The sports media world has seen several notable losses this year, and now there’s another one. Mark Seidel, a producer and assistant program director at Charlotte, NC sports radio station WFNZ, passed away this weekend at 37 from a heart attack. Colleague Travis Hancock broke the news on Twitter Sunday:
Barrett Sports Media has more on Seidel’s life and career:
Seidel returned to WFNZ in 2019. It was the station where his radio career began in 2007. He worked seven years as a board operator and producer for Bustin’ Loose with Frank & Moose in mid days on the station in addition to contributing in other areas. He was recently working behind the scenes on ‘The Clubhouse‘ with Kyle Bailey, and also had helped out Nick Wilson and Josh Parcel, while lending programming support to program director Terry Foxx.
In 2014, Seidel moved to Las Vegas to produce Pregame.com’s First Preview and The Las Vegas Sportsline. In 2015, he became program director of Lotus Broadcasting’s sports stations in the market. He worked alongside a number of familiar personalities including JT The Brick, Steve Cofield, and Mitch Moss, among others. He was also the station’s PD when the company landed the radio rights to the city’s first professional sports franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights.
Here are some of the many tributes to Seidel that have popped up:
FUC* MAN I am devastated hearing about the passing of a good friend, Mark Seidel. We met in LV, instantly became friends & was there for each other during some very tough times, even recently for me
I love you bro, my heart is broken again@chrissyparadis I'm here for you sis
— Joe Arrigo (@joearrigo) September 21, 2020
Seidel made a large impact on colleagues and listeners in both Charlotte and Las Vegas, and it’s very sad to hear that he’s gone so young. Our sympathies go out to his family and friends.