Ilitch Sports + Entertainment's Taylor Traub named to the 2026 Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 class. Published on: June 1, 2026 On June 1, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment (IS+E) Senior Vice President of Business Strategy & Innovation Taylor Traub was named to Sports Business Journal's (SBJ) Forty Under 40 class of 2026, an honor recognizing the most accomplished and influential young leaders across the sports business industry. Each year, SBJ selects 40 executives across teams, leagues, media, agencies and brands who are driving innovation and shaping the future of sports business. Traub joined IS+E in 2019 as Director of Financial Planning & Analysis. In this role, he focused on financial reporting, long-range planning, and data strategy and analytics. In 2022, Traub created and launched the organization's Business Analytics Team - leading to promotion to Vice President of Business Analytics. Under his leadership, the team developed and sustained a culture of business partnership and high performance. In June 2025, he was promoted to his current position, where he leads a team of five direct reports and more than 15 dedicated colleagues, spanning business strategy, data analytics, growth, and enterprise A.I. adoption. "Taylor consistently delivers transformational business results through data-driven strategy, forward-thinking leadership and a rare ability to execute across a complex multi-team organization," said Ilitch Sports + Entertainment President & CEO Ryan Gustafson. "Taylor is an entrepreneur at heart, driving measurable growth and operational improvement. He is incredibly deserving of this honor, and we are extremely proud of how he represents our organization." Traub has been a key leader across numerous IS+E initiatives, focusing on strategic planning, initiative management and execution, long-term venue planning, and numerous commercial strategies. As champion for enterprise A.I., Traub has driven IS+E's end-to-end A.I. roadmap. Under his leadership, IS+E successfully launched a new business intelligence platform featuring key applications now used by hundreds of colleagues, significantly improving visibility, performance tracking and decision-making across the organization. Beyond his professional responsibilities, Traub brings this same commitment to service into the community. He is a vocal advocate for individuals with disabilities and for the mental health needs of caregivers, shaped in part by his family's experience with Parkinson's disease. In addition, his volunteerism, youth coaching and engagement with nonprofit organizations reflect a leader who prioritizes empathy, inclusion and community well-being. Through these efforts, Traub exemplifies leadership that extends far beyond his role, one defined by service and meaningful, people-first impact.

Detroit Tigers, Red Wings partner with MLB for local broadcasts. MLB will provide "broadcast support" to the NHL's Red Wings. Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports The Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings are teaming up with MLB for their local broadcasts beginning this spring. On Monday, the Tigers announced that Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, the company controlled by the Ilitch family that owns and operates the Tigers and Red Wings, will partner with MLB to produce and distribute local broadcasts for the team this upcoming season. The move comes after the Tigers were one of nine MLB clubs to exit its local broadcast deal with Main Street Sports Group, owner of the FanDuel Sports Networks, as the company faces imminent shutdown and liquidation. However, in a unique twist, the Ilitch family and the Tigers are bringing the NHL's Red Wings along for the ride. The Red Wings currently air on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, and the team intends to finish out the current season with Main Street assuming the company remains operational through April. But for the 2026-27 season, the Red Wings will join the Tigers under MLB's media platform. MLB will produce and distribute Tigers games and provide "broadcast support" for the Red Wings. It's unclear exactly how distribution deals for the Red Wings will be negotiated, though the intention is to keep both teams on the same cable and satellite providers that currently carry FanDuel Sports Network Detroit. "Given recent uncertainty throughout the regional sports broadcasting industry, we recognize the importance of providing fans with a consistent, year-round outlet to watch Tigers baseball and Red Wings hockey," Ryan Gustafson, President and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment said in a statement. "We have two of the top-rated broadcasts in our respective sports and remain focused on listening to fans about what matters most to them. What we've heard includes making sure our games are available throughout the market, providing a reliable streaming product, and producing a broadcast that's informative and entertaining in all the right ways." With the announcement, the Tigers become the seventh former Main Street team to join MLB's production arm for the 2026 season. Only the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels have not yet made a decision, though reports indicate that both teams are looking to launch their own networks instead of linking up with the league.