Detroit (Reuters) - Like thousands of Michigan autoworkers who have lost their jobs and seen their homes go into foreclosure, Buick Open was left homeless earlier this month, another victim of the economic downturn. A popular stop on the PGA Tour calendar for more than 50 years, the Buick Open received its eviction notice after the struggling Detroit automaker confirmed it could no longer afford to continue as title sponsor. The PGA Tour quickly found a new home for the tournament at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, but the hole left in recession-ravaged Michigan will not be so easily filled. The loss of the Buick adds to a summer of gloomy headlines for Michigan sports fans. They also learned this month that the Indy Racing League and the Detroit Grand Prix will not return in 2010, leaving Belle Isle's downtown circuit to joggers and cyclists. Detroit's four major professional teams - Lions (NFL), Tigers (MLB), Pistons (NBA) and Red Wings (NHL) - are not looking for new addresses, but are bracing for what promises to be a bruising battle for the shrinking sports entertainment dollar. With the lively fall sports season about to begin, the fight for fans is rapidly heating up in the Motor City, as teams flood the market with package deals. The basement-dwelling Lions went all last season without a win, finishing 0-16, and are trying to win back fans by offering subscription packages for as little as $230 for 10 games. Stanley Cup finalists in each of the last two seasons, the Red Wings were once the hottest sports ticket in Detroit, but can now be had for as little as $9. The rebuilding Pistons, who saw their streak of 259 consecutive sell-outs come to an end last season, will need to find new ways to fill those empty seats. However, division-leading Tigers' central offices have managed to maintain respectable turnouts, averaging close to 30,000 per game with the help of some creative ticket pricing. "We've done well here, mostly due to the baseball team's performance and we've thrown out all kinds of ticket offers; there's even a $5 ticket section," Jimmy Devellano, senior vice president of both the Tigers and Red Wings, told Reuters. "It's tough, this is a four-major-sport city and we're all competing for the same dollar. There's only so much to go around. It's like a ghost town. You see it, you feel it everywhere." Left Even in a state left reeling by skyrocketing unemployment, the loss of the Buick Open stings as much as another round of job cuts, leaving Michigan without its most important golf event and denting its reputation as a top sporting destination. Tiger Woods offered a farewell to one of his favorite layouts after a third Buick victory early this month. He praised the crowd, telling reporters: "With the economy, what's happening in this area, for them to come out and still support the event means a lot to all of us players." In nearby Flint, where unemployment is among the nation's highest at 17.4 percent, recession-hardened residents volunteering at Warwick Hills headquarters shed some tears as they said goodbye to a summer tradition. "It's just part of their DNA here, generations have come to the Buick Open," Robb Grainger, Buick tournament director, told Reuters. "There are so many great passionate golf fans in this state and this is the last show in town. There's no major, there's no Champions Tour, there's no LPGA, we're the last professional golf bastion in the state of Michigan." "And it's a shame, it does so much good for the area, not just the local economic impact, but what we do charity-wise," he added. "With 100,000 people, plus coming every year, we have 300 volunteers. There are a lot of people who look forward to it." Lean Times Centered in an area enveloped by the collapse of the auto sector, the departure of the Buick will take more than an emotional toll on local businesses which depended on the tournament to get through increasingly lean times. According to the Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Buick Open pumped $10-12 million dollars into the local economy each year, while millions more over the years have been donated to local charities. "When I was in high school I was here and later brought my son out, it's an emotional thing, more than its impact on the economy," said Mike Martin, a retired auto worker and Buick volunteer for 26 years. "It's just like the trickle-down effect with the GM workers, when you lose a job it affects six other people." That week here impacts all the small businesses in the area. What they do that week might make the difference and keep them afloat." "America is a great place to live, people adjust and move on with their lives," he added. "This here is just sad to see but it's a fact of life." (Editing by Dave Thompson) Sports Small Business Lifestyle Related Topics Articles: Davies aiming for victory and Olympic ticket Barrett Denney wins open title Djokovic and Kuznetsova win China Open titles