Orlando City SC has announced its television, streaming and radio broadcast talent for the 2021 Major League Soccer campaign.
The broadcast lineup on the television side includes the return of the Lion’s featured broadcast team of Evan Weston on play-by-play and Miguel Gallardo as color analyst. 2021 will also feature the addition of Gabrielle Amado as City’s sideline reporter.
Amado, an experienced, multilingual soccer journalist, joins the crew from BeIN Sports. She is currently the anchor of the nationally televised show The Soccer XTRA and the host of the daily digital show Sports Burst. Sergio Ruiz Torres and Israel Heredia will continue to call radio matches in Spanish, with Scott Harris and Paul Shaw calling matches in English.
On the heels of a multi-year partnership extension with FOX 35/FOX 35 PLUS (WOFL/WRBW), FOX35 PLUS will serve as the flagship station for all City’s locally-televised games, while LionNation TV will serve as the exclusive streaming partner for all local broadcasts. In 2021, 28 of Orlando's 34 regular-season matches will air within the FOX family, including FOX35 Plus and FS1.
Radio coverage for City will be provided in both English and Spanish during the 2021 season. Acción 97.9FM/810AM in Spanish will serve as the home for Orlando City Spanish radio, while FM 96.9 The Game or Real Radio 104.1 FM will have English coverage all season long.
2021 Orlando City Broadcast Talent Lineup:
Evan Weston, TV Play-by-Play
Evan Weston will enter his third season at the helm of play-by-play duties for City on the television side of the production. Weston enters his fifth season overall with the Club, spending his first two years as the play-by-play voice on English radio. Weston, 28, is a graduate of Syracuse University.
Miguel Gallardo, TV Color Analyst
Former Orlando City goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo returns for a fifth season as a color analyst. At the professional level, Gallardo captained Orlando and appeared in 81 matches for City from 2011-2014. A fan-favorite, he was named USL Pro All-League in 2011 and 2012. Following Orlando City, the Mexico native played for the NASL’s Jacksonville Armada and MASL’s Florida Tropics. Gallardo also works as an ambassador for the Orlando City Foundation in conjunction with his broadcast responsibilities.
Gabrielle Amado, Sideline Reporter
Gabrielle Amado is currently the anchor of the nationally-televised show The Soccer XTRA. Gabrielle has risen from an intern to covering events for beIN SPORTS around the globe. She has been sent as a sideline reporter to six editions of “El Clásico” in Madrid and Barcelona, in addition to the Copa Libertadores Final in Lima, Peru. Gabrielle is a graduate from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a triple degree in Broadcast & Digital Journalism, Spanish & History. The New Jersey born, Portuguese-American citizen speaks English, Spanish as well as Portuguese, and has radio, magazine and online experience.
Sergio Ruiz Torres, Spanish Radio Play-by-Play
Sergio Ruiz Torres returns to the booth as the Spanish play-by-play voice of Orlando City SC. Ruiz enters his seventh season at the helm on Acción 97.9FM/810AM. A former sports Anchor for Univisión Orlando, the native of Venezuela also serves as a producer and reporter for Telemundo Orlando and previously broadcast World Cup qualifying, Copa America and Copa Libertadores matches.
Israel Heredia, Spanish Radio Color Analyst
Israel Heredia also returns for his seventh season in the booth for the Spanish radio broadcast. Heredia will serve as the color analyst for Acción 97.9FM/810AM for all of Orlando City’s matches this season. A host for CNC Television in Central Florida, Heredia also covered the latest edition of the FIFA World Cup on-site in Russia in 2018 for Vid 96.1 FM, adding that to his extensive resumé that includes Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana experience.
Scott Harris, English Radio Play-by-Play
Scott Harris has been a sports radio personality for the last 10 years as the executive producer of the weekday radio show, “The Beat of Sports”, as well as being the digital content manager for FM 96.9 The Game and iHeartMedia Orlando. Harris began covering the Lions during their 2015 inaugural Major League Soccer season as the post-match interviewer and later expanded his role to sideline reporter and pregame show host. In 2021 he added the role play-by-play radio voice for Orlando City on FM 96.9 The Game and Real Radio 104.1. Born and raised in Orlando he started his radio career soon after graduating and used his dedication and hard work to continue to grow into new roles over the years.
Paul Shaw, English Radio Color Analyst
Paul Shaw returns to the booth as the Club’s English radio color analyst for the 2021 season. Also serving as the Club’s Youth Soccer Technical Director & Director of Coaching at the Club’s youth location at Seminole Soccer Complex, Shaw played over 450 professional games in a career that spanned over 20 years. Shaw, a former Arsenal midfielder featured under Arsene Wenger in Champions League play and later, as the first Englishman to play in Hungary, captained Ferencvaros to a second division title by a record 17 points.