Albany Empire Announce Radio Color Commentator
Wednesday February 27, 2019
Arena League Veteran Pete Porcelli to Join Empire Radio Team for 2019 Season
ALBANY, NY- The Albany Empire has announced that Pete Porcelli will join the radio team as Color Commentator for broadcasts throughout the 2019 season. Porcelli will join AJ Kanell, Play-By-Play Announcer for the Empire, for pre-game, in-game, and post-game broadcasts.
An Arena Football veteran, Porcelli debuted with the Albany Firebirds in the team’s inaugural season in 1990 and spent four seasons with the team as an offensive and defensive lineman. After his stint in the Capital Region, Porcelli spent the next three seasons playing for the Las Vegas Sting, Connecticut Coyotes, and the Anaheim Piranhas. Porcelli made his way back to Albany in 2002 where he spent four seasons as an assistant coach of the Albany Conquest (AF2). As a local coach at the high school level, Porcelli has led eight teams to Sectional Final Super Bowls and won four. Currently, Porcelli is a physical education teacher in the Albany school district and the Varsity Football Coach at Watervliet High School.
"I feel honored and humbled to be a part of the Empire’s continued success in the Capital Region,” said Porcelli. “I am passionate about the sport of football, especially Arena football, and hopefully I can use my experience as a player and a coach to provide insight of the various nuances that makes arena football such a special fan interactive game.”
“Adding a guy like Pete Porcelli to our radio broadcast team takes our broadcasts to a whole new level,” said George Manias, COO of the Albany Empire. “Pete’s background in the AFL will bring a great perspective to our fans and he will really help educate the fans on the nuances of the game. “A.J. Kanell already does a tremendous job for us on the play-by-play and now with Pete by his side, our listening audience will receive an unbelievable experience when they tune into our broadcasts.”
“I am extremely excited to have Pete join the broadcast team,” said Kanell. “His passion for football and knowledge of the AFL will immediately endear him to our fan base. I know we both can’t wait for the 2019 season to get underway!”
Fans can secure season tickets for the Albany Empire by calling 518-533-2200, by going to TheAlbanyEmpire.com, or by stopping by the Empire office located in the Times Union Center. A limited number of great seats are still available! Want to bring your organization to a game, fundraise, or perform on the field? Group experiences are now on sale. Call 518-533-2200 for additional information.
Albany Empire 2019 Season Presented By CDPHP.
About Albany Empire
Season memberships for the 2019 season are on sale now. For tickets, contact the Albany Empire sales department at (518) 533-2200 or by going to TheAlbanyEmpire.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/TheAlbanyEmpire and Twitter at twitter.com/Albany_Empire.
About the Arena Football League
The Arena Football League enters its 32nd season in 2019. Since its inception in 1987, the AFL showcases a fast-paced, exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets. With the addition of two new teams in Atlantic City, N.J., and Columbus, O.H., the League totals six teams for 2019: Albany, Atlantic City, Columbus, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. Each team will play 12 regular-season games in 2019. One can find the League can on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using the handle @OfficialAFL.
About Times Union Center
Albany’s Times Union Center, formerly Pepsi Arena, continues to have great success. Renamed in January 2007, the Times Union Center is “Upstate New York’s Premier Sports and Entertainment Facility. Owned by Albany County and operated by SMG, the world’s largest private management firm for public assembly facilities, the Times Union Center has an adaptable seating capacity between 6,000 and 17,500. Since Frank Sinatra christened the building on January 30, 1990, more than seven million patrons have walked through the turnstiles. As a multi-purpose facility, the Times Union Center has hosted a variety of events, including concerts, family shows and sporting events, averaging 165 events each year.
About CDPHP®
Established in 1984, CDPHP is a physician-founded, member-focused and community-based not-for-profit health plan that offers high-quality affordable health insurance plans to members in 26 counties throughout New York. CDPHP is also on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram.
About Transfinder
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a national leader in intelligent transportation systems, providing transportation management systems and services to school districts, municipalities and adult care facilities. Transfinder, an Inc. magazine “fastest-growing company” for the past eleven straight years, has offices in Austin, Texas, and Shanghai, China. The software company develops and supports routing and scheduling solutions for optimal transportation logistics. http://transfinder.com