In recent news, Midco Sports has laid off several employees, including well-known TV personalities, due to budget cuts. Sources have informed The Forum that on-air voices Brian Shawn, David Brown, Jody Norstedt, and others were informed of the move on Tuesday. The reason given for the layoffs was a need to cut costs.
Midco Sports has plans to enhance streamed content on Midco Sports Plus and university partnership content on its linear channels Midco Sports and Midco Sports Two. As a result of these changes, high school sports and some original programming will no longer be produced by Midco Sports or broadcast on their linear channels. This led to the unfortunate decision to reduce the number of full-time team members on the Midco Sports team. However, Paige Pearson Meyer, vice president of corporate communications at Midco Sports, mentioned that the employees who were laid off could potentially work in a freelance capacity.
Midco Sports has contracts to air UND football, hockey, men’s and women’s basketball games, SDSU and USD football, men’s and women’s basketball games, as well as Augustana hockey. The company has communicated its changes with the athletic departments of the schools they have partnerships with and assured them that the layoffs will not affect their contracts. Notable TV personalities like Bill Chaves, athletic director at UND, have expressed confidence in the ongoing partnerships.
Aside from the layoffs, Midco has also televised the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Summit League men’s and women’s basketball tournaments over the years. While some employees were let go
