Monsters’ Brown named winner of Ellery Award

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Tony Brown, the senior manager of broadcasting/team communications for the Cleveland Monsters, has been selected as the recipient of the James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the 2020-21 season.

The James H. Ellery Memorial Award is presented annually in recognition of outstanding media coverage of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1964-65 and honors the late Jim Ellery, who served the AHL for 17 years as league secretary and publicity director until his death in 1964.

During the 2020-21 season, to allow Monsters fans to stay connected with on-ice action and community initiatives during the pandemic, Brown conceived, produced, wrote, hosted and launched a monthly TV show, Monsters OT, airing on Bally Sports Great Lakes. The program proved to be an innovative way for the team to stay connected with a wide audience at a time when access to live events was limited. Brown also ensured broadcast coverage of all Monsters games in 2020-21, volunteering to drive alone due to travel restrictions and distancing protocols in order to provide fans with the high-quality audio coverage they have come to rely on.

Known for hosting original and creative content such as Between Two Goals and Two For Talking for the Monsters’ digital and in-arena platforms, Brown has served as the voice of the Monsters on radio, television and the internet for the last six seasons, calling more than 400 games including Cleveland’s memorable Calder Cup championship run in 2016.

In operation since 1936, the AHL serves as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.

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