With WXYZ Channel 7 taking over as the home for Detroit Lions preseason games, the overall quality of the coverage is expected to go up in a big way. It has been no secret around these parts that I was never a fan of CBS Detroit's coverage of Lions preseason games, and to say I was ecstatic to hear WXYZ was taking over would be an understatement.
While we have already heard about a number of the improvements that will be coming to the coverage of Lions preseason games and the Lions in general, one thing that hasn't been announced yet is who will serve as the play-by-play announcer. Matt Shepard held the position in recent years, and while he wasn't bad, I think there is room for an upgrade in the commentary booth.
According to Mike O'Hara, there is some talk that the upgrade could come in the form of Monday Night Football announcer Mike Tirico, who lives in Ann Arbor.
Matt Shepard has been stellar in recent years, but there’s been a buzz that Mike Tirico could land in the booth for the three games that will be televised on Channel 7. (A home game is scheduled for prime time on CBS.)
Shepard did appear on WXYZ's draft special, so it wouldn't be surprising if he was retained as the play-by-play announcer. At the same time, it wouldn't be surprising if WXYZ went all out and managed to hire Tirico for the three games. That would be very cool, and as O'Hara points out, WXYZ is part of the ABC/ESPN family of networks, so it's not like Tirico would be jumping ship to announce the games.