For sports station WFNZ-AM (“Fan” 610), the Panthers championship run this season has been a bonanza.
Ratings are up, excitement is high and the station’s Doghouse, a bar and tailgate destination at Mint and Morehead streets next to Bank of America Stadium, has never been busier.
Giant video screens will be added outside for Sunday’s playoff game against Seattle so more fans can party at the Doghouse, says D.J. Stout, WFNZ’s operations manager.
“It’s become a place where people actually go to watch the game,” says Stout. For those without tickets, it’s the next best thing to being there – people can hear the clamor inside the stadium on big plays.
This season, WFNZ has broadcast all its local programs on Mondays and Fridays from the Doghouse with its key hosts, including Chris McClain, Jim Celania, Colin Hoggard, Nate Conley, Frank Garcia, Mark Yarbro and Chris Kroeger. Pre- and post-game shows for home games have also been anchored at the Doghouse.
Stout says he thinks the Panthers’ success has had an impact on the city.
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Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
