Motor City Trivia Takes Brighton Bars By Storm

A hot craze is sweeping through the bars and restaurants of southeast Michigan. It's an addictive trivia format that makes going out with friends downright smart.

MotorCity Trivia is attracting followers in Brighton at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesdays at ; and at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sundays at .

Plymouth-based MCT started in March 2009 with two locations but has grown to 50 sites throughout southeast Michigan. The games are run by "trivia emcees" who ask questions in eight categories. Players compete in teams to come up with their answers while the host spins music. The event draws crowds of eager participants who follow the game weekly. 

MCT co-owner Mark Adams started the venture with three partners to create a hip trivia game.

"We had a love for playing trivia in general, and we had seen some variations of live trivia," he explained. "We spent several months testing out game formats until we came up with one we liked."  

The excitement is contagious, and cheers and jeers erupt when correct answers are called out. Two games are played a night, and the venue awards a gift card to the top two teams in each game. 

Prizes help lure people into the games — and into the restaurants on slower nights, Adams said.

"It was an important concept to us to reward the loyal players who come to the bars each night and spend their hard-earned money," Adams said. "No company in the Midwest comes close to touching the over $6,000 we give our league players every 15 weeks."

The leagues are free to join, and the trivia games are free as well. Bars often run happy hour specials on trivia nights.

"It's a great way to unwind after work," said Kirk Mulligan, 28, who played MCT one recent Tuesday at Buffalo Wild Wings in Brighton.

"I meet a bunch of friends up here after our shifts, and we cash in on the 9 p.m. happy hour with 45-cent wings and play trivia," said Mulligan, who lives in South Lyon. "It gets a conversation going, and it makes it easier to meet new people."

According to Adams, MCT has a staff of 35 hosts, each of whom brings a unique flair to the shows — which makes it fun to travel around to enjoy the different trivia venues.

Nick Smith, host of Tuesday nights at Buffalo Wild Wings, was a devotee of the game when he decided to become a host himself.

"My friends and I were religiously coming up to play every week," Smith said. "I watched the hosts and thought, 'What a fun job.' So I applied ... and now my friends come up while I host."   

MCT offers trivia nights in several Patch communities:

• Birmingham: 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Mondays at Dick O' Dow's, 160 W. Maple.
• Brighton: 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesdays at , 9745 Village Place Rd.; and 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Wednesdays, and 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sundays at , 6800 Whitmore Lake Rd.
• Canton: 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesdays at Bowery Grille & Pub, 41275 Ford Rd.; and 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Wednesdays at T.G.I. Friday's, 44250 Ford Rd.
• Farmington: 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Mondays at Basement Burger Bar, 33316 Grand River Ave.
• Northville: 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Brann's, 39715 Six Mile Rd.; and 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturdays at Aubree's Pizza, 20420 Haggerty Rd.
• Plymouth: 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at Hermann's Olde Town Grille, 195 W. Liberty St.; and 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursdays at CJ's Brewing Co., 14900 Beck Rd.
• Royal Oak: 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesdays at Mr. B's, 215 S. Main St.; 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Wednesdays at Mt. Chalet, 32955 Woodward Ave.; and 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Thursdays at Four Green Fields, 30919 Woodward Ave.

For more locations and times, click here.