June 2, 2011
RUSTON, LA.- Louisiana Tech Athletics and its multimedia rights holder, LA Tech Sports Properties, announced today that Teddy Allen will join the LA Tech Sports Radio Network this fall as the color analyst for Bulldog football.
"After a long and exhaustive search, I am excited that Teddy will be a part of the broadcast team," said LA Tech Sports Properties General Manager Mason Ellenberger. "He will certainly bring a unique and entertaining perspective to the broadcast. I can't express my appreciation for the tireless and dedicated commitment brought by Steve Davison over the years serving in the role, but I am confident that Teddy will fill his shoes well."
Allen, a 1982 graduate of the LA Tech journalism program, will work alongside veteran play-by-play broadcaster Dave Nitz, who has been calling Bulldogs' games for nearly 40 years. He will replace Steve Davison, who served as the color analyst for the past six years but who has stepped down from the position to spend more time with his family after the recent birth of twins.
"Steve had never done radio and had to learn, and I thought he got better and better each year," said Nitz. "He had more insight with the head coaches than I did due to his close relationship with them so he provided the game plan every week. He was a great asset to our broadcast.
"I've known Teddy since he was a graduate assistant in the media relations office (in the late '70s and '80s), and I think he will add more of a humorous touch to the broadcasts. He is never at a loss for words, and I think he will add something we've never had in the past. I think of Teddy as a poor-man's Louis Grizzard. He has that touch."
Allen is a well-known, highly-read Louisiana journalist having covered local sports for Shreveport, Monroe and New Orleans dailies from 1984 until 1990. He has written columns for the News-Star and the Times for the past 21 years and is currently the writer and editor for the University's marketing and public relations department.
The Lake View, South Carolina native might be best known for penning the nickname "The Mailman" for Karl Malone when the NBA Hall of Famer was a sophomore at Louisiana Tech and Allen was a graduate assistant in the Tech Sports Information Department working for Keith Prince.
"I have the perfect face for radio, just like Dave, one of the best in the business," said Allen. "That should make us a good team - as long he keeps his vocal chords stretched and limber. He's the star; I'm just happy to be within his gravitational pull."
Allen's debut in the booth with Nitz will be Sept. 3 in Hattiesburg against Southern Miss.
LA Tech Sports Properties is a property of Learfield Sports, which manages the multimedia rights for more than 50 collegiate institutions and associations. The company also titles the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup, oversees the marketing partnerships for the Black Coaches & Administrators (BCA) and provides exclusive sports programming to more than 1,000 radio stations nationwide.
It is an operating unit of Learfield Communications, Inc., which made its initial foray into the world of sports marketing in 1975 as the radio rights holder for the University of Missouri, a client still today. For more about the company and its complete portfolio, visit learfieldsports.com.
