For many sports teams, their announcers broadcasting the games are almost inseparable from the team. This can be especially true for baseball. The high number of games played almost every day for such a stretch of time make it so. Just in the midwest alone, fans have been delighted by listening to many legendary figures, including Bob Uecker, Marty Brennaman, Jack Buck, and Harry Caray. But another midwestern baseball team, the Detroit Tigers, is facing a different situation regarding their television broadcasting team.


The main broadcasting duo allegedly got into a dangerous fight over a chair

Mario Impemba called minor league baseball and hockey before joining the broadcast team for the Anaheim Angels. In 2002, he was hired to call the play-by-play for the Tigers on Fox Sports Detroit.

Rod Allen played three Major League Baseball seasons, one of which was with the Tigers. After playing in Japan and coaching the minor leagues, he became an analyst for the Arizona Diamondbacks broadcasting team. During that time, he called the Diamondbacks' World Series Championship in 2001.

He joined Impemba in calling Tigers games during the 2003 season.

Since partnering up, both men have regional Emmys for their work. They've also been able to call some very high-profile moments, and some very low ones, for the Tigers. The 2003 Tigers season was one of the worst in baseball history. However, the team made it to the World Series just three years later. But behind the scenes, apparently not all has been well.

According to Sporting News, the two have had a tense relationship. Things apparently came to a head recently.


The two were in Chicago for a series of games between the Tigers and the White Sox. Reportedly, a disagreement erupted over a chair in the broadcast booth. Allegedly, Impemba turned around to leave, and Allen violently choked him from behind.

Both are banned for the remainder of the season

After the alleged incident, the men were taken back to Detroit on separate flights. Matt Shepard and former Tigers player Kirk Gibson had to quickly be brought in to replace them. Neither Impemba nor Allen will call any more Tigers games for the rest of the season.

Beyond that, their broadcasting future is currently uncertain. Regarding the issue, a Fox Sports Detroit official said that they were "addressing an internal matter."

Detroit's local Fox station reports that Allen's agent denies that the fight happened at all. There hasn't been a public response from Impemba's side.