Tigers broadcasters Mario Impemba and Rod Allen got into a physical fight. It was known by many that they are not close friends.
Wochit, Detroit Free Press
The contentious personal relationship between Fox Sports Detroit’s top two Detroit Tigers broadcasters, Mario Impemba and Rod Allen, has boiled over.
The pair was involved in a physical altercation immediately following Tuesday night’s game against the White Sox, according to multiple persons with direct knowledge of the situation.
The sources requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the incident, which was described as “severe” by one person who was present. Katie Strang of The Athletic was first to report the news.
When asked about the incident, Fox Sports Detroit general manager Greg Hammeran referred questions to Courtney Welch, the station’s director of social media and communications.
“We’re addressing an internal matter and will not have any further comment at this time,” Welch said.
It is unclear what led to the incident. Both Impemba and Allen did not respond to comment when contacted late Wednesday night.
In their place, Matt Shepard and Kirk Gibson called the series finale against the White Sox on Wednesday.
Impemba, 55, and Allen, 58, traveled back to Detroit separately, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, and are scheduled to meet with Fox Sports Detroit executives on Thursday to determine the next course of action.
The pair is in its 17th season broadcasting Tigers games together for the station. Though their on-air relationship has remained cordial, off the air, they are not considered friends.
“I don’t think it was a secret,” one Fox Sports Detroit employee said.
Hammaran did not specify whether Impemba or Allen were suspended, but Allen is not scheduled to work the next six games. It also wasn’t immediately clear whether a police report was filed after the incident.
Impemba is Fox Sports Detroit’s play-by-play broadcaster, while Allen serves as the color analyst for the bulk of the games, sharing duties with Gibson.
The Tigers are off on Thursday but open a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Comerica Park on Friday. The team is scheduled to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1968 World Series champions during the series.
Contact Anthony Fenech: afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech. Free Press sports writer Kirkland Crawford contributed to this report. Download our Tigers Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!
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