The following is a list of broadcasters for the Detroit Lions, both past and present.
Radio
Current
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.
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.
Former
WXYT (AM) was the sole flagship station from 1998 - 2004. WKRK-FM (later WXYT (AM)) became the co-flagship in 2004.
Detroit's WWJ Newsradio 950 was the team's flagship station from 1989 to 1998 and continued to simulcast WXYT (AM)'s broadcasts prior to the team's move to WKRK. Prior to 1989, WJR had served as the Lions' radio flagship.
TV
Current
Preseason
As of 2015, WJBK is the flagship station. The announcers are Jason Benetti, TJ Lang 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 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 the year.
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
WKBD was the preseason flagship station from 1992–1996 and from 2004-2007. WDIV and WJBK have served as flagships at various times.
WWJ-TV was the flagship station from 2008-2010.WWJ-TV, CBS Detroit and the Detroit Lions Announce 2010 Lions Pre-Season Broadcast Plans Detroit Lions Official Site May 13, 2010
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 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 80,000 seat Pontiac Silverdome, despite winning seasons and the success and popularity of star players such as Barry Sanders.
Announcers by year
Television 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 ShepardCharlie 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 RubickHerman Moore Tom Leyden 2015 Matt Shepard Rob RubickNate Burleson Jennifer Hammond 2016 Matt Shepard Chris Spielman Jennifer Hammond 2017 Matt Shepard Chris Spielman Jennifer HammondTori Petry 2018 Matt Shepard Chris Spielman Tori Petry 2019 Fred McLeod Chris Spielman Tori Petry 2020No preseason games due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Brandon Gaudin Herman Moore Dannie Rogers2022Brandon GaudinDevin GardnerDannie Rogers2023Jason Ross JrDevin GardnerDannie Rogers2024Jason Ross JrDevin GardnerDannie Rogers2025Jason BenettiTJ LangDannie Rogers
Radio 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 SandersJim Brandstatter 1988 Frank Beckmann Charlie SandersJim 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.
References