A Major League Baseball club out of the national limelight for all of the past decade and thought firmly out of this year’s playoff mix as recently as two weeks ago is now thoroughly back—and is poised to shake up the league in the process.

The Tigers beat the Rays 2–1 on Tuesday afternoon, the club’s 28th win in its last 39 games. The victory extended a surprising and remarkable run in which it is MLB’s top-performing team since mid-August. The club currently holds the second wild-card slot in the American League, and it is eyeing its first winning season since 2016 and first playoff berth since 2014. 

The marked turnaround—the team was still under .500 as recently as a month ago—has prompted a significant attendance resurgence at Comerica Park. The Tigers are averaging about 22,000 fans per game, up by roughly 12% from a year ago. Detroit has already clinched its best annual figure at the gate since 2018, and further lift is possible depending on the total from the final five regular-season games.

Boosted in part by a start by ace pitcher and likely AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, Tuesday’s game drew 22,770, a solid draw for a weekday afternoon contest initially delayed by rain. Armed in part with Skubal, now eyeing a win of pitching’s Triple Crown and 18–4 on the season, the Tigers could become the proverbial team that opponents don’t want to face in the playoffs. 

“Our guys know what’s at stake, and we’re having a great time chasing down what we hope to be some of the most memorable baseball” in Detroit in a decade, said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. The former Astros skipper has also been in the midst of a career rehabilitation following a prior firing from Houston for his role in that club’s sign-stealing scandal. 

Furthering the Tigers’ reborn win-now mentality, the club this week called up top minor-league pitching prospect Jackson Jobe to provide additional fortification out of the bullpen. 

Back on the Air

The Tigers’ resurgence somewhat mirrors their NFL neighbors, the Lions, who broke through an even longer stretch of losing in 2023 to reach the NFC championship game. For the NFL, the Lions’ rebuild reactivated the No. 14 U.S. media market that remains the center of the U.S. automotive industry and is a critical corporate hub. 

Similar benefits are also likely to head MLB’s way. But in the immediate term, it’s also a big relief that the Tigers are once again broadly available on television in the Detroit market. The Tigers were among those most affected by a nearly three-month carriage standoff between Comcast, the country’s No. 2 cable distributor and a significant entity in Michigan, and Bally Sports parent Diamond Sports Group. Comcast and DSG resolved their issues in late July, just before the Tigers began their on-field tear.

The Chiefs are 3–0 to start the season, and although Patrick Mahomes said they still need to play better, there’s no question Kansas City is driving more interest in the NFL than any other franchise at the moment. 

That’s coming from continued intrigue surrounding the Chiefs’ two-time MVP signal-caller, of course, but also their four-time All-Pro tight end who is dating a global icon, and even the team’s strong-legged, outspoken kicker. 

Must-See TV

Each of Kansas City’s first three games have set some sort of notable TV viewership record. 

Most recently, the Chiefs’ 22–17 victory over the Falcons was NBC’s most-watched Week 3 Sunday Night Football game, with 25.1 million viewers. 

That came after Chiefs-Bengals in Week 2 was the most-watched September NFL game on CBS since 1998, as 27.9 million people tuned in to the last-second 26–25 win over Cincinnati. And to open the season, Kansas City’s 27–20 victory over the Ravens drew a record NFL kickoff game audience of 28.9 million on NBC. 

On Sunday, CBS gets the Chiefs again as they visit the Chargers in the late-afternoon window.

Butker Still in Spotlight

Harrison Butker was responsible for the game-winning field goal against the Bengals, and he is 7-of-7 to start the season (although he has missed one extra point) after becoming the NFL’s highest-paid kicker this offseason thanks to a four-year, $26 million deal.

Last week, Butker became just the second placekicker to appear on the NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales List, which ranks all officially licensed, NFL player–branded merchandise sold from online and traditional retail outlets.

Butker placed 11th in sales from March 1 to May 31. He was one of four Chiefs players in the top 50, alongside Mahomes (second), Travis Kelce (12th), and running back Isiah Pacheco (32nd). Butker’s controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kans., was made May 11. A more specific timeline of the jersey sales wasn’t revealed. 

The only other kicker to appear on the list is Evan McPherson, who ranked 36th in sales from March 1 to May 31, 2022, following a rise to stardom during the 2021 NFL playoffs thanks to several game-winning kicks. McPherson fell off the list the next quarter and did not place on that year-end tally, either.

Taylor Swift Effect for Kelce?

Kelce has caught only eight passes for 69 yards and no touchdowns through three games, but his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, attended the first two contests, reinforcing the added allure she brings to NFL broadcasts.

Has his relationship with Swift impacted his play, though? “Are we not allowed to say that he’s out of shape?” NFL analyst Todd McShay said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast. “That he’s been partying all offseason? He’s been jet-setting around with the most famous person, probably in the entire world.” Mahomes looks at it differently, though: “We’re calling a lot of plays for Travis, and it’s like two or three people are going to him.”

A contract extension this offseason gave Kelce the highest annual average salary among tight ends at $17 million. Off the field, Kelce and his brother, Jason, cashed in with a three-year, $100 million deal to sell the rights to their podcast, New Heights, to the Amazon-owned publisher Wondery.

Formula One team principals continue to stir the rumor mill—and the drivers could be the biggest beneficiaries.

Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports it would be “foolish” if the team didn’t consider exploring options to sign Mercedes driver George Russell, whose contract is up after 2025.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff responded by saying Horner is “always trying to stir the s*** up.”

“It’s part of the game. George is a Mercedes driver, has been forever, and hopefully will be forever. We have a long contract with him,” Wolff said.

However, Wolff made a similar move earlier this year when he reportedly offered Red Bull lead driver Max Verstappen a contract worth about $167 million to take over for the departing Lewis Hamilton starting next season. Verstappen, who is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, said in May that his “future is within Red Bull at the moment.”

The Driver Market

While F1 instituted a spending cap in 2021 in an attempt to bring parity to the sport, driver contracts and the three highest-paid earners on the team are exempt from the cap. This is why Aston Martin could afford to sign managing technical partner Adrian Newey away from Red Bull to a deal worth close to $200 million over five years.

This year’s cap is at $135 million, and including drivers into the cap would vastly alter the sport, as this year’s salaries range from $1 million for Yuki Tsunoda, who is on RB, the sister team of Red Bull, to $55 million for Verstappen. 

These back-and-forths between team principals help identify who the most valuable drivers are—and competition can boost the prices. Market changes for certain value positions have been clear in other sports like the NFL, where quarterbacks, pass rushers, and receivers are being paid more than ever. 

But in an uncapped market, the potential for F1’s top drivers appears boundless.