The in-person live sports experience is about more than just the action on the field. It’s a chance for players, fans, and staff to create an environment greater than the sum of its parts.
Director of Live Production Emily Hunter-Valencia is the North Carolina Courage’s in-stadium showrunner, and together, she and her fan experience department are the wizards behind the curtain.
“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 said.
Some of those changes include new pre- and post-game traditions, building on successes from 2024, such as a new and improved start to the Courage Clap featuring a drum, a postgame Player of the Match item, an improved video board graphics package, and a new PA announcer, Joe Cristy.
Cristy brings 20 years of PA experience to First Horizon Stadium, including multiple collegiate sports at High Point University and Wake Forest University. Cristy also has experience as a soccer PA announcer at the professional level with MLS Next Pro’s Carolina Core and multiple preseason tournaments.
“My wife was a big influence in taking this opportunity with the Courage. She played college at the Division I level and coaches high-level club soccer now. It’s a situation where I know the women’s game well; we follow the sport as a family. My style fits the women’s game well, but knowing and following a lot of the players in the NWSL will help me excel in this role,” Cristy said.
The process of building the environment Hunter-Valencia envisions is ever-changing; as such, she and her team are looking to implement new ideas or tweak existing experiences based on feedback throughout the season.
“Just because you don't see something at the beginning of the year doesn't mean that it's not coming, or counter to that, if something isn't quite right, if we need to modify something slightly or emphasize it, we will. Our goal is to make it a seamless process for someone to fall in love with this team and this environment, whether they are a longtime supporter or coming to the stadium for the first time,” Hunter-Valencia said.
The ethos behind those changes has been honoring the past and building on the foundation laid by players, fans, and staff over the years, but not allowing the experience and growth to stagnate. That underlying motivation is a current that runs through more than one area of the club.
“We've had past success. We've had past failure. We’ve run the gamut of things that we as a team, as a front office, as a club, and as a fan base have gone through. I don't want that to fall by the wayside and be ignored because we're trying new things and innovating. It's important to me that we remember and acknowledge the past, but also be willing to try new things to create the best environment for everyone involved,” Hunter-Valencia said.
Mark Callaway, the longtime PA announcer for both North Carolina FC and the Courage, was a big part of laying that foundation. Mark retired from the position this year after 17+ years of dedication.
“We are incredibly grateful to Mark for his work over the years and the work done by the supporters, by the fans, by the front office, and by the freelancers, to get to this point. It has been a labor of love from a lot of different people over the years. We're not looking to ignore or erase that. This whole process has been to emphasize and amplify a lot of that love that's been put into the team over the years,” Hunter-Valencia said.
The Courage are committed to creating the best product on and off the field. From the exciting style of play between the lines to the new and exciting traditions in the stands, First Horizon Stadium is The Place to BE.
