black Life, History and Culture at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. As an extension of the organization’s support and relationship with the museum, llitch Companies colleagues receive free admission to this national treasure all year long. For more information about the museum’s mission, vision, exhibits, location and hours, please visit www.TheWright.org.

Recognizing Black Community Members Making an Impact through the Black History Month Game Changers Program. The Detroit Red Wings, Tigers and Comerica Bank are proud to continue the “Game Changers” program as they will be recognizing Black community members making a positive impact on the lives of young Detroiters. Each honoree will receive a $1,000 grant dedicated to the charity of their choice. All of the month’s honorees will be celebrated during the. Hockey is for Everyone: Celebrating Black History game at Little Caesars Arena on Feb. 23.

Chairing the Detroit Branch NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner.  Christopher Ilitch, CEO of Ilitch Companies, is this year’s Senior Corporate Chair of the Detroit Branch NAACP’s 68th Annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner, one of the premier events nationwide that has long served as a beacon for equity and justice. While this formal role officially kicks off later this month, it builds on a long history of support for and partnership with the NAACP by the Ilitch family and organization.

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The Detroit Red Wings today recalled left wing Jakub Vrana from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and placed right wing Lucas Raymond on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 10.

Vrana, 26, has appeared in two games with the Red Wings this season, tallying a goal and an assist on Oct. 15 at New Jersey. The 6-foot, 190-pound forward has also recorded 11 points (6-5-11) and four penalty minutes in 17 games with the Griffins. He was on a six-game point streak with Grand Rapids prior to being recalled, logging eight points (4-4–8) from Jan. 29-Feb. 11. Vrana was limited to 26 games with Detroit during the 2021-22 campaign but still ranked among the team leaders with 13 goals (T8th), five power play goals (T4th), six power play points (8th) and a 20.0 shooting percentage (2nd). He has notched 32 points (22-10-32), 18 penalty minutes and a 21.6 shooting percentage in 39 games since being acquired by the Red Wings in a trade with the Washington Capitals on April 12, 2021. In total, Vrana has skated in 323 career games between Washington and Detroit, compiling 189 points (98-91-189), a plus-30 rating and 85 penalty minutes. In his first full NHL season in 2017-18, Vrana helped the Capitals win a Stanley Cup championship, posting 27 points (13-14-27) in 73 regular-season games along with eight points (3-5-8) in 23 postseason contests. Vrana was originally drafted by Washington in the first round (13th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft – two picks prior to Detroit’s selection of Dylan Larkin at 15th overall.

A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Vrana has registered 86 points (41-45-86), a plus-19 rating and 52 penalty minutes in 105 AHL games with the Hershey Bears and Griffins since 2014-15, in addition to 20 points (10-10-20) and eight penalty minutes in 38 postseason appearances. Vrana spent the previous four seasons developing in Sweden, where he debuted professionally with Linkoping in the Swedish Hockey League in 2012-13 and logged 27 points (14-13-27) and 14 penalty minutes in 73 games until 2014-15. He also racked up 58 points (35-23-58), a plus-11 rating and 77 penalty minutes in 59 games in Sweden’s top junior league. Vrana has represented his country at the last three IIHF World Championships, where he was teammates with fellow Red Wings Filip Hronek (2019, 2021 and 2022), Dominik Kubalik (2019 and 2021) and Filip Zadina (2021), combining for 10 points (7-3-10) in 26 games between the three tournaments. Additionally, Vrana recorded six points (3-3-6) in 16 games at three-straight IIHF World Junior Championships (2013-15) and 20 points (14-6-20) in 18 games at three-consecutive IIHF World Under-18 Championships (2012-14).

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• Tickets On-Sale Friday, February 17 at 10 a.m.

With 27 number one singles, 15 billion streams and more than 20 million albums sold, ACM Artist of the Decade Jason Aldean today announced his upcoming “Highway Desperado Tour.” Produced by Live Nation, the 41-city headlining tour will include a performance at Pine Knob Music Theatre on Friday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m. Mitchell Tenpenny serves as direct support for Aldean, alongside openers Corey Kent and Dee Jay Silver. Pine Knob Music Theatre is presented by Proud Partners United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally.

Tickets go on sale Friday, February 17 at 10 a.m. at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster.com. Fans can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, invitation to the Jason Aldean VIP Lounge, pre-show acoustic performance and Q&A session with Jason Aldean, VIP gift item & more. For more information, visit vipnation.com.

The Grammy®-nominated, multi-Platinum entertainer released his tenth career studio album, Macon, Georgia, featuring 20 new songs and an additional 10 live tracks last year, earning praise from Rolling Stone, Stereogum, The Tennessean, Entertainment Tonight, E! News and more. The album earned the Georgia-native his 27th career-charting #1 single, “Trouble With A Heartbreak,” as well as a Billboard Music Award nomination for “Top Country Song” as well as awards from ACM, CMT, iHeart, and a Grammy® nomination for “If I Didn’t Love You” with Carrie Underwood. His current single, “That’s What Tequila Does,” is currently Top 10 and climbing at Country Radio.

Since making his chart debut in 2005, the 3X ACM Entertainer of the Year has earned the most Top 10 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart-more than any other artist- with “songs of small-town living, love and loss have resonated with a loyal fanbase” (Billboard) that have “vaulted him to the pinnacle of Country music success” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). For more information, visit JasonAldean.com.

