The following is a list of Detroit Tigers broadcasters, past and present:
The current flagship radio station for the Tigers is WXYT-FM, at 97.1 FM. [1] Dan Dickerson calls play-by-play. [2] Bobby Scales and Andy Dirks rotate as the primary color analysts as of the 2024 season. [3] The games are available online as well via Audacy. If a scheduling conflict occurs, WWJ is a substitute for its sister station.
WJR was the Tigers' radio flagship from 1964 to 2000. Other former Tigers flagships include WXYT (currently known as "The Bet Detroit") and WKMH (currently known as WDTW).
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary |
2024 | WXYT-FM | Dan Dickerson (primary) Greg Gania (substitute) | Andy Dirks (home) Bobby Scales (away) |
2023 | Dan Dickerson | Jim Price | |
2022 | |||
2021 | |||
2020 | |||
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary |
2019 | WXYT-FM | Dan Dickerson | Jim Price |
2018 | |||
2017 | |||
2016 | |||
2015 | |||
2014 | |||
2013 | |||
2012 | |||
2011 | |||
2010 |
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary |
2009 | WXYT-FM | Dan Dickerson | Jim Price |
2008 | |||
2007 | WXYT | ||
2006 | |||
2005 | |||
2004 | |||
2003 | |||
2002 | Ernie Harwell Dan Dickerson | Jim Price | |
2001 | |||
2000 | WJR |
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1999 | WJR | Ernie Harwell | Jim Price |
1998 | Frank Beckmann | Lary Sorensen (April–June) Jim Price (June–September) | |
1997 | Lary Sorensen | ||
1996 | |||
1995 | |||
1994 | Rick Rizzs | Bob Rathbun | |
1993 | Rick Rizzs Ernie Harwell | ||
1992 | Rick Rizzs | ||
1991 | Ernie Harwell | Paul Carey | |
1990 |
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1989 | WJR | Ernie Harwell | Paul Carey |
1988 | |||
1987 | |||
1986 | |||
1985 | |||
1984 | |||
1983 | |||
1982 | |||
1981 | |||
1980 |
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1979 | WJR | Ernie Harwell | Paul Carey |
1978 | |||
1977 | |||
1976 | |||
1975 | |||
1974 | |||
1973 | |||
1972 | Ray Lane | ||
1971 | |||
1970 |
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1969 | WJR | Ernie Harwell | Ray Lane |
1968 | |||
1967 | |||
1966 | Gene Osborn | ||
1965 | |||
1964 | Bob Scheffing | ||
1963 | WKMH | George Kell | Ernie Harwell |
1962 | |||
1961 | |||
1960 |
Year | Flagship stations | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1959 | WKMH | Van Patrick | George Kell |
1958 | Mel Ott | ||
1957 | |||
1956 | |||
1955 | Dizzy Trout | ||
1954 | |||
1953 | |||
1952 | |||
1951 | WXYZ | Ty Tyson | Paul Williams |
1950 | Harry Heilmann |
The television rights are currently held by Bally Sports Detroit (formerly Fox Sports Detroit). Jason Benetti serves as the primary play-by-play announcer beginning in 2024, [7] while Craig Monroe is color commentator.
Pre-game and post-game show hosts and reporters include John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Justin White, Cameron Maybin, and Johnny Kane, while Dan Petry provides studio analysis.
The Tigers have spent most of their broadcast televised history across two of Detroit's heritage "Big Three" network stations, WJBK (Channel 2, Fox; formerly with CBS from 1948 to 1994) and WDIV (Channel 4, NBC; originally WWJ-TV from 1947 to 1978), as well as two of the market's former legacy independent stations, WMYD (Channel 20, formerly WXON-TV and WDWB) and WKBD (Channel 50). Channel 4 was the original Tiger television outlet, carrying games from 1947 to 1952, and again for a twenty-season run from 1975 to 1994. Channel 4, at least during a time when NBC's ratings were sagging during the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, was one of a handful of the network's affiliates that was either a primary outlet or an affiliate of the local/regional baseball team.
Significant in the Tiger broadcasting network were television stations owned by Tigers' owner John Fetzer, including WKZO-TV (now WWMT) in Kalamazoo, WLNS in Lansing, WJRT in Flint, WWTV and WWUP-TV in northern Michigan, and even some television stations in Nebraska, namely KOLN-TV in Lincoln and its satellite in Grand Island, Nebraska.
WJBK took over the Tigers telecasts starting with the 1953 season, and carried games until the end of the 1974 season; since 2007, the station simulcasts the team's home opener each season from Fox Sports Detroit. WKBD, for many years known as Detroit's leading independent TV station, as well as the longtime over-the-air TV home of the Red Wings and Pistons, televised Tigers games starting in 1995 (when it was an UPN owned-and-operated station) until 2003. WMYD televised selected Tigers games only for the 2006 season, and as WXON-TV and the local affiliate of the ONTV subscription TV service, Channel 20 also showed the team's games from 1981 to 1983.
