Syracuse University has selected Sharif D. King, Claudia Bellofatto, and Matt Fletcher as the new hosts to entertain the fans at home football games. They’ll join former Orange football player James Mungro in the game-hosting roles. (Visual provided by Syracuse University)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University has selected three new hosts to entertain the fans at home football games.
The trio of Claudia Bellofatto, Matt Fletcher and Sharif D. King will join former Orange football player James Mungro in the host roles during game timeouts. They will also “roam the Dome” to find contestants for on-field promotions, answer trivia questions, upgrade seats, and giveaway prize packages, Syracuse said in a Tuesday news release.
The in-game hosts will debut when Syracuse football hosts top-ranked Clemson in the Dome on Saturday night, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
Claudia Bellofatto
During the summer, Bellofatto served as the team reporter and stadium host for the Auburn Doubledays, the Class-A, short-season affiliate of the Washington Nationals.
Bellofatto, a Boston native, has also worked for the Syracuse Athletics department, creating content for Orange digital channels in Cuse.com and social media. She was also an anchor and reporter for various student media outlets during her undergraduate career.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Matt Fletcher
Syracuse calls Fletcher an “experienced in-game host and on-field personality.”
Fletcher served as the on-field personality at his alma mater, Oklahoma State (OSU), for Cowboys football, men’s and women’s basketball, and wrestling home events for five years. During that time he also worked in the athletics department in “campus engagement.”
A 2010 OSU graduate, Fletcher moved to Syracuse with his wife, Vanessa Shippy, who is an assistant softball coach for the Orange, and served as the Syracuse softball public address announcer last season, the university said.
Sharif D. King
Syracuse says New York City native Sharif D. King is an “experienced” radio and television host, entertainment and sports personality, and multimedia journalist.
King is currently a graduate student in the broadcast and digital journalism program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
He uses social and digital media as a platform to “highlight the future leaders” of entertainment, fashion, music, sports, and culture, per the release.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
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