Report: Detroit Tigers TV announcers Mario Impemba, Rod Allen involved in physical altercation

Mario Impemba and Rod Allen. (Photos: Twitter)

DETROIT – The Fox Sports Detroit broadcast team for the Tigers, Mario Impemba and Rod Allen, were reportedly involved in a physical altercation Tuesday night.

UPDATE: Rod Allen and Mario Impemba not scheduled for anymore Tigers telecasts this season

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SOURCES: Allen choked Impemba after disagreement over chair in broadcast booth

The Athletic reports the play-by-play team was involved in a physical fight following Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox. 

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.

Fox Sports Detroit general manager Greg Hammaren told The Athletic that they would not comment on the story, but declined to deny it. 

“My only comment is this we are addressing an internal matter and we will not have any further comment at this time.”

Impemba has been in the booth for the Tigers since 2002.

Matt Shepard and Kirk Gibson called Wednesday night's game against the White Sox in place of the normal broadcast team. 


About the Author

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.

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