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] As of the 2023 season, the network consists of 50 stations in 40 markets in Michigan and one in Ohio.[1]

Map of radio affiliates.

Station list

Callsign Frequency Band City State Network status
WXYT-FM 97.1FMDetroitMichiganFlagship
WLEN-HD2* 103.9-2FMAdrianMichiganAffiliate
W243AD 96.5FMAdrianMichiganWLEN-HD2 relay
WFYC 1280AMAlmaMichiganAffiliate
WRGZ 96.7FMAlpena–Rogers CityMichiganAffiliate
WTKA 1050AMAnn ArborMichiganAffiliate
WFAT 930AMBattle CreekMichiganAffiliate
W274AQ 102.7FMBattle CreekMichiganWFAT relay
WBRN 1460AMBig RapidsMichiganAffiliate
W243EN 96.5FMBig RapidsMichiganWBRN relay
WKAD 93.7FMCadillac–HarriettaMichiganAffiliate
WIDL 92.1FMCass CityMichiganAffiliate
WWCS 95.3FMCheboyganMichiganAffiliate
WYKX 104.7FMEscanabaMichiganAffiliate
WRSR 103.9FMFlintMichiganAffiliate
WGFN 98.1FMGlen Arbor–ManisteeMichiganAffiliate
WGHN 1370AMGrand HavenMichiganAffiliate
W235CM 94.9FMGrand HavenMichiganWGHN relay
WLAV-FM 96.9FMGrand RapidsMichiganAffiliate
WJRW 1340AMGrand RapidsMichiganAffiliate
W291DJ 106.1FMGrand RapidsMichiganWJRW relay
WQON 100.3FMGraylingMichiganAffiliate
WGLI 98.7FMHancockMichiganAffiliate
WCSR 1340AMHillsdaleMichiganAffiliate
WCSR-FM 92.1FMHillsdaleMichiganAffiliate
W258DE 99.5FMHillsdaleMichiganWCSR relay
WHTC 1450AMHollandMichiganAffiliate
W259CO 99.7FMHollandMichiganWHTC relay
WCCY 1400AMHoughtonMichiganAffiliate
W257CZ 99.3FMHoughtonMichiganWCCY relay
WIMK 93.1FMIron MountainMichiganAffiliate
WJMS 590AMIronwoodMichiganAffiliate
W221EH 92.1FMIronwoodMichiganWJMS relay
WKHM-HD2* 105.3-2FMJacksonMichiganAffiliate
W270CJ 101.9FMJacksonMichiganWKHM-HD2 relay
WKZO 590AMKalamazooMichiganAffiliate
W295CL 106.9FMKalamazooMichiganWKZO relay
WJIM 1240AMLansingMichiganAffiliate
W295BP 106.9FMLansingMichiganWJIM relay
WCMM 102.5FMManistique–GulliverMichiganAffiliate
WUPT 100.3FMMarquette–IshpemingMichiganAffiliate
WLCS 98.3FMMuskegonMichiganAffiliate
WNBY-FM 93.9FMNewberry–Sault Ste. MarieMichiganAffiliate
WUPY 101.1FMOntonagonMichiganAffiliate
WWTH 100.7FMOscodaMichiganAffiliate
WMBN 1340AMPetoskeyMichiganAffiliate
W284DF 104.7FMPetoskeyMichiganWMBN relay
WPHM 1380AMPort HuronMichiganAffiliate
WHLS 1450AMPort HuronMichiganConflicting games
W288BT 105.5FMPort HuronMichiganWHLS relay
WKQZ 93.3FMSaginaw–Midland–Bay CityMichiganAffiliate
WTGV-FM 97.7FMSanduskyMichiganAffiliate
WCSY 103.7FMSouth HavenMichiganAffiliate
WSJM-FM 94.9FMSt. Joseph–Benton HarborMichiganAffiliate
WBET-FM 99.3FMSturgisMichiganAffiliate
WQQO-HD2* 105.5-2FMSylvaniaOhioAffiliate
W264AK 100.7FMToledoOhioWQQO-HD2 relay
WLDR-FM 101.9FMTraverse CityMichiganAffiliate
WLAW 1490AMWhitehallMichiganAffiliate
W256DM 99.1FMWhitehallMichiganWLAW relay
  • Blue background indicates low-power FM translator.
  • Gray background indicates station is a simulcast of another station.

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, Bob Reynolds, Dave Diles and Ray Lane.
  • 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. 1 2 3 Detroit Lions Official Site: Detroit Lions Radio Network Affiliates
  2. 1 2 Detroit Lions radio: Jim Brandstatter out, Lomas Brown in on WJR-AM ''Detroit Free Press, July 10, 2018
  3. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "CBS Detroit: Lions censorship demands caused split". The Detroit News. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  9. ↑ WWJ Radio - Our Staff
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