Columbus Crew SC’s hybrid television partnership featuring both Sinclair operated stations and Time Warner Cable SportsChannel is set to debut tomorrow with the Black & Gold’s Opening Match at MAPFRE Stadium. The contest against the Philadelphia Union is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and be televised on both The CW Columbus and Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, Crew SC’s Pre-Match show (“Matchday”) and Crew SC Post-Match air exclusively on TWCSC beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET and immediately following the match.
In addition to Neil Sika (play-by-play) and Dwight Burgess (analyst), previously announced as on-air talent, Crew SC today announced the addition of several members to the broadcast talent team. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel’s Marisa Contipelli and Chris Doran join Sinclair’s Clay Hall and ColumbusCrewSC.com’s Alex Stec on the talent team.
Doran returns to anchor Crew SC Matchday and Crew SC Post-Match for all contests both home and away, as well as lead halftime coverage of all Crew SC matches. He previously spent 10 years as the English radio play-by-play host for the Chicago Fire before joining Crew SC broadcasts in 2013. His announcing credits also include FOX Sports and the Big Ten Network.
Hall, who will provide sideline coverage for select matches, is the Sports Director of Sinclair operated stations ABC-6 and FOX-28. He has covered Central Ohio sports for 16 years and helped ABC-6 and FOX-28 to be named Best Sports Operation in Ohio by the Associated Press on two occasions (2001, 2010). He and the sports team also won a regional Emmy Award for Ohio State pre-game coverage in 2003.
Contipelli is set to join Crew SC Matchday and Crew SC Post-Match for all home contests at MAPFRE Stadium in addition to sideline reporter duties for select home matches. She has worked as a Video Journalist, Associate Producer and Sideline Reporter for Time Warner Cable SportsChannel since 2014 and also serves as the in-arena host for Ohio State University men’s basketball. Prior to coming to Columbus, she worked for SportsTime Ohio in Cleveland and also was the Cleveland Indians’ In-Game Host.
Stec also is set to provide sideline coverage for select home matches in addition to continuing to provide content for ColumbusCrewSC.com. She joined Crew SC as the club’s Brand Journalist in 2015 from Fox Sports SportsTime Ohio and Fox Sports Ohio, where she worked as a Production Assistant and a Freelance Video Editor, respectively. She has reported on multiple sports for live broadcasts, including high-profile events such as the 2015 OHSAA Girls’ Basketball State Championships, high school football games, SportsTime Ohio updates and interview packages for the Cleveland Indians.
