West Wake News

The North Carolina Courage is focusing on enhancing the live sports experience for fans attending matches at First Horizon Stadium. Emily Hunter-Valencia, Director of Live Production and in-stadium showrunner, leads the fan experience department in this endeavor. She aims to create a dynamic environment that engages both players and fans.

“Throughout my career, my favorite moments during a show are when you feel that hush of the crowd as something’s going on in the stadium and then it just builds to this uproar. A lot of that comes through when all involved are having fun and can translate that fun to the fans,” Hunter-Valencia explained.

Several new elements have been introduced to improve the matchday atmosphere. These include enhanced pre- and post-game traditions, an updated Courage Clap featuring a drum, a postgame Player of the Match item, improved video board graphics, and a new public address announcer, Joe Cristy.

Cristy brings extensive experience from his previous roles at High Point University and Wake Forest University. He has also worked with MLS Next Pro’s Carolina Core. His background in soccer and personal connections to the women's game influenced his decision to join the Courage. “My wife was a big influence in taking this opportunity with the Courage... It’s a situation where I know the women’s game well; we follow the sport as a family,” Cristy shared.

Hunter-Valencia emphasizes that their approach is adaptable: “Just because you don’t see something at the beginning of the year doesn’t mean that it’s not coming... Our goal is to make it a seamless process for someone to fall in love with this team.”

The changes reflect an effort to honor past achievements while fostering growth. Mark Callaway, who recently retired after over 17 years as PA announcer for North Carolina FC and the Courage, laid much of this groundwork. Hunter-Valencia expressed gratitude: “We are incredibly grateful to Mark for his work over the years... This whole process has been to emphasize and amplify a lot of that love.”

Overall, these efforts aim to ensure First Horizon Stadium remains an engaging venue for both long-time supporters and newcomers.