The Detroit Red Wings called Joe Louis Arena home for nearly four decades, during which they transformed from an afterthought to a a powerhouse.
However, when the team moved from the historic Olympia Stadium to The Joe in 1979, they were still known as the “Dead Things”. And the first home game didn’t exactly go to plan.
The St. Louis Blues downed the Red Wings by a 3-2 final score on December 27, 1979 in front of 19,742 fans. Still pining for the old Olympia Stadium, several noticeable boos were heard from the crowd whenever the new venue’s name was spoken over the PA system.
Tickets were a mere $11, $10, $9 and $7.
Of course, it wouldn’t be long before the team would be bought by pizza magnate Mike Ilitch for a mere $8 million in 1982. The rest, as they say, is history.
