Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
WVU’s Caridi Excited to Call Upcoming Big 12 esports Tournament
June 23, 2020 11:49 AM | Football, Blog
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Tony Caridi has called Little League Games, dirt-track racing, gymnastics, wrestling and was once even a ring announcer for a boxing match.
He's also done a little dee-jaying during his time and now he can add Madden NFL 20 to his announcing repertoire.
Yesterday, the Big 12 Conference and its media rights partner, Learfield IMG College, announced the launch of an esports tournament for all 12 members schools.
The online-only event begins on July 13 with each Big 12 member school playing a single-elimination game over a three-day period to determine the field for a two-day Big 12 Championship Tournament beginning July 18.
Big 12 Now on ESPN+ will carry the finals of each school tournament, as well as games from the Big 12 Championship rounds.
Big 12 This Week host Bill Pollock will call the action and will be joined by radio play-by-play announces from each Big 12 institution.
The school's play-by-play announcers will call the qualifying tournament games as well.
"I'm looking forward to it, and I'm intrigued about the entire concept," Caridi said. "I will be very surprised if the West Virginia entrees don't do extremely well."
Caridi admits he's a novice when it come to Madden Football, and he will likely have to hit up his son Andrew for information.
"He can kind of explain it to me a little bit, but I'll figure it out," Caridi said.
Caridi did use Madden Football to help with a play-by-play class he teaches through WVU's Reed College of Media.
"We did Madden and that's how the students practiced doing play-by-play," he recalled. We did an NFC championship game, Eagles against somebody, and it was a great way for them to learn."
Caridi said he will put together a chart for the broadcast similar to what he does for a Mountaineer football or men's basketball broadcast.
So fans listening to the broadcast will know a little bit more about Johnny Smith from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, when he's going for it on fourth and 20 from his own 1-yard line.
"You can't go to a wedding without a present and you can't go and do a game without a chart," Caridi chuckled. "Every broadcast in some way, shape or form is telling a story and if I don't know what the story is I can't tell the story so, yeah, I am going to need info."
In this case, he might be on his own. Caridi has come to rely on the extensive notes football sports information director Mike Montoro and men's basketball sports information director Bryan Messerly produce for each game.
In this instance, Caridi may have to do a little more digging than usual.
"I would imagine Montoro would issue a release and have some game notes for this, wouldn't he?" Caridi joked.
Registration for the qualifying tournaments is open to all Big 12 students beginning June 22 and closes July 10.
More information on the esports tournament is forthcoming.
He's also done a little dee-jaying during his time and now he can add Madden NFL 20 to his announcing repertoire.
Yesterday, the Big 12 Conference and its media rights partner, Learfield IMG College, announced the launch of an esports tournament for all 12 members schools.
The online-only event begins on July 13 with each Big 12 member school playing a single-elimination game over a three-day period to determine the field for a two-day Big 12 Championship Tournament beginning July 18.
Big 12 Now on ESPN+ will carry the finals of each school tournament, as well as games from the Big 12 Championship rounds.
Big 12 This Week host Bill Pollock will call the action and will be joined by radio play-by-play announces from each Big 12 institution.The school's play-by-play announcers will call the qualifying tournament games as well.
"I'm looking forward to it, and I'm intrigued about the entire concept," Caridi said. "I will be very surprised if the West Virginia entrees don't do extremely well."
Caridi admits he's a novice when it come to Madden Football, and he will likely have to hit up his son Andrew for information.
"He can kind of explain it to me a little bit, but I'll figure it out," Caridi said.
Caridi did use Madden Football to help with a play-by-play class he teaches through WVU's Reed College of Media.
"We did Madden and that's how the students practiced doing play-by-play," he recalled. We did an NFC championship game, Eagles against somebody, and it was a great way for them to learn."
Caridi said he will put together a chart for the broadcast similar to what he does for a Mountaineer football or men's basketball broadcast.
So fans listening to the broadcast will know a little bit more about Johnny Smith from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, when he's going for it on fourth and 20 from his own 1-yard line.
"You can't go to a wedding without a present and you can't go and do a game without a chart," Caridi chuckled. "Every broadcast in some way, shape or form is telling a story and if I don't know what the story is I can't tell the story so, yeah, I am going to need info."
In this case, he might be on his own. Caridi has come to rely on the extensive notes football sports information director Mike Montoro and men's basketball sports information director Bryan Messerly produce for each game.
In this instance, Caridi may have to do a little more digging than usual.
"I would imagine Montoro would issue a release and have some game notes for this, wouldn't he?" Caridi joked.
Registration for the qualifying tournaments is open to all Big 12 students beginning June 22 and closes July 10.
More information on the esports tournament is forthcoming.
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