AFL I Cleveland Gladiators

Gladiators Name Radio Broadcast Team

Published on February 15, 2008 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Cleveland Gladiators News Release


CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Gladiators are pleased to announce the official radio broadcast team for the 2008 season. Akron native and current Youngstown television personality Mike Case will handle play-by-play duties for all 16 games, while former Browns defensive back Hanford Dixon will serve as the color analyst for each of the Gladiators eight home games and select road games. The team announced in January that ESPN 850 WNKR and Cleveland's AM 1540 KNR2 is the flagship home for the 2008 season.

Case comes to the Gladiators having spent the 2007 season as the play-by-play voice of the Mahoning Valley Thunder of the arenafootball2 League in Youngstown, Ohio. He currently serves as the (NBC) WFMJ Today live reporter in Youngstown. Prior to Youngstown, Case spent time with WOIO/WUAB (CBS) in Cleveland, WAKC (ABC) in Akron. He has also done sideline reporting for the then SportsChannel, which is now Fox Sports Ohio. He is a graduate of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and earned his B.A in Communications from John Carroll University in 1991.

Dixon, one of the most recognizable names in Cleveland Browns history, will join Case in the broadcast booth. Having enjoyed a nine-year NFL playing career, all with the Browns, he was named to the Pro Bowl on three separate occasions, in 1987, '88 and '89. In 131 career games, Dixon recorded 26 interceptions for 225 yards. He is also credited with the naming of the "Dawg Pound" section in the end zone of Municipal Stadium. For a number of years, Dixon co-hosted Cleveland Browns pre and post-game radio shows on WTAM radio and most recently Browns pre and post-game television shows on WOIO-19 in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Gladiators are set to kick off their inaugural Arena Football League season on Monday, March 3 versus the New York Dragons at Quicken Loans Arena. Group, season and Flex Book packages can be purchased by calling 216.685.9000. Single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by at all TicketMaster locations, calling 216.241.2121, or by visiting www.clevelandgladiators.com.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

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Mike Case

Play-by-play Radio Broadcaster

Mike Case was named the Cleveland Gladiators play-by-play radio broadcaster on Thursday, February 14, 2008. Case enters his first season in the Arena Football League and second overall in arena football, having served as the play-by-play voice of the Mahoning Valley Thunder of the arenafootball2 League in Youngstown, Ohio for the 2007 season. He will be joined in the broadcast booth by former Cleveland Browns defensive back, Hanford Dixon.

Case currently serves as the WFMJ-21 Today Live reporter (NBC) in Youngstown. He has been with WFMJ for over seven years, having spent five of them as one part of the Double Coverage sports team before making the switch to mornings. Case can be seen all of the Mahoning Valley each and every day during Youngstown's most popular morning show.

Prior to joining the WFMJ family, Case served as a sports reporter for WOIO (CBS) & WUAB in Cleveland, WAKC (ABC) in Akron and handled play-by-play duties for WAPS (Akron Public Schools). He has also done sideline reporting for the then SportsChannel, which is now Fox Sports Ohio.

A graduate of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary high school, Case earned his B.A. in Communications from John Carroll University in 1991. He was a three-year varsity letter winner in baseball for the Blue Streaks. Case and his wife Shelley, welcomed the couple's first child, Mario, in October and reside in Tallmadge, Ohio.

Hanford Dixon

Color Analyst Radio Broadcaster

Hanford Dixon was named the Cleveland Gladiators radio broadcast color analyst on February 14th, 2008. He will join play-by-play announcer Mike Case in the inaugural season of Gladiators football on ESPN 850 WKNR and Cleveland's AM 1540 KNR2. No stranger to professional football, Dixon will enter his first season in the Arena Football League. Dixon will handle color analyst duties for each of the eight Gladiators home games, as well as select road contests.

He is credited with being the originator of the "Dawgs" nickname for the defensive backs, eventually leading to the terminology of the "Dawg Pound" on the east end bleacher area of Cleveland Stadium. He ranks in a tie for eighth place among Browns' all-time interception leaders with 26. During his tenure, he helped the Browns reach the Divisional Playoffs four times and two AFC title games. In 2003, he was inducted as a Cleveland Browns Legend as the result of a combined fan and panel voting.

For a number of years, Dixon co-hosted Cleveland Browns pre and post-game radio shows on WTAM radio and most recently Browns pre and post-game television shows on WOIO-19 in Cleveland.

Dixon and his wife of 19 years, Hikia, manage his non-profit organization, Right Path Foundation. Hikia is the Master Instructor and Black Belt Sensei along with executive director of www.rightpathmartialarts.com. Dixon now is in real estate and lives with his wife, Hikia, and their two children in Westlake.

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