List of Detroit Lions broadcasters

The following is a List of broadcasters for the Detroit Lions, both past and present.

## Radio

[edit]

### Current

[edit]

Main article: Detroit Lions Radio Network

The Lions' flagship radio station is WXYT-FM 97.1. The broadcast team includes Dan Miller on play-by-play, Lomas Brown on color commentary, and T. J. Lang as sideline reporter.[1]

The team moved back to WXYT after having been on WJR since the 2016 NFL season, which followed a 20-year relationship with WXYT. The decision to part with WXYT was reportedly instigated by a demand by the team for the station to fire on-air personality Mike Valenti—who has had a history of making comments critical of the Lions during his drive-time show—as a condition of any future renewal. A CBS Radio spokesperson stated that their refusal was meant to maintain the station's integrity.[2][3]

### Former

[edit]

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WXYT (AM) was the sole flagship station from 1998 - 2004. WKRK-FM (later WXYT (AM)) became the co-flagship in 2004.

Detroit's WWJ was the team's flagship station prior to 1998 and continued to simulcast WXYT (AM)'s broadcasts prior to the team's move to WKRK. [citation needed] Prior to 1989, WJR had served as the Lions' radio flagship. [citation needed]

## TV

[edit]

### Current

[edit]

#### Preseason

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Main article: Detroit Lions Television Network

As of 2015, WJBK is the flagship station. The announcers are Jason Ross Jr [2]with play-by-play, Chris Spielman with color commentary, and Tori Petry with sideline reports. The late Fred McLeod was once a play-by-play TV broadcaster on Lions pre-season.

#### Regular season

[edit]

Regular season games are broadcast regionally on FOX, except when the Lions play an AFC team in Detroit, in which case the game airs regionally on CBS. The annual Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit is televised nationally on either Fox or CBS, depending on who the visiting team is.

The Lions' official regular season show of record is Lions GameDay Live with Dan Miller hosting.

For regular season games vs. NFC opponents when Fox doesn't have a double header, WJBK produces a live postgame show.

For Thursday Night Football and NFL Network games, WJBK is the local broadcaster of record. For Monday Night Football, WXYZ is the authorised broadcaster unless they decline, which WJBK has often broadcast Monday games when WXYZ declines.

### Former

[edit]

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WKBD was the preseason flagship station from 1992–1996 and from 2004-2007. WDIV and WJBK have served as flagships at various times. [clarification needed]

WWJ-TV was the flagship station from 2008-2010.[4]

WJBK (channel 2) has been the Fox affiliate in Detroit since December 1994, before that it was a CBS affiliate, and as such, WJBK for many years has served as the primary station for most Lions games. For much of 1994, while WJBK was waiting for its CBS affiliation contract to expire, the Lions games were shown on WKBD-TV (at the time owned by Viacom, now owned by CBS as a sister to WWJ-TV), with the last game being the December 10 game against the New York Jets, on WKBD's last day as a Fox affiliate.

Interconference home games were first televised in 1973 (when the NFL first imposed the 72-hour deadline), and for 25 years these were seen on NBC, with WDIV (channel 4, originally WWJ-TV) airing the games locally. The current WWJ-TV (originally on analog channel 62) has aired such games since 1998 when the AFC contract moved to CBS.

Fox Sports Detroit formerly produced a live postgame and Monday press conference show called Lions Live. It was canceled after the 2007 season.

### Blackouts

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The Lions' winless performance in 2008 and 2–14 season in 2009 led to several local broadcast blackouts, as local fans did not purchase enough tickets by the 72 hour blackout deadline. In 2008, five of the Lions' final six home games of the season did not sell out, with the Thanksgiving game being the exception. The first blackout in the 7-year history of Ford Field was the October 26, 2008, game vs. the Washington Redskins. The previous 50 regular season home games had been sellouts.

Games were also often blacked out at the Lions' previous home the (perhaps oversized) 80,000 seat Pontiac Silverdome, despite winning seasons and the success and popularity of star players such as Barry Sanders.

