Four VPs, others affiliated with Detroit Tigers accused of misconduct toward women

At least eight men employed by the Detroit Tigers, its business arm or broadcast partner have been accused of misconduct toward women since 2023, including four vice presidents and two other high-ranking employees, an investigation by The Athletic found.

Seven of those eight were accused of mistreating women employed by Ilitch Sports and Entertainment (IS+E), which operates the MLB franchise, the NHL’s Red Wings, Comerica Park, Little Caesars Arena and other entertainment entities. The allegations against the men ranged from offensive comments to physical confrontation.

Six of the men either resigned, were fired or did not have their contracts renewed — three exited in a six-month period beginning last November. One vice president was suspended after The Athletic requested comment about the allegations against him late last week.

“The dysfunction is woven into the culture. It feels like a bunch of guys who can do whatever they want,” said a current male employee. “It’s not a place women can feel safe.”

The Athletic began investigating the organization in late April after Tigers assistant general manager Sam Menzin abruptly resigned after 13 years with the team. Menzin, then 34, was viewed in some circles as a rising star, ascending from intern to the front office. The Tigers did not disclose why he left, but The Athletic reported that Menzin departed after an internal investigation found that he sent lewd, unsolicited photos to multiple women who worked for the team. For this report, The Athletic spoke with more than 45 current and former employees and reviewed emails, human resources documents, text messages and court records.

In interviews, current and former employees described a “boys club” culture at IS+E where women were told not to wear specific skirts or pants because male colleagues found them distracting. Several women said men routinely commented on their appearance; the executive who was recently suspended allegedly commented on whether or not women were attractive enough to work in sports.

The Tigers are also one of only three (out of 30) MLB teams that don’t offer paid maternity leave.

“There’s just been little things, things that it’s just like, OK, well, it’s because I’m a woman. And I had never felt that way working in sports. … I’ve never felt that way or so belittled by people in a workplace until I worked for the Tigers,” said one former employee. She and others were granted anonymity because they still work for the company or in professional sports and/or feared reprisal from officials in Detroit.

Employees also said some company leaders were hostile toward older employees. The Tigers have been sued at least three times in federal court in the last three years by former employees who alleged age discrimination.

“They find a way to get rid of the older people and they bring in younger people,” said one former employee who spent more than a decade with the organization.

In a statement attributed to Olympia Entertainment, which is affiliated with IS+E, the organization said: “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.”

The most serious allegation involved Michael Lienert, who joined the company in 2019 and was promoted to IS+E’s vice president of premium sales and private events in September 2021. While in that role, Lienert would stare at women in a manner that made some of them uncomfortable, according to three women who said they felt that way and two men who were told that by women in the organization.

He also allegedly engaged in at least two relationships with female coworkers that were not disclosed to the organization, as required by company policy, according to multiple sources briefed on the matter. In early 2023, Lienert was in a heated exchange with one of those female coworkers and allegedly pushed her down a flight of stairs, according to three sources.

The organization said: “As soon as we became aware of concerns involving Mr. Lienert, we immediately suspended him and initiated an investigation. Mr. Lienert resigned shortly thereafter.”

Lienert, now the vice president of partnership sales with the Chicago Fire of MLS, did not respond to requests for comment. Lienert’s attorney, Daniel J. Kramer, disparaged the reliability of “the girl” Lienert allegedly pushed down the stairs. Asked specifically if Lienert pushed a woman down a flight of stairs, Kramer said that Lienert denied all allegations against him.

The woman that Lienert allegedly pushed did not respond to interview requests.

Between November 2024 and April 2025, three additional high-level officials left the organization. That included Menzin, who the team said resigned before he could be fired, and Josh Bullock, the vice president of business operations in Lakeland, Fla., where the Tigers have their spring training complex.

Before being hired in January 2023, Bullock worked at the XFL with IS+E president and CEO Ryan Gustafson. Three people told The Athletic they witnessed Bullock verbally harass male and female employees, sometimes on the field. Four people, both male and female employees, said they heard Bullock use vulgarities to describe women and, in some of those cases, discuss sexual acts.

