Monday, February 2, 2015

Marty Hurney moving up fast in sports radio


Seven months after launching a new career as sports commentator, former Panthers general manager Marty Hurney is moving into management, becoming co-operator of Charlotte’s WZGV-AM (ESPN 730).

Hurney and Lanny Ford, general manager of the station since it launched and Hurney’s co-host on the air, said Monday that they have reached an agreement to lease the station from owner HRN Broadcasting.

Marty Hurney (Photo: Jeff Siner/Observer)
They are also leasing from HRN Asheville station WZGM-AM (1350), which has a sports and news-talk format. Ford said some of ESPN 730 shows may be picked up on that station, which like WZGV carries Appalachian State University sports.

Hurney started in June as a commentator on ESPN 730 in June, first paired with Al Gardner, who has since moved to Myrtle Beach, and now with Ford.

Hurney, fired in October 2012 after more than 10 years as the Panthers’ general manager, has been serving as guest analyst on ESPN’s “NFL Insiders” since March. Hurney was a sportswriter for The Washington Times before joining the Panthers’ personnel department in 1998.

He became the team’s GM in 2002 and oversaw the Panthers’ Super Bowl team in 2003. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson fired Hurney in 2012 after the team started 1-5.

Ford said that he and Hurney have formed a company named 2G Media to operate the station. He said they have a three-year contract to operate the two stations, with options to continue.

Like 730 ESPN, the Asheville station operates at 10,000 watts on the AM dial.

Before leasing the stations, Ford worked for HRN for 11 years.

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