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FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports Detroit and Fox Sports Detroit) has undergone significant personnel changes in recent years.Longtime broadcasters Mickey York and Trevor Thompson were recently let go from the network.The network has changed names multiple times since 2019 and its owner declared bankruptcy in 2023.
There have been a lot of new names around FanDuel Sports Network Detroit over the past few years, and that’s not even counting the name of the network — which has changed twice.
Longtime host and network reporter Mickey York announced that his position had been terminated on May 6. Two days later, legendary Red Wings on-camera reporter Trevor Thompson confirmed to the Free Press his position at FanDuel Sports Network had also been eliminated.
These are just the most recent changes in a tumultuous few years for the network, formerly known as Fox Sports Detroit (1997-2019) and Bally Sports Detroit (2019-24).
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Here’s a recap of the major broadcasting changes that have taken place on Detroit’s local sports network since 2019.
May 3, 2019: Sinclair buys Fox Sports RSNs
The Walt Disney Company and 21st Century Fox agreed to a merger on Dec. 14, 2017, which would have put the regional Fox Sports networks, including Fox Sports Detroit, under the control of ESPN. However, that deal was only allowed by antitrust regulators after Disney agreed to sell all its regional sports networks (RSN) to a different buyer.
That buyer ended up being Sinclair Broadcast Group, which bought the RSNs Disney owned for $10.6 billion on May 3, 2019, putting Fox Sports Detroit under Sinclair’s control. And although it was under new ownership, the network kept the Fox Sports Detroit name for two more years.
March 17, 2021: Network renamed Bally Sports Detroit
Just in time for Opening Day of the 2021 MLB season, Diamond Sports Group (the operating arm of Sinclair) changed the name of its regional sports networks, ushering in the short-lived Bally Sports Detroit era.
The naming rights for the RSNs were sold to Bally’s Corp., the former fitness brand that evolved into a casino chain.
Even though the network was rebranded, the programming stayed much the same, with the Detroit Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings still available on the channel.
March 14, 2023: Diamond Sports Group declares bankruptcy
Diamond declared for bankruptcy less than two years after its big Bally’s rebrand, needing financial support after missing a $140 million interest payment on its debt of nearly $8.7 billion.
That decision caused many changes around Diamond, with the bankruptcy forcing the ending of relationships with several MLB, NBA and NHL franchises. Detroit’s franchises, however, were mostly unaffected throughout the 2023 season, though changes soon came in other forms.
Oct. 3, 2023: Tigers’ play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard let go
After the end of the 2023 season, Bally Sports announced that Tigers play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard would not return for the 2024 season. Shepard had been the main TV announcer since 2019, when Diamond began broadcasting Tigers games.
Shepard had been with the company since 1999 in various roles, working as the radio play-by-play voice for Michigan Wolverines basketball and Eastern Michigan football before joining the Tigers broadcast.
It would soon become clear why Shepard and the network parted ways.
Nov. 9, 2023: Tigers hire Jason Benetti to become TV play-by-play announcer
About a month after Shepard left the Tigers’ booth, the Tigers hired star broadcaster Jason Benetti to be the team’s full-time play-by-play announcer.
Benetti, who was raised in Chicago, was the primary play-by-play announcer for the Chicago White Sox from 2019-23 and earned national recognition for his work. He also worked in the past with ESPN and NBC and continues to work with Fox for national assignments.
What made the Benetti hiring so splashy, other than his national name recognition, was that Benetti was hired by Ilitch Sports + Entertainment instead of by Diamond. That move has apparently ushered in a more hands-on approach from the Tigers’ and Red Wings’ owners in staffing their broadcasters at the network.
And this was just the start of some big turnover.
May 1, 2024: Comcast drops Bally Sports Detroit
Soon after the conclusion of the Pistons’ and Red Wings’ seasons, Comcast announced it would be dropping Bally Sports Detroit, over a dispute over carriage fees, leaving Detroit-area Xfinity customers without access to the channel.
That was a huge interruption for Tigers fans, who either had to change TV providers, download the Bally Sports app (with an approximate $20 per month charge) or go without Tigers games until the issue was resolved in July.
Aug. 23, 2024: Pistons and Red Wings make a deal with Diamond
Pistons and Wings fans didn’t have to deal with interruptions to their broadcasts, though, thanks to a deal the teams made with Diamond ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Other NBA and NHL teams weren’t so lucky, as Diamond dropped teams such as the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans as part of its bankruptcy restructuring deal.
The network attempted to drop its Tigers coverage ahead of the 2025 season, but is so far continuing with its contractual obligations.
Oct. 16, 2024: Bally changes name to FanDuel Sports Network
Diamond sold the naming rights of its RSNs to FanDuel, putting Detroit’s local sports broadcasters even further under the gambling umbrella.
While this change has yet to create any significant effects for the broadcasting of Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings games, it did kick off a host of personnel changes around the network.
Dec. 20, 2024: John Keating announces retirement
In the middle of the Red Wings’ most recent season, iconic Detroit TV host John Keating announced he would retire at the end of the Red Wings season.
Keating hosted pregame and postgame shows for the Tigers and Red Wings and was one of the most decorated TV personalities in Detroit history, winning multiple local Emmys across his decades of work.
Keating left on his own terms at the end of the Red Wings season. Other broadcasters, however, didn’t leave on such gracious terms.
Feb. 26, 2025: Johnny Kane left off Tigers broadcast team
When the Tigers announced their broadcasting team for the 2025 season, sideline reporter Johnny Kane was mysteriously left off the list. Kane has remained with FanDuel as a sideline reporter and backup play-by-play announcer for Pistons games.
Kane also began hosting the “SportsCaster’s Open Mic” show on WJR-AM (760) in March. It is possible the decision was made by Ilitch and not FanDuel, which could explain why Kane is still at the network under the Pistons’ umbrella. Kane declined to comment on the decision at the time.
He has since appeared on the Tigers’ broadcast sporadically, and was set to be on the broadcast for every game in the May 9-14 homestand, according to the Tigers.
On the same day Kane’s name was left off the Tigers’ broadcasting list, it was revealed the team had selected Daniella Bruce to be the Tigers’ new on-field reporter.
May 6, 2025: Mickey York says position has been terminated
Mickey York, who had been with the network in various on-camera roles since 2000, announced on X on May 6 that his position at FanDuel had been terminated.
York had been a popular pre- and post-game host for the Tigers and Pistons. He also worked as a reporter and hosted other shows when the network was under the Fox Sports umbrella.
May 7, 2025: Trevor Thompson’s position eliminated
Longtime Red Wings rinkside reporter Trevor Thompson suffered the same fate as York, with the news leaking a day after York’s announcement.
Thompson started in the same year as York, working primarily as a reporter on Red Wings’ broadcasts. Thompson, a native of Dresden, Ontario, was named a recent inductee of the Dresden Sports Hall of Fame.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.