Ex-Tigers exec Sam Menzin allegations emphasize horrid reality for women in sports

Let's be honest – many of you reading this have probably already forgotten that Detroit Tigers assistant general manager Sam Menzin resigned in April. Or worse, maybe you never even heard about it.

Menzin abruptly stepped down from his role just two weeks into the 2025 MLB season, claiming that he was seeking a career change and moving to New York to handle some "family issues." In reality, he resigned before the Tigers had a chance to fire him after an internal investigation revealed that he had engaged in improper workplace conduct, according to a report from Brittany Ghiroli and Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic.

Two women who worked for the Tigers said that Menzin had sent them unsolicited lewd photos on several occasions dating back to 2017. A third woman, who works in baseball but not for the Tigers, said that she received similar photos from Menzin sometime around 2018-19. The alleged incidents all occurred during Menzin's tenure in the Tigers' front office, where he had worked for more than a decade.

Most people who read the report in The Athletic probably thought or said – consciously or not – something along the lines of, "What a horrible situation. Good on the Tigers for handling it. Thank goodness it's over."

But for the victims, it's never over. They don't have the option to forget and move on, especially in an industry where behavior like Menzin's goes unpunished more often than not.

Former Tigers exec Sam Menzin allegations a reminder of horrid reality for women in sports industry

It's 2025, and I guarantee that every single woman who presently works in the sports industry has experienced sexual harassment on some level (yes, microaggressions count). I'd double down on the assertion that the vast majority of those women feel hesitant to report it.

Human Resources departments, especially in sports and entertainment, typically prioritize protecting the reputation of the organization, rather than the individual. In an industry in which misogyny and gender-based harassment are institutionalized, the system is rarely on the side of the victim.

The sports industry is, by its very nature, extremely competitive. It's challenging for anyone to break in and attain a high-level position, especially a woman. When a woman does break into the industry and becomes a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, she often becomes resigned to the fact that because she has worked so hard and overcome so many obstacles to get to where she is, she can't say or do anything that would potentially jeopardize her position.

Intentional or not, this notion of the scarcity of sports jobs has become a containment strategy that prevents victims of harassment from reporting it. The message to women in particular is essentially: "You're lucky to be here at all. Don't mess it up."

There are plenty of men in the sports industry (and other male-dominated fields) who mentor women and give them opportunities to develop and advance professionally; but there are just as many men who take advantage of their position and make those women feel like they are indebted to them – yet another way of silencing victims of sexual harassment and abuse.

Here's the bottom line: under no circumstances should taking any kind of harassment or abuse be considered "part of the job" for women in sports. When people remain silent in an industry culture that enables sexual harassment, they become complicit in that culture. In order for more women to feel comfortable coming forward when they have been victimized, they need to feel confident that the perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.

If you or someone you know has been sexually abused or assaulted, help is available at the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

More Tigers content from Motor City Bengals