The Ilitch family may be changing the landscape of television sports in Detroit by taking Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers games to their own in-house, owned network.
Sports television is very popular and lucrative around here. It’s one of the most valuable markets in the country.
But what would their network be called? Well, I found a variety of names — mostly named after the family itself — that their Detroit Sports Network holding company has filed with the U.S. Trade and Patent Office a few days ago.
All of the filings have a similar description, involving not only television broadcasting and streaming online but apps and “computer games.”
It was pointed out to me that Crain’s wrote about this first (I didn’t see it) but we had four more names than they did.
313 Sports Net – This also makes sense as they also own 313 Presents.
365 Detroit Sports – Generic, but the name says what it would probably be. Sports all day, every day.
Detroit Sports TV – Also, clearly states what it is.
IC Sports TV – IC? Illitch Companies? And a play on “I See?”
Illitch Communications – Boring. Sounds like a corporate PR agency.
Ilitch Media
Ilitch Media Network
Ilitch Regional Sports Network
Ilitch Sports Regional Network
Ilitch Sports Detroit
Ilitch Sports Media
Ilitch Sports Network
Ilitch Sports Net
Ilitch Sports TV
For me? Even though it’s not on the list, I’ll probably call it “Ilitchvision.”
And what about the plans to make an Ilitch-owned network? PR and media expert Matt Friedman joined us on the Daily Detroit podcast to talk about that. That interview is here.