We're Fans Too

Written by Michael Berlin '08
6/21/2007Share this story on Facebook!

A few years ago, long-time business partners Carol Doroba ’88 and Robin McConaughy were avid sports fans with a reasonable complaint. “There was a complete lack of classy, high-end apparel for women sports fans,” says Doroba.

Ill-fitting football jerseys and baggy basketball tank tops just weren’t cutting it for Doroba and McConaughy. So they decided to take matters into their own hands, creating a line of casual and attractive clothing for the female sports enthusiast. Out of this concept, the Fantoo Girls were born. The company name serves as a reminder that girls are sports fans, too.

Buoyed by the initial success of their clothing line, the Fantoo Girls began looking for ways to branch out. They were tired of hearing only male sportscasters on the radio. Where was the presence of a female voice in sports? Determined to make their voices heard, Doroba and her partner turned to podcasting. Their weekly podcast, which debuted in January 2006, took off, and by August of that year the Fantoo Girls had received the People’s Choice Award in California for the best sports podcast.

Doroba and McCounaughy originally predicted a largely female fan base for their podcast, but listener feedback reveals a more universal appeal. “It’s not because we’re chicks,” says Doroba, commenting on their sudden rise in popularity. “We’re not talking about how cute guys are by any means.”

The duo manages to cover a wide array of sports topics, and they strive to present fresh and entertaining content. “There’s a lot of opportunity and need for a new type of sports show,” says Doroba. “The population that listens [to us] doesn’t want to hear ranting and raving [like on other] sports shows.”

Now, roughly two years after the initial launch of their company, the Fantoo Girls have struck gold by expanding into the field of interactive digital media. Their reporting, blogging, and podcasting activities reach an international audience and add a much-needed female perspective to the world of sports. And the success of the podcast has led to Philadelphia’s Sports Talk 950 picking up the Fantoo radio show, making them the first sports talk radio show hosted by two women.

The Fantoo Show has been such a success, that it's hard to believe that Doroba hadn’t really worked in broadcasting since her days as a communications student at IC.

“The thing that really attracted me to Ithaca College was that I could do hands-on work,” says Doroba. “The willingness to let students dive into the deep end on day one was a lasting impression I had. And the fact that I have that educational background [has given] me a level of confidence with this market.”

In the future, the Fantoo Girls plan to expand even further into radio broadcasting and videocasting. Doroba offers this practical advice for those looking to use new forms of media to their advantage: “If you have some unique content, you can make it happen.”