List of Detroit Lions broadcasters

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

Radio

Current

Main article: Detroit Lions Radio Network

The Lions' flagship radio stations are WXYT-FM, 97.1 FM, and WXYT-AM, 1270 AM. Dan Miller does play-by-play, Jim Brandstatter does color commentary, and Tony Ortiz provides sideline reports. If a conflict with Detroit Tigers or Detroit Red Wings coverage arises, only WXYT-FM serves as the Lions' flagship. In 2005, the Lions' flagship became an FM station for the first time in their history, when a long term agreement was signed with WKRK (which is now WXYT-FM). The Lions and WXYT AM/FM renewed their partnership for three more seasons on October 9, 2009.

Former

WXYT-AM was the sole flagship station from 1988-2004. WXYT-FM 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

Current

Preseason

Main article: Detroit Lions Television Network

As of 2011, WXYZ-TV is the flagship station. The announcers are Matt Shepard with play-by-play, Rob Rubick with color commentary, and Tom Leyand with sideline reports.

Regular season

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

The Lions' official regular season show of record is The Ford Lions Report.

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

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.

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, coupled with the effects of the Late-2000s recession in Michigan, 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

Television

Year	Play-by-play	Analyst(s)	Field Reporter(s)
2001	Dan Miller
2002	Dan Miller
2003	Dan Miller
2004
2005
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

Radio

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

Other:

• Van Patrick called play-by-play from 1950 until his death in 1974.