FARGO — Midco Sports, the media entity that televises University of North Dakota, South Dakota State and University of South Dakota athletics, has laid off several employees including well-known TV personalities. Sources have told The Forum that on-air voices Brian Shawn, David Brown and Jody Norstedt along with several others were told Tuesday of the move. The reason cited, according to multiple sources, was budget cuts. Midco, in a statement from Paige Pearson Meyer, vice president of corporate communications, to Forum Communications, said the company plans on enhancing streamed content on Midco Sports Plus in addition to university partnership content on its linear channels Midco Sports and Midco Sports Two. “At that time, high school sports and some original programming will no longer be produced by Midco Sports or broadcast on our linear channels,” the statement read. “Because of this, we unfortunately had to make the difficult decision to reduce the number of full-time team members on the Midco Sports team.” Pearson Meyer said those employees who were let go could be used in a freelance capacity. ADVERTISEMENT Midco Sports has contracts to air UND football, hockey and men’s and women’s
basketball games, SDSU and USD
Football and men’s and women’s basketball games as well as Augustana hockey. Midco says it has communicated its changes with those schools' athletic departments. “We’re in those partnerships for the long haul and we will continue to focus on those relationships,” Midco said. Bill Chaves, athletic director at UND, told Forum Communications, "I was told it will not affect our contract." Shawn was the play-by-play voice for North Dakota State football for many years before switching to UND football and basketball. Norstedt began his career at WDAY-TV in Fargo. He moved to Midco where his focus was high school athletics in North Dakota. Brown was the play-by-play voice of Augustana hockey, which began its inaugural Division I season this year. Midco also televised the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Summit League men’s and women’s basketball tournaments over the years. Jay Elsen, the voice of USD, was retained in Sioux Falls while reporter/host Taylor Budge will stay in Grand Forks. Read more from Jeff Kolpack Subscribers Only Men's Sports Former Bison great Billy Turner considering NFL retirement After 10 years in the league, Turner says the injury issues add up 2h ago · By Jeff Kolpack Subscribers Only Men's Sports It was a Bison offensive line celebration at NDSU's Pro Day With Billy Turner and Cordell Volson on hand, ex-NDSU players Jake Kubas and Jalen Sundell go through NFL tests 21h ago · By Jeff Kolpack Subscribers Only Women's Sports Kolpack: Women's hoops is hot, and Bison are part of the party North Dakota State stops Montana in second round of the WNIT 1d ago · By Jeff Kolpack Sports The
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