It’s been a frustrating season for the Detroit Tigers and their fans. And apparently, that frustration has boiled over to the broadcast booth.
According to several reports, Detroit Tigers Fox Sports Detroit broadcasters Mario Impemba and Rod Allen had some sort of physical altercation following the Tigers’ game against the White Sox on Tuesday. The pair have worked together calling Tigers games for Fox Sports Detroit for 17 years now, and though it isn’t exactly clear what caused the confrontation, sources familiar with the situation have described the situation as a “clash of personalities”.
According to The Athletic:
“Multiple sources told The Athletic that neither Impemba nor Allen were part of Wednesday’s broadcast due to a physical altercation between the two television personalities following Tuesday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox. It is not immediately clear what prompted the attack.
According to the accounts of those sources, there has been simmering tension between both Impemba and Allen and the clash of personalities ultimately boiled over on Tuesday night.”
In their absence on Wednesday, Matt Shepard and Kirk Gibson filled in.
The sources asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak on the incident, though one person who was present described the situation as “severe”. The embattled duo traveled back to Detroit separately and will be meeting with Fox Sports Detroit executives to determine what happens next. Another source familiar with the situation said that while the duo has worked together for several years, they aren’t exactly friends off camera.
“I don’t think it was a secret,” the Fox Sports employee said.
Fox Sports Detroit’s general manager Greg Hammaren didn’t go into the incident in detail, saying “My only comment is this we are addressing an internal matter and we will not have any further comment at this time.”
The Tigers return home Friday for a weekend series with the St. Louis Cardinals, during which they will be honoring the 50th anniversary of the 1968 World Series squad.
