TV/English Radio Talent
Neil Sika - Play by Play
Neil Sika is the play-by-play announcer for Columbus Crew SC's broadcasts. Entering his 11th full season, Sika served as the club's radio announcer from 2007-2014 before co-hosting Spectrum Sports/CD102.5's broadcasts in 2015. Sika also features on Spectrum Sports' weekly magazine show, "Access Crew SC," alongside Dwight Burgess and Marisa Contipelli. Additionally, Sika is a co-host on the club's weekly radio show, "Inside Crew SC," on CD102.5 FM. He began calling games for the Black & Gold in 2004 and formerly served as the voice of Ohio State hockey (2003-08) and baseball (2004-05).
Sika is also the host and lead announcer for the FBU National Championship. His national credits include work for Spectrum Sports, the Big Ten Network, ESPN3, and Sirius XM's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Follow Neil on Twitter at @neilsika.
Dwight Burgess - Color Analyst
Dwight Burgess is the color analyst for Columbus Crew SC broadcasts and returns for his 22nd season with the club, bringing more than three decades of soccer-specific broadcast experience. Burgess also features on Spectrum Sports' weekly magazine show, "Access Crew SC," alongside Neil Sika and Marisa Contipelli. Additionally, Burgess is a co-host on the club's weekly radio show, "Inside Crew SC," on CD102.5 FM.
Burgess has called the action for a variety of national and international soccer events, including XM Satellite Radio’s 2006 FIFA World Cup coverage. He spent two years as the radio play-by-play announcer for Ohio State men’s basketball and hockey. Currently the head men's soccer coach at Wittenberg University, he also has ample soccer coaching experience, having started as the Assistant Head Coach at The Ohio State University for two years before progressing to Capital University. Burgess led Capital’s men’s and women’s programs to six conference championships and three NCAA Tournament berths combined.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Centerville, Ohio, Burgess also played in back-to-back OHSAA Final Four matches while at Centerville High School. He split his college tenure at DePauw University and at University of Dayton. He was twice selected to development camps for the U.S. Men’s National Program for soccer, scored two goals in international friendlies and earned multiple state, regional and national honors in his playing career. Burgess was a member of the champion squad that secured victory at the Ohio State Olympic Games as well.
Follow Dwight on Twitter at @DwightBurgess.
Marisa Contipelli - Spectrum Sports
Marisa Contipelli joins 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. Contipelli also features on Spectrum Sports' weekly magazine show, "Access Crew SC," alongside Dwight Burgess and Neil Sika.
She has worked as a Video Journalist, Associate Producer and Sideline Reporter for Spectrum Sports 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.
Follow Marisa on Twitter at @marisarae19.
Clay Hall - Sports Director, ABC-6/FOX-28
Clay Hall provides sideline coverage for select matches. He is the Sports Director of 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.
Follow Clay on Twitter at @clayywsyx6.
Alex Stec - Brand Journalist, ColumbusCrewSC.com
Alex Stec provides 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.
Follow Alex on Twitter at @Alex_Stec_.
Spanish Radio Talent
Juan Valladares - Play-By-Play, La Mega 103.1 FM
Juan Valladares is entering his seventh season on Crew SC's Spanish radio broadcast, having re-joined the Black & Gold team in 2013 after serving as a sideline analyst during the 2009 and 2010 campaigns. He worked in radio from 1994-1996, providing coverage of professional soccer before becoming a co-anchor on Channel 25 TV in Honduras from 1995-2002. He worked for Radio America Deportiva from 2002-2008. Valladares joined the Azteca America broadcast team to work on “Passion de Futbol” as co-anchor in 2009 and assisted in coverage of CONCACAF Gold Cup coverage in 2009 and 2010 and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers nationwide from 2010-2013.
