Little Caesars Arena – Detroit Red Wings
- Lloyd Brown
- Apr 8
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Photos by Lloyd Brown and Greg Venuto, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Little Caesars Arena 2645 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48201
Year Opened: 2017
Capacity: 19,515
Pizza, Pistons, and Pucks
The Detroit Red Wings are one of the earliest teams in the NHL, founded in 1926. Originally known as the Detroit Cougars, they changed their name to the Red Wings in time for the 1932 season. The team has won 11 Stanley Cups over the years, with hockey icons such as Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Alex Delvecchio leading the way.
Over those years, the team has called three venues their home ice. Their original home was the Olympia (1927-1979), followed by the Joe Louis Arena (1979-2016) and their present home at the Little Caesars Arena.
Little Caesars Arena is also the home of the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. The arena is also a very popular venue for concerts.
Food & Beverage 3
Little Caesars Arena offers both sit-down service and the traditional concession stand service to fans. Sit-down options are featured in the District Detroit area of the arena. They include Mike’s Pizza Bar, which offers artisanal pizza ($18) and sandwiches ($16), along with craft beers ($14) or wine ($10). The UWM District Market is divided into multiple sections, including The Coffee House, The Garden, La Cocina, and the Patio Grill.
The more traditional concession stands include Little Caesars Pizza (pizza), the 313 Grill Company (fries, burgers, sausages, chips, and sodas), Classics (nachos, pretzels, popcorn, and chips), the Coop (chicken tenders, chicken rollups, fries), and Taqueria (nacho grande, street tacos). The arena features Coca-Cola brand sodas.
There are several drinking establishments at Little Caesars Arena. Before the game, you might want to check out the Budweiser Biergarten. This is located on a patio just outside the arena. It is glass-enclosed, so you can still visit during the colder winter months. Two other options are Mike’s Pizza Bar or Bell’s Tap House in the District Detroit section of the arena, which both offer a wide selection of craft beers. The drinking age in Michigan is 21.
Atmosphere 4
Even though the Little Caesars Arena is shared with the Detroit Pistons, it is readily apparent that the Red Wings are the primary occupant of the building. Once inside the building, fans will see a wide variety of salutes to the history of the Red Wings, through displays, memorabilia, and statuary.
Along the main concourse of the arena, you will find statues of Red Wings superstars Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Alex Delvechio. One of the brick walls lining the concourse features a vintage graphic of the Hockeytown logo with the year the team was founded.
The letters from the original home of the Red Wings, Olympia Stadium, can also be found along an interior wall of the facility. Other memorabilia include the team bench from the Joe Louis Arena and a mural featuring Gordie Howe. The team store is also located on the main concourse.
As you make your way to your seat, you can’t help but notice the eleven Stanley Cup banners hanging from the rafters of the arena. They are accompanied by eight banners recognizing the retired numbers of Red Wing superstars.
The show does not stop there. The pregame program also features action footage with hype music projected onto the ice to get the crowd fired up.
Neighborhood 4
Little Caesars Arena is in the Midtown area of the Motor City. This is just across I-75 from downtown Detroit and the other major league sports venues, Ford Field and Comerica Park. The neighborhood around Little Caesars is primarily residential, but the presence of the arena is beginning to spur more businesses to relocate to the area.
Little Caesars opens a portion of its building to serve the community during non-event days and hours in a section known as District Detroit. The district features several restaurants, including Mike’s Pizza Bar, the Mixing Board, and the UVM District Market.
Downtown Detroit is within easy walking distance of the arena, or fans can take the free Q -Line light rail train to visit the sights in the downtown area, including the ballpark, the football stadium, and the elegant Fox Theatre.
One of the most popular sites for pre- or postgame gatherings is the Hockeytown Café. It is located just across I-75 from the arena. The Hockeytown Café was founded by former Red Wings owner Mike Illich in 1999. It is considered one of the top sports bars in the country by ESPN.
Fans 4
The Red Wings have developed a deep bond with their fanbase over the past 100 years. Many families have passed their season tickets from generation to generation, as well as shared their stories of multiple Stanley Cup Championships. They tend to wear the red hockey jerseys to show their loyalty to the team and follow the team very closely in the media.
Like many of the other Detroit franchises, it has been a while since they have been to a championship game. Rather than complain, the Red Wing fans have developed some unique traditions to will the team back to the playoffs. One tradition is the singing of the Journey anthem “Don’t Stop Believin” after each home victory.
When the team does make it to the playoffs, the fans are known to throw an octopus out on the ice. Theoretically, octopi have seven sets of tentacles, the same number of games in a Stanley Cup series. Supposedly, this brings good luck to the team, as it has won several Stanley Cups since the tradition began.
Fans will be able to keep up with the action by getting their information from the huge 6,020 square foot center-hung videoboard. It constantly updates the game stats, as well as providing replays of key plays on one of its four video screens. The videoboard also gets the fans charged up during breaks in the action and during power play opportunities.
Access 4
Getting to and around Little Caesars Arena is very easy.
If you are driving to the arena, you would take the Fisher Service Drive exit off I-75 at the Fisher Service Drive exit. Stay on Fisher Service Drive to Woodward Avenue and turn left towards one of the six parking decks that surround the arena.
The rideshare pick-up and delivery area is also located on Fisher Service Drive.
If you are staying in downtown Detroit, the most economical way to get to the game is via the Q-Line light rail system. The Q-Line is free to ride and drops you off right in front of the arena. After the game, you would then return home via the stations at Adelaide or Sproat Street.
Once at the arena, you can enter through one of the four entrances located on the four corners of the building. Doors open 90 minutes before the puck drop. You will find that the concourses are wide and easy to navigate.
There are two levels of seating at Little Caesars Arena. You can take one of the ten elevators or four sets of escalators to your seats. The arena uses a portal system to easily guide you to your seats. The portal number is on your ticket, and you simply follow the signage to your seat location. Portals 1-20 service the lower seating areas, while Portals 21-72 are dedicated to the upper-level seats.
Return on Investment 4
Attending a game at Little Caesars Arena is more affordable than at many other NHL arenas. Fans have several options when it comes to saving money when they attend a Red Wings game
The average ticket price for a seat in the upper level of the arena averages $55-80, depending on the opposition. Parking can range from $20-30 in one of the arena parking garages, but other private lots in the area charge much less. You can also use the Q-Line light rail system to get to games for free if you are staying in the Downtown or Midtown areas of the city.
Food concession prices vary greatly depending on what level of service you desire. The average prices at one of the traditional concession stands are hot dogs ($7), water ($5), pizza slices ($8-10), and a soda ($7). Prices at one of the District Detroit full-service restaurants tend to be much higher.
Little Caesars Arena operates on a cashless basis.
Extras 2
During the 2025-2026 season, the Red Wings will celebrate their Centennial Season. Numerous special events, unique uniforms, and merchandise items will be incorporated into the celebration.
Little Caesars Arena has one of the most unique seating areas in the NHL in its Gondola seats. These seats are suspended from the ceiling and hang out over the ice for a one-of-a-kind view of the action below.
Final Thoughts
The Red Wings have a long and deep relationship with the Motor City. The Little Caesars Arena is a more than worthy successor to the team’s previous homes over the past century…. the Olympia and the Joe Louis Arena.
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