Cullowhee, N.C. – Four radio station affiliates across six frequencies in North Carolina and streaming audio online at CatamountSports.com are set to carry broadcasts of the Catamount Sports Network (CSN) during Western Carolina's 2025 football season, which opens at home on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m. against Gardner-Webb.
 
The Catamounts have a strong presence on the air across the mountains of Western North Carolina, led by longtime CSN partners 105.7 FM and 540 AM WRGC "The River" in Sylva and 104.9 FM and 1050 AM WFSC, "Franklin's First Voice" in Franklin and north Georgia. In Asheville, 1310 AM WISE Sports Radio returns this fall to cover the Catamounts, with a select number of games to air on 103.9 FM BigFoot Country in Marion, N.C.
 
This year, with the help of MultiTech Consulting of Asheville, CSN partners with its web provider, SIDEARM Sports, to provide an affiliate signal acquisition site, and unlimited free streaming audio through the athletics website, CatamountSports.com, giving WCU a worldwide reach.
 
Long-time play-by-play voice of the Catamounts and 2023 inductee into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame, Gary Ayers, returns to the microphone this football season. Ayers has been behind the microphone for 39 of the past 40 years at WCU. He will again be flanked by returning crew members in producer Jeff Bryson and Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations – and WCU football contact – Daniel Hooker, who will join Ayers and Bryson in the broadcast booth on color commentary.
 
Each week, the CSN Pepsi pregame tailgate show starts 60 minutes before the scheduled kickoff time and includes comments from WCU head coach Kerwin Bell, in-game scoreboard updates, as well as other special features, including the Catamount Calendar, a look around WCU Athletics.
 
The Catamount Sports Network will also host a weekly football coaches show, "Catamount Football Weekly," LIVE on-location at Catamount Jaxe, located across from the Ramsey Center and the WCU campus. The show also airs through Facebook LIVE on the Catamount Athletics official Facebook page, fb.com/catamountsports, and on the department's YouTube Channel.
 
Western Carolina will again produce television/video streaming broadcasts for each of its six home football games this fall that will air on ESPN's online platforms, ESPN+ (paid subscription required). The 2025 home finale, the "Blue Ridge Border Battle" rivalry matchup with ETSU will also air on the Nexstar linear television network in addition to the online ESPN stream as the "Ingles SoCon Game of the Week."
 
Ranked 19th in the AFCA Coaches poll and 18th in the preseason Stats Perform FCS Top 25, Western Carolina opens the 2025 season at home in a pre-Labor Day meeting with in-state foe, Gardner-Webb, under the lights at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field in Cullowhee on Saturday at 6 p.m. as part of First Bank's First Weekend. It's WCU's first home night game since 2019, and the first time the Catamounts have opened a season at home since 2021 – Kerwin Bell's first season at the helm.
 
Following Saturday night's meeting with Gardner-Webb as part of First Bank First Weekend, the western North Carolina sky will be illuminated by fireworks, presented by Ingles, 99.9 FM Kiss Country, and Star 104.3.
 
Both season and single-game tickets for the six home dates in #CatamountCountry remain on sale now through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, or by phone at (828) 227-2401. Fans can also purchase tickets and game day parking in advance online at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets. A reminder that game day parking is $15 in advance and $20 on game days.
  
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports; FB.com/catamountsportsnetwork) and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB).
 
2025 Catamount Sports Network – Football Affiliates:
Sylva – WRGC – 105.7 FM and 540 AM – The River - Online
Franklin – WFSC – 104.9 FM and 1050 AM – Franklin's First Voice - Online
Asheville – 1310 AM WISE Sports Radio – Online
Marion – WBRM – 103.9 FM – BigFoot Country - Online
Online – www.CatamountSports.com
 
Catamount Football Weekly – football coaches show
Monday evenings at 6 p.m. on Facebook LIVE and YouTube
Live-on-location from Catamount Jaxe in Cullowhee