Pistons owner Tom Gores is enlisting top-tier figures in his bid to bring the WNBA back to Detroit.

On Friday, it was revealed that Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores has placed a bid to reintroduce a WNBA team to Detroit.

“This is an exciting opportunity to welcome the WNBA back to Detroit and bring new investment and economic activity into the city,” Gores said in a statement.

“For the WNBA, this is home, and our bid represents a historic chance for the league to return to where it all began, marking a long-awaited homecoming.

No city is better equipped to embrace this team as a community asset that fosters unity.”

“Detroit is a sports town with an unwavering passion for its teams. At a crucial time for the WNBA’s growth, the city supported its local team more than any other franchise. We’re here to reignite that legacy.”

The Detroit Shock played in the WNBA from 1998 to 2009, winning three championships (2003, 2006, and 2008) under former Piston Bill Laimbeer as head coach.

The Shock led the league in attendance for three consecutive seasons, with a record crowd of 22,076 at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals. The team relocated to Tulsa and is now known as the Dallas Wings.

In his statement, Gores highlighted “the power of partnership” and the “influential leaders” backing his ownership group.

Gores’ group includes some of the most prominent names in global sports, business, entertainment, media, and finance, collectively described as an “impressive group of leaders in various industries.”

Among the notable figures involved in the effort to return the WNBA to Detroit are:

Former Pistons star Grant Hill and his wife Tamia Hill

Lions principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp and her husband Steve Hamp

Lions quarterback Jared Goff and his wife Christen Goff

Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem and his wife Nancy Tellem

Former University of Michigan star and Detroit native Chris Webber

As for the potential name of the new WNBA franchise in Detroit, CNBC reported that the league has filed a trademark for “Detroit Shock.”