Detroit Lions Radio Network

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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. The announcers are WJBK (Fox 2) sports director Dan Miller with play-by-play, former Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown with color commentary, and former Lions guard T. J. Lang serving as sideline reporter.[2][3] 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 or TuneIn Premium. The Lions' flagship station returned to WXYT-FM starting with the 2021 season, after a five-year stint at WJR.[4]

Affiliate stations[]

As of the 2021 season, the network consists of 50 stations in 40 markets in Michigan and one in Ohio.[1]

Map of radio affiliates.
City Callsign Frequency
Adrian W243AD 96.5 FM
Alma WFYC 1280 AM
Alpena/Rogers City WRGZ 96.7 FM
Ann Arbor WTKA 1050 AM
Battle Creek WFAT 930 AM
W247AQ 102.7 FM
Big Rapids WBRN 1460 AM
W299BE 107.7 FM
Cadillac/Harrietta WKAD 93.7 FM
Cass City WIDL 92.1 FM
Cheboygan WCHY 95.3 FM
Detroit WXYT-FM 97.1 FM
Escanaba WYKX 104.7 FM
Flint WRSR 103.9 FM
Glen Arbor/Manistee WGFN 98.1 FM
Grand Haven WGHN 1370 AM
W235CM 94.9 FM
Grand Rapids WLAV 96.9 FM
WJRW 1340 AM
W291DJ 106.1 FM
Grayling WQON 100.3 FM
Hancock WGLI 98.7 FM
Hillsdale WCSR 1340 AM
WCSR-FM 92.1 FM
W258DE 99.5 FM
Holland WHTC 1450 AM
W259CO 99.7 FM
Houghton WCCY 1400 AM
W257CZ 99.3 FM
Iron Mountain WIMK 93.1 FM
Ironwood WJMS 590 AM
Jackson W270CJ 101.9 FM
Kalamazoo WKZO 590 AM
W295CL 106.9 FM
Lansing WJIM 1240 AM
W295BP 106.9 FM
Manistique/Gulliver WCMM 102.5 FM
Marquette/Ishpeming WUPT 100.3 FM
Muskegon WLCS 98.3 FM
Newberry/Sault Ste. Marie WNBY-FM 93.9 FM
Ontonagon WUPY 101.1 FM
Oscoda WWTH 100.7 FM
Petoskey WMBN 1340 AM
Port Huron WPHM 1380 AM
Saginaw/Midland/Bay City WKQZ 93.3 FM
Sandusky WTGV-FM 97.7 FM
South Haven WCSY 103.7 FM
St. Joseph/Benton Harbor WSJM-FM 94.9 FM
Sturgis WBET-FM 99.3 FM
Toledo, Ohio W264AK 100.7 FM
Traverse City WLDR-FM 101.9 FM
Whitehall WBBL 1490 AM

History[]

Main article: List of Detroit Lions broadcasters
  • 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][2]
  • Tony Ortiz provided Lions sideline reports from 2001 until 2016.[8] He produced Lions games broadcasts from 1991-1994.[9]
  • 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'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.[8][3]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Detroit Lions Official Site: Detroit Lions Radio Network Affiliates
  2. ^ a b Detroit Lions radio: Jim Brandstatter out, Lomas Brown in on WJR-AM ''Detroit Free Press, July 10, 2018
  3. ^ a b "Want to listen to the Lions in 2016? Tune in to WJR-AM". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  4. ^ Detroit Lions changing radio homes in 2021, back to 97.1 The Ticket Detroit Free Press, December 18, 2020
  5. ^ Detroit Pistons Official Site - Announcers
  6. ^ "Van Patrick On The Air". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-12-09.
  7. ^ RE: Jim Brandstatter NFL.com, July 10, 2018
  8. ^ a b "CBS Detroit: Lions censorship demands caused split". The Detroit News. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  9. ^ WWJ Radio - Our Staff
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