On October 30, the Detroit Pistons officially announced the name of their new NBA G League affiliate team. The Motor City Cruise was the name unveiled, along with a team logo.
The franchise will enter the G League in the 2021-22 season and will play their home games out of Wayne State University.
Motor City Cruise’s moniker pays tribute “to the region’s automotive history and love for the open road”. The logo has meaning also, as it gives a nod to the iconic red basketball from the traditional Detroit Pistons branding.
The colors (red, white, blue, and gray) and lettering match the Pistons’ current font and color scheme. An additional feature in the logo is firing tail pipes that are “symbolic of classic muscle cars”. Which aims to relate to the Pistons brand from the early 2000s period.
The new name was produced through a fan naming contest, which was won by Dylan Martin of Grandville, MI. Dylan was the first of 10 individuals to submit the Motor City Cruise name.
“We wanted Pistons fans to help us with the naming process and engage with our new brand from the beginning. Our new G League team will create an affordable entertainment option in Detroit and also play an important role in our player development goals.”
Tom Gores, Detroit Pistons Owner
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