Well, this is welcome news for anyone who’s visited Comerica Park in recent years — the Detroit Tigers have reportedly invested nearly $30 million in renovations to the dilapidated stadium ahead of Opening Day.
According to Crain’s Detroit Business, “Fans will notice big changes at the stadium when the team returns to town April 5, including a massive new videoboard, new TVs throughout the concourse and audio enhancements.”
Over the summer, Metro Times columnist Joe Lapointe reported on the sorry state of the Ilitch-owned Comerica Park during a recent visit, documenting glitched-out TVs, speakers that don’t work, unusable drinking fountains, frozen clocks, a closed carousel, and empty seats. The stadium first opened in 2000, nearly a quarter-century ago.
“Those of us who still buy Comerica Park baseball tickets can see (and concede) that the product on the field remains mired in a rebuilding cycle that is now almost one decade long,” Lapointe wrote of the team’s performance, adding, “We know Detroit fans are patient — few even boo anymore, what with the recorded noise blasting — but they are not fools with their money.”
According to Crain’s, the investments also include behind-the-scenes upgrades, including to the Tigers player clubhouse, training facilities, and upgraded player amenities.
As reported last year, the Detroit Tigers’ new scoreboard will be the second-largest in all of Major League Baseball, behind the New York Mets.
“The large-scale investments at Comerica Park are part of a directive handed down by team owner Christopher Ilitch and Scott Harris, the president of baseball operations who was hired in 2022, to develop a winning culture,” Crain’s reports. “That meant spending heavily on player and fan experiences. Ilitch announced to players last year plans for a new team plane.”
Hopefully this all leads to a new and improved Detroit Tigers. But in the meantime, Detroit fans deserve nice things, too.