On Feb. 18, 2025, Bullock was at a downtown Lakeland bar with several colleagues when he allegedly made inappropriate comments in front of several women, according to three organizational sources. As Bullock was being escorted out by male colleagues, he allegedly shoved a female employee. Following an HR investigation, Bullock was fired in late March.

Bullock did not respond to multiple emails, text messages and phone calls. The organization said: “As soon as we became aware of concerns involving Mr. Bullock, we promptly investigated and terminated his employment the following day. The organization was never made aware of a physical altercation.”

The third high-ranking organizational official to exit during that six-month stretch was Rob Gehring, director of video content production. He joined IS+E in January 2024 after more than two decades at NFL Films, per his LinkedIn page. By the summer of his first and only year in Detroit, multiple women alerted HR about his conduct, according to three organizational sources. Gehring was counseled not to call female colleagues “honey” or other pet names, and not to touch them unnecessarily, according to two sources briefed on the situation.

The complaints against Gehring continued. He allegedly asked a female colleague which dating app she was on, according to a team source, and commented on one female employee’s body to colleagues. HR launched an investigation that lasted about a week; Gehring was fired around Thanksgiving, about 11 months after he joined the team.

Gehring, responding to an email listing the allegations made against him, said that in spring 2024 he was told he was “too friendly” with other employees, but he denied any improper conduct. “Neither the conversation I had in the spring nor the conduct your sources imply I engaged in was the reason for my departure at IS+E,” he wrote. Asked in a follow-up email why he exited the organization, Gehring did not respond.

“As soon as we became aware of concerns involving Mr. Gehring, we promptly investigated and terminated his employment,” the organization said. Asked about the earlier complaints to HR about Gehring, the organization said it had no further comment.

Two other high-ranking IS+E officials accused of making inappropriate comments to and about female employees remain with the organization.

Peter Soto was hired as vice president of game presentation and fan experience in August 2023. On game days, Soto was often on a live audio channel accessed by more than a dozen people. According to two people with access to the channel, Soto once allegedly referenced Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex parties; in another instance, he allegedly likened a talkative female employee to a stripper in that he “didn’t look her in the eye.” Multiple organizational sources said an effort was made to keep lower-level employees off the headsets so they wouldn’t hear Soto’s inappropriate remarks.

Team sources described four different instances when Soto commented on female employees’ appearances. In two instances, Soto allegedly told women they weren’t attractive enough to succeed in the sports industry, according to people present when the remarks were made. He deemed a third woman “hot” enough to make it, according to a former employee who heard that remark. In another instance, he commented on a woman’s buttocks, according to one person who heard the comment and another who was told about it.

HR was made aware of at least some of Soto’s alleged remarks, according to two team sources, though it’s unclear if he has faced any scrutiny. After The Athletic sought comment regarding the allegations against Soto, he was suspended. The organization said: “A prior investigation did not substantiate terminable conduct. Immediately after being made aware of additional concerns, Mr. Soto was suspended pending the outcome of a new investigation, which remains ongoing.”

Soto’s attorney, Brian J. Farrar, said: “Mr. Soto is truly shocked by these allegations and denies any inappropriate behavior. Throughout his long career, he has always fostered an inclusive and inspirational environment.”

Ben Fidelman, IS+E’s vice president of communications and broadcasting, started his sports career with internships for MLB.com and the commissioner’s office. He has a close relationship with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, whom he refers to as his uncle. Fidelman, who received his undergraduate degree in 2017, joined the Tigers the same year. He was promoted to manager of communications by December 2019 and director three years later.

Since his promotion to director, Fidelman allegedly yelled at a female employee and called her “stupid” within earshot of two people, who conveyed what they heard to The Athletic. Another former employee said she overheard Fidelman make demeaning remarks about her physical appearance. Another woman who worked under Fidelman said that when she told him she didn’t feel included in some workplace matters, he replied: “You shouldn’t feel included.”

