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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There are just a few more days to visit the exhibition “Detroit Red Wings: 1997” at the Detroit Historical Museum. This show uses artifacts from local collectors, the Detroit Historical Society, and the Ilitch Holdings Corporate archives, to highlight how the dynasty was built and let fans relive the excitement of that championship season: the bitter rivalry with Colorado, Joe-Vision, car flags and the thrill of a Stanley Cup run that ended with a gap-toothed Steve Yzerman hoisting the cup on home ice at Joe Louis Arena.

The exhibit closing day is Sunday, February 12. Saturday, February 11 will feature a special ticketed photo opportunity with Red Wing great Vladimir Konstantinov from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. To learn more and for tickets, visit detroithistorical.org.

Photo Credit: Gary North, Detroit Historical Society

• Leading American Pizza Chain’s Inaugural Portugal Restaurants to Open in Lisbon

Little Caesars® Pizza, the third largest pizza chain in the world*, is furthering its international expansion with its first restaurants in Portugal. The global brand, which currently operates in 27 countries and territories, is celebrating the grand opening of its first store in Barreiro, which opened February 6, followed by two stores in central Lisbon in the coming months.

“We are excited to bring Little Caesars Pizza and our globally recognized value, quality and convenience to Portugal,” said Paula Vissing, chief operating officer for Little Caesars Pizza. “Portugal is a key market for us especially as we continue to grow throughout Europe, with stores across Spain and most recently opening our first restaurant in the United Kingdom. We have plans to open several new stores in Portugal in the coming years, and we are thrilled to be entering with such a strong franchisee.”

Little Caesars Pizza is a family-owned company with more than 60 years of experience and a steadfast commitment to innovation. Nearly 20 years ago, the brand revolutionized the global pizza industry with its signature HOT-N-READY® model, which gives customers the easy and quick option to simply stop in and take away a freshly made, piping-hot, large pizza and side items without waiting or ordering ahead. Not only are the products made with fresh, natural ingredients, but they are sold at an all-day value every day, providing an excellent meal option for families and individuals. The concept quickly took off in the United States and has since spread to many other Little Caesars Pizza markets around the world.    

“Little Caesars has developed a simple, yet powerful business model designed to give consumers what they want,” added Vissing. “It’s the perfect combination of quality, convenience and value. HOT-N-READY offers high-quality American-style pizzas at an affordable price, lower than the competition, which is especially compelling in today’s economic climate.”  

The menu will feature several HOT-N-READY® large pizzas, including Pepperoni and Margherita, starting at just €5.50. Other delicious offerings include the 4 Cheese Deluxe, Pepperoni Special (pepperoni and mushroom), Tuna Delight and many others. Pepperoni Crazy Puffs and Little Caesars signature Crazy Bread® are also available. All pizzas on the menu are large, at 30.5 cm.  

Over the past few years, Little Caesars Pizza has amplified its international presence in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada. In Europe, the brand announced its market entry into the U.K. earlier this month. It also opened three restaurants this year in Spain, including a flagship location in the heart of Madrid, bringing Spain’s national total to nine stores. Little Caesars Pizza has ambitious plans to continue expanding throughout Europe with a specific focus on the U.K., southern Spain, Germany and France, and is actively seeking franchisees interested in joining the world-renowned brand.

“The European pizza industry is valued at over $53 billion and is projected to continue growing year-over-year,” shared Jeremy Vitaro, chief development officer for Little Caesars Pizza. “Now is the time to capitalize on that growth momentum. We are seeking additional franchisees who are interested in entering into area developer agreements in the U.K, as well as Spain, Germany and France.”

For more information on the menu and store locations in Portugal, visit pt.littlecaesars.com. To learn more about development and growth opportunities in the region, visit International.LittleCaesars.com.