Thunderbirds were impressed by Dalliday’s Lakers broadcasts
Versatile media maven calling the action for NLL expansion team
Pete Dalliday has pursued some opportunities to broadcast professional sports but the Halifax Thunderbirds came after him.
The longtime play-by-play voice of the Peterborough Lakers and Petes on YourTV has been hired by the National Lacrosse League expansion team to call their home games on the league’s livestream broadcasts hosted on The Bleacher Report website.
Dalliday will commute to Halifax by flight and will retain his full-time job as morning man on Fresh Radio and his YourTV gig. He will miss four Petes game due to schedule conflicts.
“They reached out and caught me by surprise,” Dalliday said. “I’ve applied for a few gigs over the years and for one to come my way was great.”
The Thunderbirds were formerly the Rochester Knighthawks but moved to Nova Scotia while an expansion franchise was awarded to a new ownership group in Rochester.
Dalliday called three NLL games on TSN as a fill-in in 2010 when the regular broadcast crew was busy at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Pat Gregoire, who will be Dalliday’s colour commentator, suggested him to Thunderbirds management.
“I’m not going to lie, it felt pretty good that they came to me,” Dalliday said. “In today’s world and technology they said they looked at a bunch of my YouTube clips. Traditionally, in the past, you’d have to supply a demo reel or demo tape. Now if they get a name they can quickly look it up. There are a lot of Lakers highlights online.”
Dalliday had to ensure he had YourTV’s blessing and his family’s blessing.
“I think everyone sees it as a good opportunity. I’ve always been clear that I’ve always wanted to try to get to the top level and in lacrosse this is it,” he said. “The kids are a bit older now so it’s a bit easier to take off for a weekend.”
In the NLL each home team is responsible for the broadcast.
Dalliday will not accompany the Thunderbirds to road games.
Dalliday is excited by the opportunity.
“We’re talking about the same athletes as the Lakers in the summer but in bigger rinks and more exposure. This is the first season in Halifax but the franchise has a tremendous history and reputation. They won three championships in a row and treat their players and everyone who works for them really well. It’s a great organization to work for,” Dalliday said. “They’re not just in it to make a buck. They’re passionate about the game of lacrosse and the tradition of lacrosse.
“To be one of the main messengers of a new team in a new market and to help sell that in Halifax, a city that in its own right has a ton of history and tradition, I think is going to go really well.”
As in most places in lacrosse, Dalliday notes there are other Peterborough connections to the team including Jake Withers and Colton Armstrong on the floor and ex-Lakers Mike Accursi (head coach) and Chad Culp (assistant coach) on the bench.