Matt Shepard Out As Detroit Tigers TV Voice

The Detroit News was first to report, and was confirmed by Bally Sports Detroit on Tuesday morning, that fifth-year television voice Matt Shepard will not return to the booth to broadcast Detroit Tigers games in 2024.

Shepard took over for Mario Impemba for the final month of the 2018 season when Impemba and color analyst Rod Allen were suspended and later fired for their altercation after a broadcast between the Tigers and the Chicago White Sox.

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Matt has been with Bally Sports Detroit (BSD), and it's earlier incarnation, Fox Sports Detroit, since the late 1990's.  He has broadcasted many events on TV for the network over that time.

He has also been the radio play-by-play voice for University of Michigan men's basketball and for Eastern Michigan football.  And has worked in Detroit radio in various roles for over 25 years.

Bally Sports Detroit general manager Greg Hammaren had this to say about Tuesday's announcement:

"Bally Sports Detroit thanks Matt Shepard for his five seasons of dedication in the Tigers television booth, and wish him the best in his future endeavors, he's been a great teammate and has an incredible passion for Detroit sports and bringing compelling storylines to millions of fans every year. Change is often difficult, but we feel it's time to head in a new direction and are looking forward to the process of finding our next play-by-play voice of the Tigers."

The Tigers and BSD will begin a search for a new television play-by-play broadcaster immediately.  It is unclear as to how many, if any, of Shepard's color commentators will return in 2024.