Dragons Announce 2014 TV Schedule

The Dayton Dragons announced today that 25 home games during the 2013 season will be televised live from Fifth Third Field on WHIO Digital Channel 7.2 (channel 23 and digital channel 372 on most Time Warner Cable systems in the Miami Valley). The games are available to more than 500,000 households.

This marks the fourth straight year in which the Dragons have presented a 25-game TV package. The Dragons televised 15 games per season from 2001-2010 and five games in the 2000 season.

Each telecast will feature a special guest commentator who will work with Dragons play-by-play announcer Tom Nichols. Among those expected to appear on telecasts are:

• Ron Oester, former Reds infielder (2014 inductee into the Reds Hall-of-Fame)
• Bill Doran, former Houston Astros star and current Reds Minor League Field Coordinator
• Tommy Helms, former Reds player, coach, and manager (member of the Reds Hall-of-Fame)
• Todd Benzinger, former Reds player/former Dragons manager
• Joe Price, former Reds pitcher
• Eddie Milner, former Reds outfielder
• Doug Bair, former Reds pitcher/former Dragons pitching coach
• Chris Sexton, former Reds infielder
• Jeff Reboulet, former Major League infielder and Dayton native
• Hal McCoy, Hall-of-fame baseball writer
• Paul Keels, Ohio State University broadcaster
• Mike Hartsock, WHIO TV-7 Sports Director
• Mike Vander Woude, the voice of the Dragons from 2000-2007
• Chick Ludwig, WONE Radio host
• Larry Hansgen of WHIO Radio
• Mo Egger, WLW Radio Sports Talk host
• Grant Griesser, former Reds Assistant Director of Player Development
• Jamie Ramsey, Reds Assistant Director of Media Relations (author of the blog "Better Off Red")
• Brad Del Barba, Major League Baseball scout and former Reds executive
• Daryl Smith, Baseball Author
• Greg Rhodes, Reds team historian

Sponsors for Dragons television broadcasts include Dayton Power & Light, IUE-CWA, Smoothie King, Alliance for Consumer Education, Greater Ohio Virtual School, Gamin' Ride, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cohen Recycling, IWORKS, Coldwell Banker Heritage Realtors, Courtyard by Marriott Dayton South, and Voss Auto.   

BILL DORAN TO WORK FIRST BROADCAST

Bill Doran will serve as the guest commentator on the Dragons first television broadcast on Thursday, April 3. The Dragons host the West Michigan Whitecaps at Fifth Third Field at 7:00 p.m.

Doran spent 12 years in the Major Leagues from 1982-'93 and was regarded as one of the top second basemen in baseball throughout the 1980's. He received National League Most Valuable Player votes in 1985, '86, and '87 as a member of the Houston Astros and finished fifth in the N.L. Rookie of the Year voting in 1983. In 1987, Doran played in all 162 games to lead the National League. He hit .283 with a career-high 16 home runs and 79 runs batted in while stealing 31 bases. One of Doran's biggest career hits was a two-run home run in game two of the 1986 National League Championship Series with the Astros against Ron Darling and the New York Mets. 

Just before the September 1 trade deadline in 1990, Doran was dealt by the Astros to the Cincinnati Reds. In his second week with the Reds, he earned National League Player of the Week honors and helped the Reds to the National League West title. Doran was on the Reds post-season roster in 1990 but a back injury prevented him from playing as the club won the N.L. Pennant and World Series.

Doran is a native of Cincinnati. He attended Mount Healthy High School and Miami University. Since the conclusion of his playing career, Doran has served as a Major League coach with the Reds and Royals. He currently serves as Field Coordinator for the Reds, overseeing field instruction for all Minor League players in the Reds organization.

Dragons 2014 Television Broadcast Schedule

Thursday, April 3 - West Michigan Whitecaps

Saturday, April 5 - West Michigan Whitecaps

Thursday, April 17 - Kane County Cougars

Friday, April 18 - Kane County Cougars

Thursday, May 1 - Lansing Lugnuts

Thursday, May 8 - Fort Wayne TinCaps

Friday, May 9 - Fort Wayne TinCaps

Saturday, May 10 - Fort Wayne TinCaps

Thursday, May 22 - West Michigan Whitecaps

Friday, May 23 - West Michigan Whitecaps

Saturday, May 31 - Lansing Lugnuts

Thursday, June 12 - Bowling Green Hot Rods

Friday, June 13 - Lake County Captains

Saturday, June 14 - Lake County Captains

Saturday, June 28 - Lake County Captains

Thursday, July 3 - Fort Wayne TinCaps

Thursday, July 10 - South Bend Silver Hawks

Friday, July 11 - West Michigan Whitecaps

Saturday, July 12 - West Michigan Whitecaps

Thursday, July 24 - Quad Cities River Bandits

Friday, July 25 - Quad Cities River Bandits

Saturday, July 26 - Cedar Rapids Kernels

Saturday, August 2 - South Bend Silver Hawks

Saturday, August 16 - Bowling Green Hot Rods

Wednesday, August 27 - Lansing Lugnuts

DRAGONS RADIO BROADCASTS ON WONE 980 AM

All 140 Dragons home and road games in 2014 will be broadcast on radio on the Dragons flagship station, WONE 980 AM in Dayton. All games are also streamed on-line at www.daytondragons.com and can be heard via the Dragons mobile app (free download at iTunes or Google Play). Each broadcast begins with the pre-game show thirty minutes before the first pitch of every Dragons game, featuring game previews, interviews, and lineups. Each Dragons game is followed by an extensive post-game show featuring game recaps, interviews, and out of town scores. 

Nichols returns for his seventh season with the Dragons and 27th year in Minor League Baseball. He will serve as the play-by-play announcer on all 25 television broadcasts and all radio broadcasts for games that are not televised. Brendan Gulick joins the Dragons radio team for the 2014 season. He will be part of at least 70 radio broadcasts and will handle radio play-by-play for games when Nichols is working the television broadcast.