Pro-Am Sports System (PASS), originally started in 1982, became the regional cable outlet for the Tigers starting in 1984, after the network was purchased by then-Tigers team owner Tom Monaghan. Monaghan sold PASS to Post-Newsweek Stations (now Graham Media Group) in 1992, after he sold the Tigers to local pizza magnate and Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch. PASS, thereafter, re-located its operations to the WDIV studio/office facility in Downtown Detroit. PASS shut down operations in 1997, after the Red Wings, Tigers, and Pistons all elected to sign-with and helped launch Fox Sports Detroit.
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary | Pre-Game Host |
2024 | Bally Sports App | Jason Benetti | Craig Monroe | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Justin White, Cameron Maybin, Dan Petry, Johnny Kane |
2023 | Matt Shepard | Craig Monroe, Kirk Gibson, Austin Jackson, Dan Petry, Cameron Maybin, Todd Jones | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Johnny Kane, Natalie Kerwin, Dannie Rogers, Dan Petry, Cameron Maybin, Todd Jones | |
2022 | Matt Shepard | Kirk Gibson, Jack Morris, Austin Jackson, Craig Monroe, Dan Petry | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Brooke Fletcher, Craig Monroe, Johnny Kane, Dan Petry | |
2021 | Matt Shepard | Kirk Gibson, Jack Morris | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Craig Monroe, Johnny Kane, Kristen Keith | |
2020 | Fox Sports Go | Matt Shepard | Kirk Gibson, Jack Morris | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Craig Monroe, Johnny Kane, Kristen Keith |
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary | Pre-Game Host |
2019 | Fox Sports Go | Matt Shepard | Kirk Gibson, Jack Morris | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Craig Monroe, Johnny Kane, Kristen Keith |
2018 | Mario Impemba Matt Shepard | Rod Allen (select games), Kirk Gibson (select games) | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Justin White, Craig Monroe, Johnny Kane, Kristen Keith | |
2017 | Mario Impemba | |||
2016 | Rod Allen (select games), Kirk Gibson (select games), Jack Morris (select games) | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Justin White, Craig Monroe, Johnny Kane | ||
2015 | Fox Sports Detroit | John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Justin White, Craig Monroe | ||
2014 | Rod Allen | |||
2013 | John Keating, Mickey York, Ryan Field, Trevor Thompson, Justin White, Craig Monroe | |||
2012 | John Keating, Mickey York, Ryan Field, Trevor Thompson, Craig Monroe | |||
2011 | John Keating, Mickey York, Ryan Field, Trevor Thompson | |||
2010 |
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary | Pre-Game Host |
2009 | Fox Sports Detroit | Mario Impemba | Rod Allen | John Keating, Mickey York, Ryan Field, Trevor Thompson |
2008 | ||||
2007 | Fox Sports Detroit WJBK | John Keating None | ||
2006 | Fox Sports Detroit WMYD | |||
2005 | Fox Sports Detroit | John Keating | ||
2004 | ||||
2003 | Fox Sports Detroit WKBD-TV | Mario Impemba Frank Beckmann | Rod Allen Jack Morris | John Keating Ray Lane |
2002 | Kirk Gibson Lance Parrish | |||
2001 | Josh Lewin Frank Beckmann | Kirk Gibson Al Kaline | ||
2000 | Kirk Gibson, Tom Paciorek Al Kaline |
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary | Pre-Game Host |
1999 | Fox Sports Detroit WKBD-TV | Josh Lewin Frank Beckmann | Kirk Gibson Al Kaline | John Keating Ray Lane |
1998 | Josh Lewin Ernie Harwell | |||
1997 | Ernie Harwell | Jim Price and Fred McLeod Al Kaline and Jim Price | ||
1996 | PASS Sports WKBD-TV | Ernie Harwell George Kell | Jim Price and Fred McLeod Al Kaline | |
1995 | ||||
1994 | PASS Sports WDIV-TV | Jim Price and Jim Northrup Al Kaline | John Keating Van Earl Wright | |
1993 | Jim Price George Kell | Jim Northrup Al Kaline | John Keating Bernie Smilovitz | |
1992 | Larry Osterman George Kell | Pat Caputo Bernie Smilovitz | ||
1991 | ||||
1990 |
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary |
1989 | PASS Sports WDIV-TV | Larry Osterman George Kell | Jim Northrup Al Kaline |
1988 | |||
1987 | |||
1986 | |||
1985 | Bill Freehan and Jim Northrup Al Kaline | ||
1984 | Bill Freehan Al Kaline | ||
1983 | ONTV WDIV-TV | Larry Adderley George Kell | Norm Cash and Hank Aguirre Al Kaline |
1982 | |||
1981 | |||
1980 | WDIV-TV | George Kell | Al Kaline |
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1979 | WDIV-TV | George Kell | Al Kaline and Mike Barry |
1978 | WWJ-TV | Al Kaline, Joe Pellegrino and Mike Barry | |
1977 | Larry Osterman, Al Kaline and Joe Pellegrino | ||
1976 | Larry Osterman, Don Kremer and Al Kaline | ||
1975 | Larry Osterman and Don Kremer | ||
1974 | WJBK | Larry Osterman | |
1973 | |||
1972 | |||
1971 | |||
1970 |
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1969 | WJBK | George Kell | Larry Osterman |
1968 | |||
1967 | |||
1966 | Ray Lane | ||
1965 | |||
1964 | Ernie Harwell | Bob Scheffing | |
1963 | George Kell | Ernie Harwell | |
1962 | |||
1961 | |||
1960 |
Year | Network | Play-by-Play | Color Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play |
1959 | WJBK | Van Patrick | George Kell |
1958 | Mel Ott | ||
1957 | |||
1956 | |||
1955 | Dizzy Trout | ||
1954 | |||
1953 | WWJ-TV | ||
1952 | |||
1951 | Harry Heilmann | Ty Tyson | |
1950 |
William Earnest Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 seasons, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell broadcast the action on radio and/or television. In January 2009, the American Sportscasters Association ranked him 16th on its list of Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time.
