Longtime Charlotte Hornets public address announcer ‘Big Pat’ dead at 55

Patrick Doughty, the longtime public address announcer known as “Big Pat” whose booming voice greeted Charlotte fans at Spectrum Center for almost two decades, died Tuesday night. He was 55.

The Charlotte Hornets announced the news on social media, paying tribute to someone whose days with the franchise date back to the Bobcats era. No cause of death was released.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Pat Doughty, our beloved PA announcer for nearly 20 seasons,” the Hornets said in a statement. “Big Pat’s vibrant voice was the backbone of our game experience and energized Spectrum Center every night. He was dedicated to our team and our fans, even as he fought health issues in recent years.

“He will be greatly missed by everyone associated with the Hornets organization. Our thoughts are with Pat’s family and his many friends.”

Arguably one of the city’s most famous announcers, Doughty was a staple of the Charlotte pro basketball scene. He joined the organization in 2004 when then-owner Bob Johnson had a vision to change the in-game experience following the Bobcats’ inaugural season at then-named Time Warner Cable Arena. Doughty has been a fixture at the team’s games since, becoming intertwined with the atmosphere. It was easily noticeable on those occasions he wasn’t behind the microphone.

Doughty had been dealing with a condition called neuropathy, which is a disease that affects a person’s motor skills and nerves, and can occur nearly anywhere in the body. But he never let that deter him, utilizing a wheelchair to stay mobile, and the Pocomoke City, Maryland, native often shuffled back and forth to the Eastern Shore where he still maintained a residence.

He was like an adopted Charlottean, and a rock star at games, driven to help deliver the best atmosphere possible, even when things weren’t necessarily going well on the court. Typically completely dressed in the team’s colors, Doughty was always a popular figure at the scorer’s table, often receiving handshakes and congratulatory messages from opposing players.

He was naturally chatty and that character trait came through with each syllable, beginning with his usual pregame sound check. In an interview with The Athletic in 2018, Doughty explained how an announcing career was his calling since he was eight years old because he loved to talk so much.

“The only thing I wish about this gig over anything else,” he said, “is that my mother and father were still alive to see it and they never got a chance to see it. But I’m pretty sure they are smiling down.

“I know (my father) is somewhere looking down saying, ‘That boy still ain’t got no job. He’s still running his mouth.’ But it’s all good.”