Matt Barrie
SPORTS

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From the sub-zero temperatures in Wisconsin, to the heart of Oklahoma’s tornado alley, Matt Barrie thought he’d seen it all in his broadcasting career until he signed on as the weekend sports anchor here at WLTX in August 2005.

For Matt the decision was simple, go where they worship football 365 days a year. And go where a guy named Steve Spurrier is head coach. Matt has worked in football crazy cities before arriving in the Midlands. Working in Wisconsin covering the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers. That was the good part. The bad part was the cheese curds, and his nose hairs freezing from October to May. After Matt thawed out, there was a brief stint in Southern California as a host for a country music show. It’s not as funny as it sounds, and chaps and a Cowboy hat weren’t involved. But, in the process Matt realized he missed sports, and it was off to ABC-7 in Oklahoma to cover the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys. While in Oklahoma, Matt was the weekend anchor and hosted the coverage of the Sooners’ runs towards consecutive Big-12 and National Championships. He started to think he was a good luck charm until OU lost to LSU and USC in the Sugar and Orange Bowls respectively.

Matt’s enjoyed his first year in Columbia. Co-hosting News 19’s coverage of the Gamecocks in the Independence Bowl (Matt’s still 0-3 in bowl games), cutting down the nets at Madison Square Garden, and fulfilling a childhood dream of going to the Masters and getting picked to play Augusta National.

Matt sees sports as fun and entertaining. His style of reporting won him an Oklahoma Association of Broadcaster’s Award for feature reporting. Matt brings his fun natured approach to the weekend show, with his segment “Did You See That”, and hopes to make sports enjoyable to every viewer, not just sports fans. Which is why Matt and Zuma the sea lion get along so well.

Matt is a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, and proud graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. If Matt’s not a work, go to any local golf course, and it’s a good bet you’ll find him there not paring any holes.

Don’t hesitate to say hi. Matt’s excited to continue building his relationships with the families in the Midlands, and meeting the people that make this community special. And maybe acquire a taste for boiled peanuts, but not likely.