“More than once, I’ve heard him screaming at women in the organization,” said a current male employee.

In all, 10 people – men and women – said they witnessed Fidelman make inappropriate remarks or exhibit behavior that was described by some as “belittling,” “domineering” and “disrespectful.”

Three employees made HR aware of other interactions they witnessed in which Fidelman allegedly made inappropriate comments or verbally harassed staff, according to four organizational sources. No formal complaints were filed against him regarding those incidents. In April, HR received a formal complaint from a female employee alleging retaliation and gender discrimination by Fidelman, according to an IS+E source and HR documents reviewed by The Athletic.

The HR investigation into the female employee’s allegations from April lasted about a week. In June, Fidelman, 30, was promoted to vice president.

After contacting the Tigers for comment last week, The Athletic heard, unsolicited, from two women and a man who currently work in the organization. Those individuals said they wanted to speak off the record about their positive experiences with Fidelman. Asked to give on-the-record comments in support of Fidelman, they declined to do so.

The organization said Fidelman would not comment on the allegations and added: “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.” In defense of Fidelman, Ron Colangelo, IS+E’s senior vice president of communications and broadcasting, said that The Athletic “may have talked to the 10 or 12 people who were disgruntled, and that’s unfortunate.”

For a time, Fidelman’s responsibilities included liaising with the team’s radio and television broadcasters, assisting with contract negotiations and scheduling. While not officially employees of IS+E, team broadcasters fly with the team, stay at the same hotels and work closely with team personnel.

In 2023, former Tigers player Cameron Maybin joined Bally Sports Detroit (now FanDuel Sports Network) as a pre- and post-game analyst. Early in the season, Maybin allegedly told one team employee he liked to watch her walk away from him, according to that woman and a person she told about the remark around the time it occurred. At least two women received late-night calls or messages from Maybin that they considered inappropriate. In one text message, viewed by The Athletic, Maybin wrote: “probably not the best idea we hang I’m trying to stay married.” In another, after the woman declined to socialize with Maybin, he wrote: “You can always stop by, my door is wide open for you.”

An HR official began asking employees about Maybin’s behavior in May 2023. Maybin still appeared on the broadcast the rest of the season. He didn’t return in 2024.

Maybin did not respond to multiple calls and text messages seeking comment.

In June 2024, broadcaster Craig Monroe — another former Tigers player — was taken off the air after being publicly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. In July 2024, police in Frisco, Texas, took a report for sexual assault of a child in which Monroe was listed as the suspect, according to an officer with the Frisco Police Department. The officer said last week the case was inactive and declined further comment.

Monroe’s attorney, Michael Manley, declined to comment on the case. In 2024, when the allegations surfaced, he issued a statement, saying Monroe “vehemently” denied the claims. Monroe said in a phone call Saturday that he wanted to respond but needed to talk to his legal team first. He did not respond to further inquiries.

The network that employed Maybin and Monroe said in a statement: “Upon being made aware of the allegations against Cameron Maybin and Craig Monroe, we coordinated with the Tigers, and both were removed from the network’s broadcasts, and their contracts were not renewed.”

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Over the last several years, the business side of the Tigers, Red Wings and affiliated entities — such as Comerica Park and Little Caesars Arena — have been transformed.

IS+E was formally rolled out in 2022, but even before then, the business departments from the Tigers and Red Wings merged, employee roles and managers changed, and cuts were made. At various points, the organization eliminated positions, lowered sales commissions and curtailed employee perks. While the Tigers and Red Wings baseball and hockey operations are separate, many business employees found themselves suddenly working for both teams with little to no notice.

Some current and former employees acknowledged that a reorganization of the business was needed, but many people said the breadth of the changes over a relatively short period of time eroded the culture. Since 2021, the organization has had three different presidents on the business side; those executives have reported to Chris Ilitch, who assumed control of the team in 2017 after the death of his father, Mike.

“The merger was the worst thing to happen to that organization,” said one former employee.

