Needham Wellesley Annual Football Dinner at Sheraton

Nov 22, 2016

Tom Leyden, Sports Director at Fox WFXT

This annual dinner to celebrate the longest running high school rivalry in the country is being held at the Needham Sheraton this year. We are working to arrange for a 'headliner' guest speaker.

In preparation for the 2015 Needham Wellesley football game at Fenway Park, Tom Leyden prepared a 15 minute video about the history of the two town rivalry, the countries oldest.

Tom Leyden joined FOX25 News as Sports Director in April 2015. He anchors sports and hosts special sports programming.

Tom's move to Boston brings him back home to New England. He grew up in Connecticut and is a Boston College graduate.

"I'm thrilled to be back in Boston. We've spent so much time in the city over the last 35 years, it's great to feel a part of the community again."

Tom comes to FOX25 after 10 years at WXYZ in Detroit, where he served as Sports Director since 2012. He covered the Michigan sports scene for more than a decade and also hosted Lions GameDay Live.

Tom knows the sports news cycle never slows down and the passion of Boston sports fans is unsurpassed. He'll always try to appeal to a broad audience, not just the hard-core sports junkie.

"I can talk x's and o's, but I really enjoy speaking to people who may not know a lot about sports and trying to make the story mean something to them, too. Emotion should always guide you."

While at WXYZ, the Associated Press recognized Tom with its Best Sportscast award four times.

He also earned the Best Sportscast award from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters in 2013.

Tom has received 26 Emmy nominations from the Michigan chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has won 11 Emmys.

Before moving to Detroit, Tom spent four years at WFMZ-TV in Allentown, PA.

Prior to making the jump to television, Tom spent four years at the National Football League and two years at the National Hockey League in New York.

Tom, his wife Nicole, and their two daughters couldn't be more excited to be back in New England, close to family in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York.