The Voice of the Fighters
August 18, 2021 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Frisco Fighters News Release
Since he was eight years old, Dave Barnett dreamed of being a sportscaster. With an Astros game on the radio, he was more interested in the announcers than the actual game itself. From that point, Barnett decided it was the greatest job ever, and he would do the same someday.
Barnett joined the Fighters' inaugural season as the team's play-by-play announcer. With a career of his caliber, the Fighters drafted the best in the business.
A native of Denton, Texas, he kickstarted his career at his alma mater, the University of North Texas. During his junior year, a professor connected him with a news anchor at KRLD, which had just changed formats and was looking to hire an entire newsroom. What started as a summer internship turned into a full-time job in a major sports market.
"This was like ten years before I thought I'd ever get an opportunity in a major market, and it already happened. That would not have happened if I went to college anywhere else, but from the age 20 on I've had a broadcasting career," said Barnett.
Among working for the Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Southwest Conference, FOX Sports, and calling numerous NFL preseason games, Barnett called games on ESPN for 13 years.
At ESPN, he covered arena football as his first assignment, calling play-by-play for the San Antonio Force. With an affinity for the family-friendly form of the sport, Barnett answered the call when asked if he wanted to cover indoor football once again.
Along with learning a new rule book, Barnett has had to call new situations on the fly. In an early home game against the Duke City Gladiators, Frisco followed a touchdown score with a deuce. A rule unique to the IFL, a deuce is the opportunity for a team to essentially kick a field goal at kickoff for two points.
"You know, that's one of the most brilliant things this league has done, is make for potential game-turning situations," said Barnett. "Then, I remember thinking, 'I've never seen a team score ten points without the clock moving."
Barnett has fought through the challenges of working with a new team, a rebranding and growing league, and calling games via a remote broadcast. When he's not calling games from Comerica Center, he has to manufacture that energy in a studio. Only someone as seasoned and poised could have done so as expertly as Barnett.
"I prepare for every game to be the most uncompetitive blowout I've ever seen because then I'm going to have enough material. And if it's not, it feels like the game is calling itself," he said.
Not only has Barnett brought game day to life, but he has also helped tell the story of a brand-new team.
"The impression I have of this team really is beyond football. It's just what high-quality people they are, and you can tell," said Barnett. "I could tell from the first day of practice that there are genuine relationships between the coaches, between the players, and more importantly between the players and coaches."
Tune into 95.3 KHYI to hear the voice of the Fighters, Dave Barnett, call the games on Saturday nights.
Indoor Football League Stories from August 18, 2021
- Pirates Face Iowa in Season Finale - Massachusetts Pirates
- Rattlers Remain on Top of Final Coaches Poll of the 2021 Season - IFL
- Week 17: Players of the Week Named - IFL
- Tucson Garners Two IFL Pow Honors for Week-17 Performances - Tucson Sugar Skulls
- The Voice of the Fighters - Frisco Fighters
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