List of Detroit Tigers broadcasters

Last updated

The current radio play-by-play voice of the Detroit Tigers is Dan Dickerson. He worked with former Tigers catcher and World Series champion Jim Price on the Detroit Tigers Radio Network for 24 seasons. Calling games since 2000, he is the successor of the legendary sportscaster Ernie Harwell. Dan Dickerson Smiling.jpg
The current radio play-by-play voice of the Detroit Tigers is Dan Dickerson. He worked with former Tigers catcher and World Series champion Jim Price on the Detroit Tigers Radio Network for 24 seasons. Calling games since 2000, he is the successor of the legendary sportscaster Ernie Harwell.

The following is a list of Detroit Tigers broadcasters, past and present:

Contents

Radio

Current

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.

Former flagships

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).

Former radio announcers

Broadcasters by year

2020s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor Commentary
2024 WXYT-FM Dan Dickerson (primary)
Greg Gania (substitute)
Andy Dirks (home)
Bobby Scales (away)
2023 Dan Dickerson Jim Price
2022
2021
2020

2010s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor Commentary
2019 WXYT-FM Dan Dickerson Jim Price
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010

2000s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor 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

1990s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor 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

1980s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play
1989 WJR Ernie Harwell Paul Carey
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980

1970s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor Commentary/Secondary Play-by-Play
1979 WJR Ernie Harwell Paul Carey
1978
1977
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972 Ray Lane
1971
1970

1960s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor 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

1950s

YearFlagship stationsPlay-by-PlayColor 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

Television

Current

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.

Former TV outlets

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.

Former TV announcers

Broadcasters by year

2020s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor CommentaryPre-Game Host
2024 Bally Sports App

Bally Sports Detroit

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

Fox Sports Detroit

Matt Shepard Kirk Gibson, Jack Morris John Keating, Mickey York, Trevor Thompson, Craig Monroe, Johnny Kane, Kristen Keith

2010s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor CommentaryPre-Game Host
2019 Fox Sports Go

Fox Sports Detroit

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

2000s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor CommentaryPre-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

1990s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor CommentaryPre-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

1980s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor 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

1970s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor 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

1960s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor 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

1950s

YearNetworkPlay-by-PlayColor 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

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References

  1. Detroit Tigers Radio Affiliates
  2. Detroit Tigers Broadcasters' Biographies
  3. Scheidel, Marthew (February 13, 2024). "Detroit Tigers set TV, radio announcer lineup for 2024 season". Motor City Bengals. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  4. Kerzel, Pete (May 28, 2009). "Kaline filling in for Dickerson on radio". MLB.com.
  5. Kornacki, Steve (June 8, 2009). "John Keating taking radio announcer Dan Dickerson's place at Tigers' road games". MLive.com.
  6. Iott, Chris (May 7, 2012). "Detroit Tigers radio analyst Jim Price to miss nine-game road trip". MLive.com.
  7. Petzold, Evan (November 9, 2023). "Jason Benetti signs multi-year contract with Detroit Tigers as TV play-by-play broadcaster". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved November 9, 2023.