Grand Rapids Griffins Host Called Up To Host Detroit Red Wings

A West Michigan man who has been the In-Stands Host and backup Public Address Announcer for the Grand Rapids Griffins has been called up to host the Red Wings.

Get our free mobile app

Who Is Josh Pettenger?

Josh Pettenger (known to Griffins fans as "Go Josh Go") started in West Michigan as the morning show producer for a radio show on WLHT called Barnaby & Friends.

WLHT was owned by Regent Broadcasting at the time of the Barnaby & Friends show, but it only lasted a couple of years. No word on why the show went away.

During Pettenger's time at Regent Broadcasting, which was also the home of the Free Beer & Hot Wings Show on WGRD, he did a stunt with the show where he was sprayed in the face with pepper spray. May not have been the smartest thing to do, but it did show Pettenger's fearlessness and willingness to do anything for the job.

Josh Pettenger Moves to In-Stands Host of the Grand Rapids Griffins

After leaving as a radio producer for Barnaby & Friends, Pettenger became the In-Stands Host and backup Public Address Announcer for the Grand Rapids Griffins where he has been since the 2009-10 season. Pettenger had been a West Michigan Whitecaps fill-in for their On-Field Host.

If you have been to Griffin's hockey at Van Andel Arena, you have heard and seen Pettenger in the stands and on the ice getting the crowd fired up at home games. Josh is the one with the microphone playing trivia games and others with the audience. If you would like to take a deeper dive into what Josh does check the video below.

Josh is now the In-Stands Host For the Detroit Redwings

Like many players from the Grand Rapids Griffins who have been called up to play for the Detroit Red Wings, Josh has now been called up to be the In-Stands Host for the team.

One of Pettenger's first duties working for the Detroit Red Wings was working with former player Darren McCarty hitting the new goal horn that is a replica of the one that used to be at Joe Louis Arena when the Wings played there.

Congrats to Josh and best of luck in his new role as In-Stands Host of the Detroit Red Wings.