Longtime Alabama Sports Announcer Eli Gold to Miss Start of Football Season Due to Health Issues

University of Alabama sports announcer Eli Gold

Longtime Alabama radio announcer Eli Gold will miss the start of the football season due to health issues.

Jim Carabin, vice president and general manager of Crimson Tide Sports Marketing, said Wednesday that Chris Stewart will take over play-by-play duties in his absence.

He didn’t specify the nature of the 68-year-old Gold’s health issues.

Gold has been the voice of Alabama football since 1988. Stewart filled in when Gold missed the 2020 Arkansas trip because of COVID-19. That ended Gold’s streak of consecutive Tide football games at 409.

Stewart anchors the Tide’s football broadcast and handles play-by-play duties for the Alabama basketball and baseball teams. Stewart will also take over the hosting duties for “The Nick Saban Show” and “Hey, Coach” radio broadcasts when it returns on Thursday, August 18.

Alabama opens the season Sept. 3 against Utah State.

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