Al the Octopus — an icon sure to be recognized by Detroit Red Wings fans — was sold for $7,700 Saturday morning in an online auction of memorabilia from Joe Louis Arena, said Dan Rosenthal, the Chief Operating Officer for Schneider Industries Inc., the company handling the “Bid on the Joe” auction.
The giant octopus went in the first lot of bids that closed at 10 a.m. Saturday, according to Rosenthal, who said no one will know who the bidder is until the entire auction closes, in order to “prevent any shenanigans” and make sure everyone is a legitimate bidder. The last lot will close Saturday at about 5:30 p.m., Rosenthal said.
The online auction began at 7 a.m. on Dec. 10. It features several other pieces of Detroit hockey history, including lockers, locker room doors, photos, signs, and more, according to a Dec. 7 news release.
Olympia Entertainment and Detroit Red Wings employees are in the process of moving to Little Caesars Arena in Midtown. They're expected to have vacated the Joe by December 31.
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