‍Photo Credit: Brian Higbee

As part of the Detroit Red Wings’ groundbreaking Learn, Play, Score “Street Hockey in The D: At School” program, presented by Chevrolet, more than 34,000 Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) students in kindergarten through eighth grade are learning the basics of hockey. From January 30 through February 10, physical education teachers at 79 public schools are using hockey to help develop life skills like teamwork, dedication and maintaining a healthy body and mind.

To bring the program to life for the students, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and teammates Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider met excited elementary and middle schoolers at Bunche Preparatory Academy and Chrysler Elementary School and played floor hockey with them in the schools’ gymnasiums.

Larkin was excited to spend time with students and enjoyed the genuine happiness in their smiles. “Being around the kids, seeing their enthusiasm, watching them learn and have fun is what it’s all about. Learn, Play, Score is good for kids in the community get a stick and a ball and know they don’t need a whole lot to enjoy the game of hockey.”

Seider manned a stick-handling station, where he taught students how to hold and use a hockey stick. Seider said he hoped the experience might spark interest in the game like it did for him in his youth. “When I was in school I didn’t pay much attention to hockey at first, but once I started I just fell in love.  Today seeing all the excitement with the kids as they played was really cool.” Raymond added, “Hockey was something I always came back to growing up, so hopefully these kids are having as much fun playing today as we are.”

The Detroit Red Wings Learn, Play, Score program, focusing on breaking down systemic barriers by providing equitable access to hockey in various forms for thousands of children across Detroit, was launched in 2020. The program includes street hockey within the P.E. curriculum for all schools serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Wendy Shirley, principal of Chrysler Elementary School and a 38-year veteran of Detroit Public Schools Community District was excited for her students to meet and learn from Detroit Red Wings players. “To have the Detroit Red Wings join us created a great opportunity for students to experience the sport of hockey, which many of them haven’t been exposed to, and also learn about important things like teamwork, sportsmanship and understanding the role of every player on a team.”

In addition to “Street Hockey in the D,” Learn, Play, Score initiatives include new Esports lounges at the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, ice rink collaborations with Clark Park, East Side Hockey Ice Arena and Jack Adams Memorial Arena, open skate opportunities for youth at Little Casears Arena and more.

“Creating localized access and exposure to hockey through initiatives like Learn, Play, Score unlocks incredible opportunities for young Detroiters to dream big,” said Kevin Brown, Director of Community Impact, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “These unique experiences are intended to help kids imagine the possibilities in hockey while gaining life changing skills that can be carried well-beyond the classroom.”

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Tigers Manager AJ Hinch, Catcher Eric Haase and Pitchers Matt Manning and Matthew Boyd visited the Detroit Police Department’s (DPD) 6th Precinct last month to make a donation to the department’s Community Closet, which provides essential items such as personal hygiene products, baby items, and clothes to the residents of the westside neighborhood that the precinct serves.

While at the precinct, the Tigers were joined by members of the DPD and city officials. Detroit City Council Member Fred Durhal III, who represents the city’s 7th District where the precinct is located, expressed his gratitude to the officers who put together the closet and donors like the Detroit Tigers organization.

“To have the players come down here and take time out of their busy schedules means a lot to our officers, our council members and residents in the city of Detroit. It shows that we need public-private partnerships to ensure that we can continue to provide for our residents,” said Durhal.

Matthew Boyd, who played for the Tigers from 2015 until 2021 and recently re-signed with Detroit, is happy to rejoin charitable team efforts in advance of his first season back with the Tigers.

“I think it’s good to be aware of what’s going on in the community, the needs of the people who live here, and how you can help,” said Boyd. “What they’re doing here at the Community Closet is really special, as they’re directly helping those in need. It’s an awesome concept that I’m humbled to support.”

The Community Closet was created in 2020, and since then, Neighborhood Police Officers and other 6th Precinct officers have used the space to serve neighborhood residents with free resources.

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As the Detroit Tigers gear up for their season, members of the team gathered in Detroit to connect with local students. Over two days in January, manager A.J. Hinch, catcher Eric Haase and pitchers Matt Manning and Matthew Boyd visited Detroit Edison Public School Academy (DEPSA) and Western International High School.

At DEPSA, the Detroit Tigers hosted a pep rally for 4th and 5th grade students to promote two of the team’s free youth initiatives, Fun at Bat and Summer Slugger, presented by Comerica Bank.

Stemming from research of introductory youth sports programs, Fun at Bat focuses on character development, functional movement, active play, and fun. Summer Slugger, a digital learning program, targets foundational skills like spelling, vocabulary, and math skills.

The Tigers divided the DESPA students up into two teams, coached by Manning and Haase, and played a game of whiffle ball. Boyd answered students’ questions about education and tested their knowledge by asking them baseball-related math and reading trivia questions.

At Western International, the Tigers visited with the school’s softball and baseball players to discuss their journeys through the sport, the importance of education, then surprised the student-athletes with new baseball equipment and cleats for each player.

Hector Gutierrez, physical education teacher and assistant baseball coach at Western International, was excited students had the chance to see players on their hometown team and hear directly from them.

“We preach to the student players all the time: ‘Talent can only take you so far. Hard work, dedication and discipline is going to help you make it,’” said Gutierrez, who is also an alum of the Western International baseball program. “Hearing it from Eric Haase, who they look up to and talk about often, you could see in their eyes, they’re thinking, ‘I can do it, too.’”

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