After seventeen years on Radio One News/Talk 1110 WBT Charlotte, the NFL’s Carolina Panthers have announced a return to iHeartMedia Classic Rock “99.7 The Fox” WRFX Kannapolis/Charlotte.
The deal marks a return to WRFX for the Panthers, who were previously heard on the station from 2000 through 2004. The franchise was heard on WBT from its first season in 1995 through 1999 and again from 2005 through 2021.
The Panthers become the third franchise who iHeartMedia has added local rights to this upcoming season year following the moves of the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders.
iHeartMedia Charlotte and the Carolina Panthers today announced a new multi-year broadcast agreement partnership that makes 99.7 The Fox (WRFX) the new flagship radio station for the Carolina Panthers Radio Network and the home for Panthers radio broadcasts in Charlotte.
99.7 The Fox will carry all Panthers game broadcasts, the Panthers pregame and postgame shows as well the team’s weekly coach’s show. iHeartMedia Charlotte’s 99.7 The Fox will provide unique listener experiences and will have an on-site presence at Bank of America Stadium during Panthers’ game days. In addition, the new relationship will benefit from iHeartMedia’s audio partnership with the NFL, which features podcast distribution via the iHeartPodcast Network.
“We are excited to partner with iHeartMedia Charlotte to announce 99.7 The Fox as the new flagship station for the Carolina Panthers Radio Network,” said Jake Burns, Chief Commercial Officer for the Carolina Panthers. “The Fox is one of the highest-rated stations in the Charlotte-metro area and it’s powerful FM signal along with iHeartRadio.com and the iHeartRadio app gives us an opportunity to reach more of our fans than ever before. iHeartMedia is known for its ability to enhance experiences and we can’t wait to share more about the unique ways that our fans will benefit from this new partnership.”
“We are thrilled to increase iHeartSports NFL partnerships with the addition of the Carolina Panthers. The passion between a sports team and its fan base is one-of-a-kind, and we’re thrilled to expand the Carolina Panthers’ reach to their passionate supporters with our new multi-media deal,” said Kevin LeGrett, President of iHeartMedia Sports. “iHeart’s reach in Charlotte is unprecedented, meaning more fans will hear their favorite team than ever before. The partnership will include broadcast, streaming, podcast, events, marketing and promotional elements which will drive results for the Panthers!”
“The team at 99.7 The Fox is delighted to once again be the broadcast home of the Carolina Panthers, bringing best-in-class content from the team to its dedicated and passionate fans,” says Dave Carwile, President of iHeartMedia Multi-Platform Group – Charlotte. “We know how special the relationship and connection between the city of Charlotte, the Panthers and the fan base is, and we’re thrilled to enhance that bond with an expanded coverage area reaching more fans on 99.7 The Fox. We can’t wait to get started.”
The Panthers were also on WRFX from 2000-04, after spending the first five seasons on WBT and then returning to WBT in 2005.
“The Panthers are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Radio One, and the role that WBT has played in sharing some of the greatest moments in franchise history for 22 seasons, including each of the past 17, ” Burns said.
