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Tigers Baseball Report

Tigers Fans React to Comerica Park’s Newly Revealed Name Change

The Detroit Tigers have officially renamed the home of the franchise, set to begin following the 2026 season.
Dominic Minchella|
Comerica signage outside Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. Credit
Comerica signage outside Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. Credit | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Detroit Tigers

The news has finally been announced: Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers since 2000, will undergo a name change after the 2026 season. With the Tigers now officially eliminated from the playoffs, the last playoff game played while the ballpark was named Comerica Park has already occurred.

Changes to Major League Baseball franchises typically evoke strong reactions from fans. This is evident whenever a new City Connect jersey is unveiled, an alternate home or away jersey is introduced, or even when jerseys are changed during the 2024 season. However, the Tigers want fans to understand that while the name may be changing, it does not mean the memories made with it will be erased.

What's the New Name?

Comerica Park's new nam
Chris Coffman, left, Chief Commercial Officer of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, and Steve Davis, Michigan Fifth Third Bancorp Region President, clap after unveiling the Fifth Third Park sign on field. Credit | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For those who don't know, Comerica Park has been renamed Fifth Third Park, as revealed ahead of the three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday. Comerica Park was purchased by Fifth Third Bank, so fans knew the move was evident.

"As a bank with deep roots across Michigan, our job now is to live up to what this place means to Detroit by showing up for fans, families and communities for the long run," Tim Spence, Chairman, CEO, and President of Fifth Third Bank, said in a post made by the Tigers' official Instagram.

Fan Reactions

Tigers fan
A pair of young Detroit Tigers’ fans try and get autographs from the players. Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Since the announcement, Detroit fans have come out with several reactions, some optimistic but most upset that the franchise didn't find a more appealing name. Many fans wanted the new name to mirror Tiger Stadium, perhaps a 2.0 version, or even Tiger Stadium at Fifth Third Park, as the Baltimore Orioles do with Camden Yards.

A group of fans has already rejected the new name, vowing to continue calling it Comerica Park regardless of the change. A major reason for this opposition is that renaming the stadium removes a part of the personality that Comerica Park has come to represent for Detroit. While Comerica Park was named after a bank, it has created a legacy in the city, with many people feeling comfortable referring to it simply as "Comerica," and locals know exactly what they mean.

Regardless of what fans want to call the home of the Detroit Tigers, the Tigers have created fond memories within the white lines on the field that will last a lifetime.

From Justin Verlander's first career no-hitter, Magglio Ordonez sending the Tigers to the 2006 World Series, a trip to the 2012 World Series, Miguel Cabrera winning the AL Triple Crown, Tarik Skubal's back-to-back AL Cy Young campaigns, all the way to now, having been in back-to-back playoff spots in 2024-25

At least now Verlander can say he's retiring at the same time the original ballpark name is - Verlander will have always pitched at Comerica Park, while new aces in the making will look to make Fifth Third Park their domain.

The newer generation will likely have the most difficult time with this. When Tiger Stadium recorded its last out and the Tigers moved into Comerica Park, many fans who grew up with the 1968 and 1984 teams still call it Tiger Stadium, while the new generation calls it Comerica Park. The loop in history has just come back around.

At the end of the day, the Tigers will still play baseball on a field that looks as it does now; the only major differences will be the signage around the ballpark and the search bar when looking for directions downtown.

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Dominic Minchella
DOMINIC MINCHELLA

Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.

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