Matt Holmes Leads New Bulldogs Broadcast Team

BULLDOGS, AM 900 CHML ANNOUNCE 2014-15 BROADCAST TEAM
Hamilton radio personality Matt Holmes named new play-by-play announcer

Hamilton Bulldogs MEDIA RELEASE

HAMILTON, ONT. – The Hamilton Bulldogs and AM 900 CHML announced today their radio broadcast team for the 2014-15 season.

For the first time in 13 years, the Bulldogs will have a new radio play-by-play announcer. Hamilton radio personality Matt Holmes takes over for Derek Wills, who accepted a position with Sportsnet 960 in August to become the voice of the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames. Holmes joins the ‘Dogs after 10 years with CHML, over which time he worked as a news reporter, sports anchor and talk show host. His depth of experience as an on-air personality also includes work as host of both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats pre-game show and the Bulldogs post-game show on CHML, as well as eight seasons of Hamilton Red Wings hockey play-by-play. Holmes was born and raised on Hamilton Mountain, is a graduate of Mohawk College and worked at CHML since 2004.

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Club and its radio broadcasts on AM 900 CHML,” said Bulldogs president Stephen Ostaszewicz. “Following in the footsteps of the long-time voice of the Bulldogs, Derek Wills, is no easy task. However, Matt Holmes is a veteran broadcaster with a high energy level and passionate play calling who will continue to build our brand. We’re very excited to have him as the voice of a new era.”

Joining Holmes in the broadcast booth will be veteran broadcaster Al Craig, who returns for his 13^th full season with the Bulldogs as colour commentator for all home games. Now in his 45^th year of broadcasting, the native of Toronto, Ont. became the most recognizable sports broadcaster in Hamilton during his 23 years at CHML. Serving as the sports director for the majority of his long tenure with the station, Craig covered a wide variety of sports and leagues including the NHL, Major League Baseball, Canadian Football League, Canadian Soccer League and Ontario Hockey League. Craig has also covered a number of historical sporting events, including the 1972 Canada-Soviet Summit Series, the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cups, the 1992 and 1993 World Series, won by the Toronto Blue Jays, the 1997, 2003 and 2007 Calder Cup Finals, as well as numerous World Championships in a number of different sports.

Rick Zamperin, assistant brand, news and sports director at CHML, will also return to host the pre-game show, which features commentary and one-on-one interviews with Bulldogs’ players and staff. Zamperin has been in radio for nearly 20 years and has worked in numerous cities, including Fort McMurray, Alta. and Chatham, Ont. Since 2007, Zamperin’s been the play-by-play announcer of the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.  You can hear his sportscasts every weekday morning on CHML.

Also new to the broadcast team will be post-game show host Anthony Urciuoli, who has anchored sports on CHML for the past four years. Anthony is from Hamilton and is a Mohawk College graduate. The post-game show this season will feature game recaps, player interviews and call-in segments.

The first regular season broadcast with the new lineup will be on Saturday, Oct. 11 when the ‘Dogs visit the Rochester Americans. The broadcast will begin with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m.

Hamilton Bulldogs 2014-15 season tickets, flex tickets and group tickets are on sale now. For more information, call 1-866-DOGS-TIX or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com.

Listen to all Bulldogs regular season and post-season games live on Hamilton’s AM 900 CHML, on www.900chml.com or watch live on www.ahllive.com. Catch select games live in high definition on Cable 14.