When IS+E was formed, the Tigers’ human resources department was, like other divisions, folded into the larger enterprise. The group in Detroit is responsible for the Tigers, the Red Wings, Olympia Parking and, as of 2024, employees of Ilitch Holdings. In addition to Comerica Park and Little Caesars Arena, IS+E also operates the Fox Theatre, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill. Human Resources is led by a senior vice president and has two directors — one dedicated to sports and entertainment — and four employees who are business partners, according to the Tigers’ website. The group added an investigator last year.

Current and former employees said they felt HR may have been too overburdened to address all the concerns raised by employees. When a major incident occurred or a formal complaint was filed, the HR staff investigated. But many people felt that smaller issues that might have presaged a larger problem were sometimes waved off.

A female Tigers employee said that in the fall of 2022, she told an HR official that Menzin put his arm around her waist in a copy room. She said the HR employee dismissed the incident, responding, “Oh, that’s just Sam.” (Menzin did not respond to calls and text messages seeking comment.)

“There’s no consistency,” another former employee said of the response from HR. “Not everyone is held to the same standard, and it’s not (for) little things.”

Gradually, a “boys club” mentality permeated the workplace, current and former employees said.

At least five women were told by male managers how to dress. One of the women said she was told that her golf skirt made her boss “uncomfortable.” Another woman said she and a colleague were advised not to wear leggings. One female employee said she was told her snug-fitting pants created a distraction for male employees.

“We are not aware of any complaint regarding inappropriate comments of the kind described. As in any workplace, employees are expected to wear professional attire while on the job. All comments made about colleagues’ professional attire are reviewed and led by our HR team,” the organization said. “We continue to invest in the resources that support our people, including expanding our HR team and adding dedicated expertise to ensure timely and thorough reviews of reported misconduct.”

In 2024, in response to survey feedback, IS+E formed small employee groups, including a women’s group called ACES (Advocate Connect Empower in Sports). At that group’s first meeting, several women expressed the need for paid maternity leave and women’s feminine products in bathrooms. The requests, according to multiple women present, went unfulfilled.

The Tigers are one of just three of 30 MLB teams to not offer paid maternity leave, according to The Athletic’s reporting. (Most teams also offer paid paternity leave.) The Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels also don’t offer paid maternity leave, though the Angels abide by California’s family leave legislation, which can offer 70 to 90 percent of an eligible employee’s wages and up to eight weeks of paid leave in a year-long period. Texas and Michigan don’t have state laws requiring private employers to provide paid family leave. IS+E employees who give birth can take short-term disability, which, according to the company’s 2025 benefits handbook, covers 60 percent of their salary.

On Tuesday, the organization said in its response it “will soon include a 12-week paid maternity leave that has been in development.” When asked to clarify when the benefit will be available, the organization said it will be effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Many of the organization’s personnel changes in recent years felt, to some, like young over old and male over female.

Since 2022, the Tigers have faced at least three employment-related lawsuits in Michigan that included allegations of age discrimination. One of those cases, which involves two former Tigers scouts, has been stayed pending a resolution in a separate but relevant case against MLB. The two other cases — one involving a former Tigers visiting clubhouse manager and the other involving a former Tigers executive — were dismissed in May 2024 and August 2025, respectively, as the parties settled. In the most recent case, which also included allegations of race and sex discrimination, Elaine Hendrix alleged the organization offered her a lesser severance package when she was fired in 2020 compared to those offered to White men in similar positions “because she was a 64-year-old Black woman,” per the complaint.

“It’s very culty and it’s very cliquey,” said a former IS+E employee. “Either you’re in and they’re going to make you and help you grow into a leadership position and help you make money, or they’re gonna shun you.”

On the field, the Tigers are on track to win their first division title since 2014. Still, some current and former employees grapple with wanting the team to succeed versus the feelings they hold about the organization as a whole.

“We have team meetings and they celebrate like everything is going great,” said a current employee. “Yeah, the team is playing well. But let’s be real.”

(Top photo: Mark Cunningham / Getty Images)