AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – September 29, 2004 – For the third consecutive year, the Detroit Pistons and SMART will partner for the Pistons SMART Express, offering residents of the City of Detroit the opportunity to ride to and from The Palace of Auburn Hills for selected weekend and holiday home games during the regular season.

The first night of the program will be Saturday, November 6, when the Pistons entertain the Philadelphia 76ers. The match-up will be highlighted by a Ben Wallace Championship Bobblehead giveaway.

“The first year of this partnership, we had a great response from our fans,” said Pistons CEO Tom Wilson. “Last year, we tripled the number of riders. This year we hope to triple the average number of riders again. The community has continued to embrace the Pistons, and the Pistons SMART Express gives more fans an inexpensive and fun way join in the celebration of our championship and our quest to repeat. The fans want more and more from this team and we are working very hard to give it all to them. Forward-thinking and community-minded partners such as SMART help us touch a multitude of fans.”

“The SMART Piston Express is another unique opportunity for the residents of Detroit to see the Champion Detroit Pistons in Auburn Hills for a nominal fee,” said Dan Dirks, SMART General Manager “Our partnership with the Detroit Pistons enables SMART to offer the ‘SMART Kids, Healthy Future’ program to the elementary grades in the City of Detroit. Teaching young children about healthy eating habits and exercising are important to creating vibrant, energetic youths.”

Three “Pistons Express” buses will begin running a special route along Woodward Avenue on Saturday, November 6. The Express will begin at Congress, making five stops including Warren Avenue, West Grand Boulevard, Manchester, McNichols (Six Mile) Road, and the State Fair Grounds. To make the service more convenient for fans, parking will be available at the State Fair Grounds.

The cost for the Pistons SMART Express is $2.00 each way, payable in cash or with a SMART Value Pass. Other SMART passes or D-DOT passes or transfers are not accepted. The Express will arrive at The Palace about 90 minutes before tip-off, giving fans plenty of time to enjoy all of the evenings pre-game festivities. Upon arrival at The Palace, fans only need to show their SMART transfer at the box office, where they can purchase a Pistons ticket valued at $22.00. Upgrades will be available. Fans will also be guaranteed that evening’s giveaway. Thirty minutes after the final buzzer, the Pistons SMART Express will depart from The Palace, returning fans to their stops along the Woodward Avenue route.

There are 12 games on the schedule for the Pistons SMART Express. They are:
Saturday, November 6 vs. Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:30
Sunday, November 21 vs. Charlotte Bobcats @ 6:00
Saturday, December 18 vs. Portland Trailblazers @ 7:30
Sunday, January 2 vs. Boston Celtics @ 6:00
Saturday, January 15 vs. Philadelphia 76ers @7:30
Monday, January 17 vs. Phoenix Suns @ 3:30 (MLK Holiday)
Saturday, January 22 vs. Chicago Bulls @ 7:30
Saturday, January 29 vs. New York Knicks @7:30
Saturday, February 12 vs. Washington Wizards @7:30
Sunday, March 13 vs. Utah Jazz @ 6:00
Saturday, March 26 vs. Boston Celtics @ 7:30
Sunday, April 17 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers @ 1:00

The Pistons and SMART partnership began two years ago, as part of the Detroit Pistons organization’s increased commitment to the fans in the City of Detroit. Thanks in part to SMART’s continued commitment to the residents of Detroit and their willingness to provide service to The Palace of Auburn Hills, this has become one of the team’s fastest and most popular community outreach programs. Since its inception, over 10,000 Pistons fans have ridden the Express.

The Pistons SMART Express is just one of many ways the Detroit Pistons organization is reaching out to the city of Detroit. The Pistons continue to be involved in the “Read to Achieve” program, hosting events all over the metro area. The organization has also opened four Reading and Learning Centers. These centers offer children a place to go before and after school where they can study, explore the Internet, or interact with other children. This season, the Pistons will continue their community involvement through book drives and shelter visits, as well as ongoing discussions between team executives and Detroit business leaders and government officials to find unique ways to work with the city and its residents.

For more information regarding the Pistons SMART Express Package, please contact the Palace at (248) 377-0100 or SMART at (313) 962-5515. Or visit the Web sites at www.pistons.com or www.smartbus.org.