Tampa Bay sports fans know Greg Wolf as the in-game host of the Lightning at Benchmark International Arena, USF football at Raymond James Stadium, Bulls hoops at the Yuengling Center and Sun soccer at Suncoast Credit Union Field.

Global Stage

Wolf is part of the global stage at the World Cup, specifically, the 88,000-seat Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, where he did the opening match between Mexico and South Africa and will continue to be heard through the July 5 round of 16.

“Number one, it is a tremendous honor to be part of this,” Wolf said. “Number two, to be in one of the most historic stadiums on the globe is pretty remarkable. We certainly know the mystique of this stadium.”

Wolf knows the venue’s history, including Pele hoisting the championship trophy for the final time in 1970 and Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in 1986.

The seeds were planted in late March when production firm RWS Global initially contacted Wolf to gauge his interest. While there was potential conflict had the Lightning advanced to the Stanley Cup final, the team was very supportive of Wolf pursuing the opportunity.

Ultimately, the many details of his assignment became clear, and he arrived in Mexico City on June 5. A bevy of curtain-rising moments with the initial match, the opening ceremonies, and the musical performances proved to be the summit of Wolf’s career.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.