DAYTON, OHIO—Dayton Dragons games on Friday, June 26 and Sunday, June 28 will be televised live on Dayton’s CW from Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. The Dragons will host the West Michigan Whitecaps (affiliates of the Detroit Tigers) on both dates. The telecast on Friday will begin at 7:00 pm, while the Sunday telecast will begin at 1:00 pm.
These broadcasts are part of a 15-game 2026 Dragons television package, presented by AES Ohio. Dayton’s CW reaches approximately 500,000 households and over 1.2 million potential viewers in a 10-county area. All games will be broadcast live and in high definition on the following outlets:
- Over the air Channel 26.1
- Spectrum Channels 13 and 1013
- Direct TV and DISH Network Channel 26.
Dragons Director of Broadcasting Tom Nichols will handle the play-by-play. Jack Pohl, evening news anchor at WDTN TV (Channel 2; NBC affiliate), will serve as color commentator on Friday. Joey DeBerardino, WDTN TV Sports Director, will handle the commentator duties on Sunday.
All game broadcasts include the performance of the national anthem by local singers, groups, and musicians. Clara Winteregg will perform the national anthem on Friday. The St. Helen School Choir will perform on Sunday.
Tom Nichols returns for his 19th year with the Dragons and 39th year in Minor League Baseball. He will serve as the play-by-play announcer on all 2026 television broadcasts. He has broadcast over 4,500 minor league games since beginning his career in 1988 and has worked at every level of Minor League Baseball. He is a Ball State University graduate and a native of Muncie, Indiana. Nichols was inducted into the Greater Dayton Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024 based on his career in baseball broadcasting, and he will be inducted into the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame in the fall of 2026.
Jack Pohl has worked with Nichols on Dragons telecasts since 2016. He has been with WDTN-TV since 1995 and currently serves as their weeknight news anchor. Jack is a Dayton native who attended Wright State University. He began his broadcasting career at Centerville High School station WCWT. He later moved on to work at various Dayton area radio stations but is known for his time as the Z-93 morning show personality with Kim Faris. Jack is proud to have learned the TV business from WDTN’s legendary Omar Williams. Jack was honored with the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Sportsmanship and Ethics Integrity Media service award.
Joey DeBerardino joined the WDTN-TV 2 NEWS team in June 2022 as a Weekend Sports Anchor and Reporter. Joey was promoted to 2 Sports Director in February 2025. Prior to coming to Dayton, he spent two years at WWTV/WWVUP 9&10 News in Cadillac, Michigan. DeBerardino, a Michigan native, attended Central Michigan University where he majored in broadcasting and worked as a sports anchor for the campus news station News Central 34. During his time in northern Michigan, Joey received a Michigan Association of Broadcasters Award and an Associated Press Media Editors Award for best sports feature.
Remaining Dragons telecasts in 2026 on Dayton’s CW are scheduled for the following dates: June 26, June 28, July 2, July 24, July 25, July 26, August 7, August 21, and September 4.