R-Phils announce All-Star broadcasts
On Tuesday, July 10, the Baseballtown All-Star Classic Home Run Derby will be broadcast on Service Electric Cable TV and Communications 2 Sports. The next night, on Wednesday, July 11, the Baseballtown All-Star Classic game will be broadcast on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia live at 7:00 p.m.
Service Electric will produce both games in sparkling, crisp high-definition, with Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia airing the all-star game.
"Service Electric TV2 is the exclusive home for the Phillies Minor league Triple-A and Double-A teams. We are excited to be able to showcase these exciting events to all of our subscribers across our broadcast network. This will be a must see event," said Andy Himmelwright, General Manager for Service Electric Cable TV - TV2.
Based in Allentown, Pa., SECTV 2Sports produces 25 Reading Phillies games throughout the season that air on network affiliated Service Electric Cablevision, Service Electric Company, Blue Ridge Cable TV-11, Blue Ridge Cable TV-13 and WYLN-35. Overall, R-Phils games have been carried in more than one million homes this season.
Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, part of the NBC Sports Group, is the leading regional sports network reaching more than three million viewers in and around Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Delaware. Together with The Comcast Network, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia provides local sports fans with the most sports coverage including more than 550 live game broadcasts of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, MLB's Philadelphia Phillies, MLS's Philadelphia Union, plus NCAA coverage, as well as Emmy Award-winning sports news and analysis. Visit CSNPhilly.com for more information.
Handling play-by-play for the event will be Steve Degler who will announce the game alongside Comcast SportsNet's Phillies Pre and Postgame Live analyst Ricky Bottalico. Dugout reporters Doug Heater and Rob Hackash will be providing on the field insight for both rosters.
Degler, who served as the R-Phils primary radio voice since 1992, was the longest tenured broadcaster in the Eastern League before his departure in 2008 for Service Electric 2Sports. Former big leaguer Bottalico returns to Baseballtown where he holds the all-time saves record for the Reading Phillies with 42 overall saves between the 1993 and 1994 seasons.
Being played at FirstEnergy Stadium for the first time since 1974, the Baseballtown All-Star Classic will feature stars from the Eastern League's Eastern Division facing off against the Western Division. In the past, such future Major League stars such as Jose Bautista, David Wright, Hanley Ramirez, and Ryan Howard have played in the mid-summer event.
"We are so excited to have Service Electric & Comcast SportsNet televising the Baseballtown All-Star Classic Events," said R-Phils General Manager Scott Hunsicker. "Baseball fans throughout the region, and around the country, will now have the opportunity to see America's Classic Ballpark and in all its HDTV glory. We can't wait to share the fun of the July 10 All-Star Home Run Derby and July 11 All-Star Game with our loyal fans here at the ballpark, and those watching at home."
Brian Seltzer, the voice of the Reading Phillies, will handle the radio broadcast for both events on Clear Channel Communications station 1340 WRAW-AM and online at 1340wraw.com. Smart phone users can also access both broadcasts via the iHeart Radio app. Based in Reading, WRAW-AM reaches an eight-county radius including Berks County.
Offering affordable family entertainment all summer, the Reading Phillies have been the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies since 1967. The 46-year continuous affiliation is tied with the Lakeland Flying Tigers as the longest in the Minor Leagues. Over the years, players such as Mike Schmidt, Ryne Sandberg, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Ryan Howard have come through Baseballtown on their way to Major League stardom.
There's only 12 days remaining until the Baseballtown All-Star Classic and tickets for that and all regular season home games can be purchased online at www.RPhils.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in person at the R-Phils Ticket Office at FirstEnergy Stadium. The 2012 season featuring the Baseballtown All-Star Classic at America's Classic Ballpark is presented by Pepsi.