Detroit Lions Radio Network
The Detroit Lions Radio Network is a radio network in Michigan and Toledo, Ohio that broadcasts all of the NFL's Detroit Lions games and related programming.[1] All preseason, regular season, and postseason games are aired live throughout the network. WJR (760 AM) in Detroit is its flagship station.[2] As a maximum power clear-channel station, WJR can be heard carrying Lions games from hundreds of miles away on clear nights. The announcers are WJBK (Fox 2) sports director Dan Miller with play-by-play and former Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown with color commentary.[3][4] Network coverage begins two hours before game time and ends one hour after the game's conclusion. Games are also aired on Sirius XM Radio and online with a subscription to NFL Game Pass.
Affiliate stations
History
- Dan Miller has been the radio play-by-play voice of the Lions since 2005.[1] Miller succeeded Mark Champion, who had called play-by-play for the team from 1989-2004.[5]
- Van Patrick called play-by-play from 1950 until his death in 1974.[6]
- Other past announcers for Lions radio include Frank Beckmann and Bob Reynolds.
- Jim Brandstatter was the Lions' radio color commentator from 1987–2017.[7][3]
- Tony Ortiz provided Lions sideline reports from 2001 until 2016.[2] He produced Lions games broadcasts from 1991-1994.[8]
- WXYT-AM was the sole flagship station of the network from 1998-2004.
- 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 (now WXYT-FM).
- 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. Prior to 1989, WJR had served as the Lions' radio flagship.
- Former names of the network include "The WXYT 1270 Detroit Lions Radio Network", "The WKRK Detroit Lions Radio Network", and "The Live 97.1 Detroit Lions Radio Network" (WKRK-FM is WXYT-FM's former callsign, and Live 97.1 is one of its former brandings).
- WXYT-FM was the Lions' flagship from 2004–2015.
- On November 20, 2015, it was announced that the Detroit Lions would move to WJR beginning in the 2016 NFL season, ending the team's 20-year relationship with CBS Radio. Officials stated that CBS had dropped the team over demands that it censor on-air content that was critical of the team. In particular, the Lions specifically demanded that flagship station WXYT-FM fire popular on-air personality Mike Valenti as a condition of any extension to its broadcast rights since Valenti has had a history of making remarks critical of the Lions and their poor performance. WXYT-FM refused to do so, and he remains at the station.[2][4]
See also
- List of XM Satellite Radio channels
- List of Sirius Satellite Radio stations
- NFL on Westwood One
- Detroit Lions Television Network
References
- Detroit Lions Official Site: Detroit Lions Radio Network Affiliates
- "CBS Detroit: Lions censorship demands caused split". The Detroit News. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
- Detroit Lions radio: Jim Brandstatter out, Lomas Brown in on WJR-AM ''Detroit Free Press, July 10, 2018
- "Want to listen to the Lions in 2016? Tune in to WJR-AM". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
- Detroit Pistons Official Site - Announcers
- "Van Patrick On The Air". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-12-09.
- RE: Jim Brandstatter NFL.com, July 10, 2018
- WWJ Radio - Our Staff