Snce when did Hockeytown become Ghost Town? After a decade, it's time for Ilitch to make over the Red Wings' experience

from a story, "Detroit too good to be ignored," published 10.04.07 in The Macomb Daily:

But since when did Hockeytown become Ghost Town?

There were a lot of empty seats -- too many to dismiss --Wednesday night as the Red Wings opened the season with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks...

...Well, except the attendance. It was announced at 17,610 -- and that was generous. It was the first time the Red Wings didn't announce a sellout of a regular-season home game since 1996 -- a total of 396 games.

The days of the Red Wings dropping the puck and a sellout crowd automatically showing up at Joe Louis Arena are gone. It doesn't matter if the Red Wings remain the preeminent NHL franchise, either.

This much is clear: The Red Wings need to freshen up the way they put on a game.

If you walked into Joe Louis Arena Wednesday, other than the empty seats, it might as well have been 1995.

The same endless loop of taped organ music. Same old bit with Mo Cheese dancing to "The Curly Shuffle." Same lame "Score O" game between periods.

Then there is the cost of tickets. It's too much under the circumstances. The Red Wings' player payroll has been sliced nearly in half because of the salary cap, and reality is these are extremely difficult economic times in Southeastern Michigan.

The Red Wings need to do more than sell a few tickets for nine bucks to cure their woes..."