## Announcers by year

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2009)

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### Television

[edit]

Year  | Play-by-play  | Analyst(s)  | Field reporter(s)

|
|
|

2001  | Dan Miller |  |
2002  | Dan Miller  |  |
2003  | Dan Miller  |  |
2004  | Frank Beckmann | Chris Spielman |
2005  | Frank Beckmann  |  |
2006  | Frank Beckmann  | Kelvin Pritchett | Steve Courtney
2007  | Frank Beckmann  | Erik Kramer | Steve Courtney
2008  | Gus Johnson | Desmond Howard | Matt Shepard
Charlie Sanders
2009  | Matt Shepard  | Desmond Howard  | Charlie Sanders
Steve Courtney
2010  | Matt Shepard  | Rob Rubick | Charlie Sanders
Steve Courtney
2011  | Matt Shepard  | Rob Rubick  | Tom Leyden
2012  | Matt Shepard  | Rob Rubick  | Tom Leyden
2013  | Matt Shepard  | Rob Rubick  | Tom Leyden
2014  | Matt Shepard  | Rob Rubick
Herman Moore | Tom Leyden
2015  | Matt Shepard  | Rob Rubick
Nate Burleson | Jennifer Hammond
2016  | Matt Shepard  | Chris Spielman  | Jennifer Hammond
2017  | Matt Shepard  | Chris Spielman  | Jennifer Hammond
Tori Petry
2018  | Matt Shepard  | Chris Spielman  | Tori Petry
2019  | Fred McLeod | Chris Spielman  | Tori Petry
2020  | No preseason games due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021  | Brandon Gaudin | Herman Moore | Dannie Rogers
2022  | Brandon Gaudin | Devin Gardner  | Dannie Rogers
2023  | Jason Ross Jr  | Devin Gardner  | Dannie Rogers

### Radio

[edit]

Year  | Play-by-play  | Analyst(s)  | Field reporter(s)  | Studio team

|
|
|
|

1975  | Bob Reynolds | J. P. McCarthy
1976  | Bob Reynolds  | Mike Lucci
1977  | Bob Reynolds  | Mike Lucci
1978  | Bob Reynolds  | Mike Lucci
1979  | Bob Reynolds  | Frank Beckmann
1980  | Bob Reynolds  | Frank Beckmann
1981  | Bob Reynolds  | Frank Beckmann
1982  | Bob Reynolds  | Frank Beckmann
1983  | Frank Beckmann  | Charlie Sanders
1984  | Frank Beckmann  | Charlie Sanders
1985  | Frank Beckmann  | Charlie Sanders
1986  | Frank Beckmann  | Charlie Sanders
1987  | Frank Beckmann  | Charlie Sanders
Jim Brandstatter
1988  | Frank Beckmann  | Charlie Sanders
Jim Brandstatter
1989  | Mark Champion | Jim Brandstatter
1990  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1991  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1992  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1993  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1994  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1995  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1996  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1997  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1998  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
1999  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
2000  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter
2001  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2002  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2003  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2004  | Mark Champion  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2005  | Dan Miller | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2006  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2007  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2008  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2009  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2010  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2011  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz  | Gavin Edwards
2012  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2013  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2014  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2015  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  | Tony Ortiz
2016  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  |
2017  | Dan Miller  | Jim Brandstatter  |
2018  | Dan Miller  | Lomas Brown |
2019  | Dan Miller  | Lomas Brown  |
2020  | Dan Miller  | Lomas Brown  |
2021  | Dan Miller  | Lomas Brown  | T. J. Lang | Jim Costa

Other:

* Van Patrick called play-by-play from 1950 until his death in 1974.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Detroit Lions Official Site: Lions Radio Affiliates". Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
2. ^ a b Lions, Detroit (August 7, 2023). "Detroit Lions preseason team adds Jason Ross Jr". The Detroit Lions. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
3. ^ "Want to listen to the Lions in 2016? Tune in to WJR-AM". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
4. ^ WWJ-TV, CBS Detroit and the Detroit Lions Announce 2010 Lions Pre-Season Broadcast Plans Archived July 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Detroit Lions Official Site May 13, 2010
5. ^ "Van "The 'Ol Announcer" Patrick". Archived from the original on June 18, 2006. Retrieved October 11, 2009.

* v
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Detroit Lions

* Founded in 1928
* Formerly the Portsmouth Spartans (1928–1933)
* Based in Detroit, Michigan
* Headquartered in Allen Park, Michigan

Franchise|

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Records|

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Division championships (10)|

* 1935
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League championships (4)|

* 1935
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Media|

* Broadcasters
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* Dan Miller
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* WXYT-FM
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* WJBK
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Current league affiliations|

* League: National Football League (1930–present)
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* Division: North Division (2002–present)

* v
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List of current NFL broadcasters

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