Give him a new stadium. But, more important, give him a break, because most of the Tigers' problems were inherited from mismanagement by previous ownership. But the winds have shifted dramatically in the past six months, creating a less-forgiving climate for a bad team with an equally disappointing financial outlook. The Ilitches have lost considerable public credibility with their reluctance to acknowledge the Tigers' apparent financial ills and talent vacuum. The Ilitches say they have no plans to sell the team and the proceeds that come from Comerica Park, but few believe them.
Emotions rise as attendance falls.
A public trust The Ilitches have needlessly frittered away their public relations advantage. Unlike William Clay Ford Sr., Ilitch proved he could transform a perpetual loser into a champion. Unlike Bill Davidson, Ilitch proved he could build a champion within the Detroit city limits. While Detroit served as a national symbol for massive business retreat to the suburbs, Ilitch bought downtown property dirt cheap and returned the shine to an historic jewel, the Fox Theatre. Sound long-term business investments were cast as efforts by a homegrown boy to salvage his home.