Little Caesars founder Mike Ilitch bought the Detroit Red Wings on June 3, 1982.
The purchase price for the team that Hockeytown called its own — and its two farm teams — was $10 million to $12 million ($23.8 million to $28.6 million in today’s dollars).
Source : Zlati Meyer, This week in Michigan history … Mike Ilitch buys the Red Wings, Detroit Free Press, June 3, 2012.