Entercom Sports “97.1 The Ticket” WXYT-FM Detroit will once again have a monopoly on the local professional sports teams as the station will regain the play-by-play rights to the NFL’s Detroit Lions for the 2021 season.
WXYT-FM previously carried Lions games from 2004 through 2015. The team has been heard on Cumulus News/Talk 760 WJR under a five year contract that expires at the conclusion of the 2020 season.
Entercom will take on a management role for the Lions Radio Network overseeing all gameday broadcasts, weekly in-season shows and offseason programming. WXYT-FM also carries MLB’s Detroit Tigers, NBA’s Detroit Pistons and NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.
Entercom and the Detroit Lions announced a multiyear broadcast partnership today making 97.1 The Ticket (WXYT-FM) the flagship station for Lions football beginning in 2021.
“The Lions are synonymous with the city of Detroit and this is a great opportunity to leverage our position as the unrivaled leaders in sports radio to deliver dynamic Lions content, both on game days and throughout the year,” said Debbie Kenyon, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Detroit. “This partnership now makes 97.1 The Ticket the flagship station for all four professional sports teams in the Motor City, giving fans a one-stop destination for all of their favorite local teams.”
“As we enter a new era of Detroit Lions football, we’re excited to establish a strategic partnership with Entercom whose Detroit family of stations are market leaders in radio and multimedia,” said Detroit Lions Senior Vice President of Business Development Kelly Kozole. “With growing opportunities to deliver informed and entertaining broadcast programming, together we have a great opportunity to engage our fans who are their listeners.”
As part of the partnership, Entercom will manage the Lions Radio Network – an extensive radio network with more than 30 stations across Michigan and in northern Ohio. All Lions Radio Network programming, including live game broadcasts, pre- and postgame shows, regular season weekly shows and additional offseason programming will air exclusively on 97.1 FM The Ticket.
97.1 The Ticket also serves as the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings.