By Brittany Ghiroli, Alex Andrejev and Cody Stavenhagen
The CEO of the Detroit Tigers’ business operations defended the organization’s workplace culture Wednesday following an investigation by The Athletic that found eight men employed by the Tigers, their business arm or their broadcast partner have been accused of misconduct toward women since 2023.
In an email sent to employees Wednesday morning, Ryan Gustafson, the president and CEO of Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E), said he was “grateful” to those who shared their experiences. “Your courage helps make our workplace culture better, safer, and more welcoming for all,” he wrote in the email.
Gustafson, the organization’s third president since 2021, echoed those sentiments in a series of calls Wednesday with various departments inside IS+E, which, in addition to the Tigers, operates the NHL’s Red Wings, Comerica Park, Little Caesars Arena and other entertainment entities. According to multiple people who participated in the calls, the CEO commended the women who came forward to The Athletic as brave and said the allegations in Wednesday’s report shocked him.
However, in a separate call with local media, Gustafson also said The Athletic’s report had a “gross mischaracterization of the culture here.”
“What (The Athletic) found were things that we already knew and had already resolved,” he said. “That doesn’t excuse them.”
Pete Soto, IS+E’s vice president of game presentation and fan experience, was suspended after The Athletic requested a response from the organization on the allegations made against him in the report. The team confirmed the suspension was a direct result of The Athletic’s reporting.
The allegations against Soto and the seven other men accused of misconduct in Wednesday’s report ranged from offensive comments to physical confrontation. Current and former employees described the IS+E workplace environment as a “boys club.” Some women said they were told not to wear certain attire because men at the company found it distracting.
Throughout multiple calls on Wednesday, Gustafson defended Ben Fidelman, IS+E’s vice president of communications and broadcasting. “Ben did not do anything wrong,” Gustafson said.
Ten people said they witnessed Fidelman make inappropriate remarks or behave in a manner described by some as “belittling,” “domineering” and “disrespectful.” Four organizational sources said HR was made aware of interactions they witnessed in which Fidelman, who has a close relationship with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, allegedly made inappropriate comments or verbally harassed staff, though no formal complaints were filed against him in those cases.
According to The Athletic’s reporting, HR received a formal complaint in April from a woman alleging retaliation and gender discrimination by Fidelman. Gustafson said Wednesday the investigation revealed “no wrongdoing.”
Gustafson said there are no current plans to involve an outside firm to assess the organization’s culture. He also said internal IS+E surveys showed that employees feel “happier than they’ve ever been.”
“Do we need to focus on continued improvement in our culture? Yes. … But I’m very confident that there isn’t a larger issue from a misconduct standpoint,” he said.
The Athletic’s report found that the Tigers are one of three MLB teams that do not offer paid maternity leave, but Gustafson took issue with that characterization, saying a paid maternity leave plan has been “in the works for months,” though it has not been shared with employees.
In the call with media organizations, to which The Athletic was not invited but gained access, Gustafson said Wednesday’s report was written with “some intent” behind it. He later told some IS+E employees that he believed The Athletic’s report had “baseless accusations” but could also serve as a catalyst for change.
(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)