In the last few years, Detroit has seen a complete turnaround not just on the field, hardwood, or ice, but in national media with the city’s revitalized sports and entertainment mega power.
Former Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell said, in his introductory press conference back in 2021, he wanted the football team to embody the city.
“I’ll guarantee you this: these guys are going to fight,” Campbell said. “And they’re going to scratch and claw, and they’re going to be something this city’s proud of because they’re going to take on the identity of this city.”
Campbell would later simplify his speech on HBO’s NFL Hard Knocks into one word: Grit. “Grit” has become the calling of not just the Detroit Lions but as a calling card for the return of the Motor City.
Adam Mayberry, senior at Wayne State University and Detroit native, said the sports culture in the city is nice and that it’s always been that way, not just due to the city’s recent success.
“Even when we were losing, we still had fans,” said Mayberry. “Now that we are winning, like the Lions, the violence has been down and if we lose, people will get angry.”
An interesting observation came out when Fox 2 Detroit released that homicide rates have dropped in the city since 2021. The last time crime rates in the city were this low was back in 1962 to 1963, which was also a huge successful period for the Lions.
Photo by: Dave Reginek / NHLI via Getty Images.
This rate has remained constant to this day. However, these findings led some Lions fans to speculate the Lions’ success led to lower crime rates. While having no real correlation, it helped strengthen the bond of the sports culture in the city.
Mayberry said “grit” perfectly fits the culture of Detroit and its upcoming destination for events and sports.
“It just sums up everything we’ve all been through,” Mayberry said. “Everyone says they don’t want to come to Detroit and that’s fine. They sent Jared Goff to die and he came out leading the Lions’ den for us.”
Mayberry said the community is coming back together because of sports and it feels like we are back again.
While the Lions made the “grit” slogan popular, they are not the only team to adopt the grit moniker.
During the improbable run in the 2024 postseason, the Detroit Tigers adopted the nickname “Gritty Tigs”. This was after they made the postseason despite having 0.2% chance of making it back on Aug. 11, 2024.
Photo by: Nic Antaya/Getty Images.
The Detroit Pistons had a historic turnaround after tripling their win total to make the NBA Playoffs in 2024. Their slogan for that playoff series against the New York Knicks was “Back to Work”, which was a callback to the 2004 “Going to Work” Pistons, known for their toughness and gritty players.
The Detroit Red Wings are on pace this 2025-2026 season to have their most wins, goals, and point totals since they last made the playoffs in the 2015-2016 season.
Akili Rush, WSU freshman, said it has been inspiring to finally see the sports and the city become so great over the years.
“I’m excited to finally see the city and teams on the up,” Rush said. “We’re watching it get better each year and so are the teams as a whole.
Photo by: Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images.
Rush said he feels that stigmation targeted at the city has changed and that sports may play a factor but does not entirely drive the narrative.
“I think it is just how they look at the city and realize it’s not so bad,” Rush said. “Everything is getting better.”
Rush said events like the NFL Draft in 2024 allows sports fans and common travelers to come and see the changes in the city firsthand.
“People from the outside are coming here and not judging on what’s been promoted online, and (instead) seeing that it is cool to be here,” Rush said.
Sports aren’t the only thing that has turned the city around, the overall outlook of the city has changed. Whether it was through the renovation of Michigan Central Station or the overall renovations downtown, the city has been making a comeback for the last decade.
Ian Knox, WSU freshman, said he believes the city is now going to see major upgrades because of major events like the NFL Draft.
“We see how people were at the Draft, we are going to see major changes to the city, ” Knox said. “We are already seeing the changes they are making downtown and it can be traced back to the Lions and the city being backed up.”
According to the City Of Detroit, “Detroit gained 1,852 residents between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, marking the first time since 1957 Detroit has not lost population in the eyes of the Census Bureau.”
Beyond the city’s major teams, other Detroit franchises are also contributing to the excitement. Detroit City FC continues to draw support from fans at Keyworth Stadium and will move to AlumniField in 2027. The Pistons G League team, Motor City Cruise has brought energy to the Wayne State Fieldhouse, and fans can also enjoy events like the annual Detroit Grand Prix downtown showcasing IndyCar racing. Looking ahead, the WNBA will return to Detroit in 2029, adding another chapter to the city’s culture.
People are now coming and staying in the city of Detroit. While sports may not be the full motive for the turnaround in the city, the impact sports have on devoted fans, and the city they reside in cannot be understated.
Jeremiah Green is a Sports Editor for The South End. He can be reached at hl3743@wayne.edu.
Cover photo by Daniel Mears, The Detroit News.
This story originally appeared in the Winter 2026 print edition of The South End. To read more, pick up your own copy around campus or outside of TSE’s door in the Student Center, room 369. Our digital edition is available on our site.