What does it mean for a city to have a mutual relationship with its sports teams? For most people, this simply means that the people who live in a city are fans of the teams who represent it. While this is true, there is also a deeper connection that exists in certain cities, with very specific teams.
In those special relationships, the team and the city come to the other's aid when they need it most. When the city is going through hard times, the team is there to offer a glimmer of hope. When the team is struggling, the city still finds a way to rally behind it. One of the best examples of this relationship is between the city of Detroit, and the Detroit Tigers.
Why is this? Well, it is because this is one of the few examples in sports, where both the team and the city have hit rock bottom at some point. In the case of Detroit and the Tigers, they have hit it in historic fashion.
I have chosen to examine this relationship, because both of these components make up part of my identity. I am a native Detroiter, and I am a diehard Tigers fan. After seeing how these two organizations have shaped me, I can't help but wonder, how do they shape each other?