Exclusive Interview with KFAN Owner Dan Hatfield

Duluth, Minn.– The Duluth Huskies have reached an agreement with Dan Hatfield and officially signed a partnership with KFAN in a three-year deal. KFAN will now cover the Huskies’ games on the radio on 92.1 FM and there will also be online streaming available from the website as well.

Dan Hatfield is the local owner of Twin Ports Radio and recently became the new owner of KFAN in Duluth.  He is looking forward to working with the Huskies and the many opportunities to come in their partnership.

Hatfield knew exactly what he would do after purchasing the radio station.  “When I got the opportunity to buy the radio station, one of the first things I thought of is we gotta have the Huskies on.  It’s good for the community, you know, and it’s a part of Duluth.  It’s a part of who we are, it’s in our DNA.”  There is a certain amount of pride in having the Huskies play in Duluth and to have them in such a great community.  Hatfield wanted to place a focus on the feeling Huskies’ baseball brings to Duluth.

When asked about his thoughts on the partnership, Hatfield displayed a lot of enthusiasm and explained what it meant to him.  Growing up in Duluth, his family has been close to Wade Stadium and he always appreciated the local support that the community has for their hometown team.  “Growing up in the area, and being a local business owner in the Duluth area, we have always supported the Huskies, and personally there’s always been an attachment there.”  Hatfield also lived down in Mankato, Minnesota for around 10 years before ultimately returning to Duluth.  While there, he attended many Moondogs games, and when the Huskies would come into town to play, it was exciting because it felt like he was at home once again.  That’s the sort of feeling that the Huskies’ games have in Duluth, and Hatfield explained that that’s one of the reasons he was so eager to partner with them.

With the three-year deal, a lot of opportunities will arise.  Hatfield said, “Well, I think the Huskies will bring more awareness to our radio station.  I think it’s a two-way street.  As we promote the Huskies, it will bring more attention to the team.”  Hatfield stated that the local feel is the brand that he wants to set.  He believes that attaching the Huskies as the local team to the local sports station will emphasize the hometown feel, and show people the local culture that the team and radio station represent.

Though things are moving very fast, Hatfield acknowledged that he is new to the process of owning and running a sports station, but he is up for the task.  “Quite frankly, I’ve done radio my whole life, but I’m new at this.  I’m new at running a sports station.  I’m learning about it.  I love the working opportunity of figuring it out and how to make it all work.”

The Duluth Huskies are looking forward to this partnership, as it will develop their broadcasting team, help reach more fans, and create many other opportunities to come.  Hatfield has made it clear about his eagerness to work with the Huskies, and the potential for growth in both parties.   This three-year contract is a big step for both sides, as they want to make a positive impact on each other to make this deal as great as it can be.

Want to hear more about the Huskies?  Tune into KFAN 92.1 on Saturday morning, when Dan Hatfield interviews Huskies’ Head Coach Tyger Pederson.

The Huskies open the 2018 season with five road games, but open at Wade Stadium Sunday, June 3rd against the Eau Claire Express. Season tickets, punch cards, and other ticket packages are still available. For more information, contact the Duluth Huskies front office at 218-786-9909 or huskies@duluthhuskies.com.

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The Duluth Huskies are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 185 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.duluthhuskies.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Huskies as your favorite team