Michael "Mike" Ilitch Sr. (July 20, 1929) is an American entrepreneur, founder and owner of the international fast food franchise Little Caesars Pizza. He owns both the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, and Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.

Ilitch has been at the center of Detroit's downtown redevelopment efforts, purchasing and renovating the Fox Theatre and relocated his business headquarters there. A first generation American of Macedonian descent, he is married to Marian Bayoff Ilitch.

A graduate of Cooley High School in Detroit, Michigan, Mike Ilitch entered the U.S. Marine Corps for four years. After his return home to Detroit, the Detroit Tigers offered him $3000 if he would sign to play baseball, and Ilitch had a four-year minor league career from 1952-1955. Ilitch played mostly second base for the Tigers', New York Yankees', and Washington Senators' organizations in the Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York League, Cotton States League, and Florida International League. He was forced out of his playing career due to a knee injury. After leaving baseball, Ilitch started a pizza business in 1959. With the help of his wife, Marian, the Ilitches opened Little Caesars Pizza Treat in Garden City, Michigan, the first of what would become many thousands of restaurants through franchising.