WDIV-TV is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with NBC. It serves as the flagship broadcast property of the Graham Media Group subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company. WDIV-TV maintains studio facilities on West Lafayette Boulevard in Detroit, making it the only major television station in the market with offices and studios within the Detroit city limits. Detroit's other television stations are all based in the suburb of Southfield; WDIV's transmitter is, however, located on Greenfield Road in Southfield.
WWJ-TV is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is owned and operated by the CBS television network via its CBS News and Stations division, alongside WKBD-TV, an affiliate of The CW. The two outlets share studios on Eleven Mile Road in the Detroit suburb of Southfield; WWJ-TV's transmitter is located in Oak Park, Michigan.
WJBK is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, serving as the market's Fox network outlet. Owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division, the station maintains studios and transmitter facilities on West 9 Mile Road in the Detroit suburb of Southfield.
WXYZ-TV is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside independent station WMYD. The two stations share studios at Broadcast House on 10 Mile Road in Southfield, where WXYZ-TV's transmitter is also located.
WKBD-TV, branded as CW Detroit 50, is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with The CW. It is owned by the CBS News and Stations group alongside WWJ-TV, a CBS owned-and-operated station. The two stations share studios on Eleven Mile Road in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, where WKBD-TV's transmitter is also located.
WTVS is a PBS member television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, owned by Detroit Public Media. Its main studios are located at the Riley Broadcast Center and HD Studios on Clover Court in Wixom, with an additional studio at the Maccabees Building in Midtown Detroit. The station's transmitter is located at 8 Mile and Meyers Road in Oak Park. Detroit Public Media partners with the Stanley and Judith Frankel Family Foundation in the management of classical and jazz music station WRCJ-FM (90.9).
WMYD is an independent television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV. The two stations share studios at Broadcast House on 10 Mile Road in Southfield; WMYD's transmitter is located on Eight Mile Road in Oak Park.
John Keating is an American sportscaster who works at Bally Sports Detroit host and reporter.
WADL is a television station licensed to Mount Clemens, Michigan, United States, serving the Detroit area as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. Locally owned by Kevin Adell via his company Adell Broadcasting, the station maintains studios and transmitter facilities on Adell Drive in Clinton Township. Adell's sister company, Adell Radio Group, owns WFDF, a talk radio station in the same market, as well as religious broadcaster The Word Network.
WXYT-FM is a commercial radio station in Detroit, Michigan, serving Metro Detroit and much of Southeast Michigan. It airs a sports radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. Its studios and offices are located in the nearby suburb of Southfield.
WXYT is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Detroit, Michigan. It airs a betting-oriented sports radio format known as "The Bet Detroit". Most programming comes from the BetQL Network and Infinity Sports Network. During College football season, WXYT airs live play-by-play from the Central Michigan University Chippewas football team. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station serves Metro Detroit and much of Southeast Michigan. The studios and offices are on American Drive off 11 Mile Road in Southfield.
Bally Sports Detroit (BSD) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group that operates as a Bally Sports affiliate. It provides coverage of local sports teams in the state of Michigan, primarily focusing on those in Metro Detroit. The network airs exclusive broadcasts of games involving the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, and Detroit Red Wings; repeats of Detroit Lions preseason games; and some high school sports.
Daniel Hill Dickerson is an American sportscaster, best known for his current position as the lead radio play-by-play voice of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers on the Detroit Tigers Radio Network.
Tony Ortiz is a sportscaster and sports talk show host for Audacy, Inc. owned sister stations WXYT-FM, WXYT-AM and WWJ in Detroit, MI.
As the world's traditional automotive center, Detroit, Michigan, is an important source for business news. The Detroit media are active in the community through such efforts as the Detroit Free Press high school journalism program and the Old Newsboys' Goodfellow Fund of Detroit. Wayne State University offers a widely respected journalism program.
The Michigan Wolverines Sports Network is an American radio network consisting of 46 radio stations which carry coverage of Michigan Wolverines football and men's basketball. WXYT-FM and WWJ, both in Metro Detroit, serve as the network's flagship stations. The network also includes 44 affiliates in the U.S. states of Michigan and Ohio: 27 AM stations, four of which extend their signals with low-power FM translators; and 17 full-power FM stations. Games are also available on Sirius XM satellite radio and online via TuneIn.