Broadcasters Benetti, Dickerson team up for new Tigers podcast
This story was excerpted from Jason Beck's Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Jason Benetti has been a broadcast voice with many outlets, even before he became the television voice of the Tigers this season. Dan Dickerson is settling into a new outlet on TV on weekends when Benetti has national TV and radio obligations. Now, they have a venue to talk to each other, and listeners can tune in at their convenience.
The Tigers have paired their primary play-by-play broadcasters together for a podcast called "Have a Seat." The dynamic duo will welcome players, coaches and executives from the Tigers for stories, background, insights and general conversation. It’s the leadoff hitter in a quartet of Tigers podcasts available this season, as the team expands its offerings with an array of voices providing a glimpse into the organization.
It’s also a new step for Dickerson, who was admittedly reluctant to enter the podcast realm over the years despite a wealth of radio experience, including a weekly radio show during the Hot Stove season. The chance to team up with Benetti, however, was too good to pass up.
“I think this is going to be a lot of fun,” Dickerson said on the introductory episode, released on Monday. “I can’t wait to get started.”
In the first episode, the two broadcasters interviewed each other, trading stories about how they got into broadcasting and eventually into the booth for baseball.
Dickerson talked about early jobs tending a hotel bar and waiting tables, how a future baseball broadcaster handled work in the service industry, early reporting jobs on the news side when he first arrived in Detroit and how a sudden offer from the great Ernie Harwell led to his play-by-play opportunity.
Benetti talked about getting his start in independent league baseball, working through the Minor Leagues and how a camping trip almost halted his career before it could take off.
The first guest, scheduled for the next episode on Thursday, will be manager A.J. Hinch.
New episodes of "Have A Seat" are available in video on the Tigers’ YouTube page, and in audio form on Apple Podcasts as well as Spotify.
In addition to "Have a Seat," the club will debut "Tiger Tales", a short-length, NPR-style podcast that meshes narrative with interviews and game highlights to tell a story with each episode -- from players to coaches and supporters -- looking at historic moments, charitable endeavors and more. Ilitch Sports + Entertainment manager of communications and broadcasting Lydia Cruz hosts the podcast, which debuts on Monday with a closer look at Dickerson’s 25 seasons of Tigers broadcasts.
Looking for more interviews? Check out "Tigers Extra Innings," a shorter-format collection of engaging conversations featuring interviews conducted by Dickerson, Benetti, Daniella Bruce and Carlos Guillen with players and coaches from the Tigers and beyond, and maybe a Detroit celebrity or two.
Back for another season is "Tigers VIP," a weekly podcast for Spanish-speaking audiences hosted by Guillen. He’ll provide updates and interview players present and past, plus broadcasters and celebrities.
For more information all of the Tigers’ podcast offerings, check out tigers.com/podcasts.