The Detroit Tigers Radio Network is an American radio network composed of 49 radio stations which carry English-language coverage of the Detroit Tigers, a professional baseball team in Major League Baseball (MLB). Detroit's WXYT-FM (97.1 FM) serves as the network's flagship. The network also includes 46 affiliates in the U.S. states of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana: 25 AM stations, 15 of which supplement their signals with one or more low-power FM translators; 21 full-power FM stations; and one HD Radio digital subchannel which supplements its signal with a low-power FM translator.[1] The radio network airs select spring Grapefruit League games, along with all 162 regular season games and all postseason games. Dan Dickerson does play-by-play for the broadcasts (with Greg Gania filling in for occasional games) while color commentary is provided by Bobby Scales or Andy Dirks. Daniella Bruce serves as the in-game reporter and interviewer and Jeff Riger hosts the pre-game and post-game shows.[2] In addition to traditional over-the-air AM and FM broadcasts, network programming airs on SiriusXM satellite radio; and streams online via SiriusXM Internet Radio, TuneIn Premium, and MLB.com Gameday Audio.[3][4][5]
Before merging with WXYT-FM, WXYT/1270 was the sole flagship station from 2001–2007.
From 1964–2000, Detroit's WJR was the Tigers' exclusive radio flagship. As a maximum-power clear-channel station, Tigers games on WJR could be received from hundreds of miles away on warm, clear nights.
Other former Tigers flagships include WWJ, WJBK (currently known as WLQV) and WKMH (currently known as WDTW).
The Tigers' most famous announcer is Ford C. Frick Award winning broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who called Tigers games mostly on the radio from 1960–2002. The press box at Comerica Park is named The Ernie Harwell Media Center in his honor, a statue of him stands near the main gate of the stadium, and his name is on the Tigers Wall of Fame in right field of Comerica Park. Harwell died in May 2010 at the age of 92 and his body was laid in repose at Comerica Park soon after.[7] The Detroit Sports Media Association (DSMA) inaugurated a DSMA Ernie Harwell Lifetime Achievement Award with Harwell as its first recipient.
