DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers have responded to accusations that eight people affiliated with the team have recently been accused of misconduct toward women, per a report from The Athletic.
In an article posted Wednesday morning, The Athletic cited interviews with several current and former team employees who described a “boys club” culture within the Tigers organization.
The Tigers released a statement on Wednesday in defense of their culture and how the cases outlined in The Athletic were handled.
Here is the full statement:
We are committed to a culture of respect, safety, and inclusion. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment, and when concerns are raised, we investigate promptly and take decisive action, which has included terminating employees for misconduct, regardless of seniority or tenure. We are committed to accountability and to upholding the standards essential to our workplace.
Building on that commitment, we work hard every day to improve our workplace culture. We encourage open dialogue and feedback, celebrate the contributions of our colleagues, and continue to invest in programs that support growth, well-being, and inclusion. Our colleagues have multiple channels to share input, supported by a strong HR team that responds quickly to concerns. We also provide ongoing, company-wide training and education to prevent and address inappropriate behavior.
These efforts foster a culture where colleagues feel confident raising concerns, knowing that action will be taken when issues arise. We are grateful to the employees who have spoken up here, and to the more than 3,000 full- and part-time colleagues who contribute every day to ensuring a safe work environment.
Statement from Olympia Entertainment
Here is the statement about the vice president of communications and broadcasting for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment:
It is inaccurate and unfair to group Mr. Fidelman within a story about accusations of sexual harassment or related misconduct. A concern unrelated to either was raised, and consistent with our process, it was investigated thoroughly, and no wrongdoing was found.
Statement from Olympia Entertainment
Maternity leave program
Wednesday’s article pointed out that the Tigers are one of three MLB teams that do not offer paid maternity leave.
The Tigers said before the article was published, there had already been plans in the works to offer paid maternity leave, starting Jan. 1, 2026.
“Our planned update to our maternity leave policy, which will now provide 12 weeks of 100% paid leave, takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026,” Olympia Entertainment said in a statement.
Details from The Athletic article
That report named eight people affiliated with the Tigers and accused of them of various forms of misconduct against women.
According to The Athletic, six of the men have either resigned, been fired, or didn’t have their contracts renewed.
Quotes from anonymous team employees described a “boys club” culture of disfunction that’s unsafe for women, specifically since the merger of the Tigers and Red Wings business departments.
Here are the people named in The Athletic’s report:
- Assistant general manager -- Resigned in April 2025 after 13 years. The Athletic reported that an internal investigation by the Tigers found that he sent inappropriate photos to multiple women working for the team.
- Vice president of premium sales and private events for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment -- Resigned after being suspended during an investigation into two relationships he had with women coworkers and accusations that he pushed one of them down a flight of stairs during an argument.
- Vice president of business operations in Lakeland, Florida, where the team has spring training -- Fired in March 2025 after accusations that he harassed employees, described women with vulgarities, and discussed sexual acts. He also is accused of shoving a woman employee at a Lakeland bar on Feb. 18, 2025.
- Director of video content production -- Fired in November 2024 after accusations that he called women coworkers “honey” and other pet names and touched them unnecessarily. He was also accused of commenting on a woman coworker’s body and asking a colleague which dating app she was on.
- Vice president of game presentation and fan experience for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment -- Suspended after the team learned about The Athletic’s investigation. He is accused of making inappropriate remarks about coworkers’ appearances and telling some women coworkers that they weren’t physically attractive enough to work in sports.
- Vice president of communications and broadcasting for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment -- Accused of “belitting,” “domineering,” and “disrespectful” behavior toward coworkers.
- Former Tigers player and TV analyst -- Didn’t return to the TV broadcast team in 2024 after allegations that he made inappropriate comments and sent inappropriate texts to women affiliated with the team.
- Former Tigers player and TV analyst -- Taken off the air in June 2024 after allegations involving a minor.