Midco Sports Layoffs

[RahRahRabbits]

Per Keloland, Inforum, and a few other sources, Midco Sports is laying off several TV personalities - including David Brown, Brian Shawn, and Joy Norstedt.

I know people deserve some privacy - but was there ever an answer on Tom Nieman's sudden departure too? A quick search on this site turned up no results.

Strange things seem to be going on....

[RowdyRabbit]

Per Keloland, Inforum, and a few other sources, Midco Sports is laying off several TV personalities - including David Brown, Brian Shawn, and Joy Norstedt.

I know people deserve some privacy - but was there ever an answer on Tom Nieman's sudden departure too? A quick search on this site turned up no results.

Strange things seem to be going on....

This question keeps coming up.

I have no first hand knowledge so Ive tried to refrain from commenting, and probably still should refrain...there was talk on another platform a couple months ago he supposedly broke a certain Midco rule while in Frisco that led to his departure.

[bigticket1]

I looked back at the Midco replays and he did the first two basketball games after Frisco, and then it seemed like he went into the witness protection program. Figured that something drastic must have happened for that sudden of a departure.

[jakejc795]

I enjoyed Tom Nieman's commentary, and I think it is a mistake to eliminate David Brown, although the model they've used where the team's radio crew can double as the Midco "announcer" encourages the elimination of redundancy, I suppose.

[bigticket1]

I enjoyed Tom Nieman's commentary, and I think it is a mistake to eliminate David Brown, although the model they've used where the team's radio crew can double as the Midco "announcer" encourages the elimination of redundancy, I suppose.

The simulcast route is what I thought of too when I heard the layoff news. I like Tyler doing play by play - it sounds like people were already synching up with the radio broadcasts anyway. But I would miss the Midco feature stories pre-game and during half times.

[OldHare]

Last night the yote WNIT game was a dual broadcast fellow. Midco is adopting the Argus/Gannett model for lay offs.

[jakejc795]

The simulcast route is what I thought of too when I heard the layoff news. I like Tyler doing play by play - it sounds like people were already synching up with the radio broadcasts anyway. But I would miss the Midco feature stories pre-game and during half times.

Me too.

Speaking of missing things -- has there been any word on Tom Manzer's successor as the football PA announcer?

Maybe David Brown or Tom Nieman would be options.

[MontanaRabbit]

Terrible news. I really liked David Brown. He’s a very very good play by play guy. The stories he did for Midco Sports Mag were always really well done. Why anyone would get rid of him and keep Elsen and Newitt is beyond me.

[jackdaniel]

Per Keloland, Inforum, and a few other sources, Midco Sports is laying off several TV personalities - including David Brown, Brian Shawn, and Joy Norstedt.

I know people deserve some privacy - but was there ever an answer on Tom Nieman's sudden departure too? A quick search on this site turned up no results.

Strange things seem to be going on....

I read something about Midco not covering HS games, smaller local colleges and are just focusing on their local Summit teams, SDSU, USD, AND UND, as well as Augustana, missing is NDSU I guess, they must have other plans. I wondered what happened to Tom Nieman , oh Jason Andera is gone too. I thought they had a lot of people on the payroll, but now it seems they don't have enough, the Summit League pre-season media day extravaganza was really good and all the interviews well done and entertaining, I really enjoyed that. How are they going to do that now missing so many people? . Midco employed a high level of articulate and knowledgeable professional sportscasters, all very good and I liked them all, not a bad one in the bunch. Will miss these guys and gals. Good luck to them all.

[jakejc795]

I read something about Midco not covering HS games, smaller local colleges and are just focusing on their local Summit teams, SDSU, USD, AND UND, as well as Augustana, missing is NDSU I guess, they must have other plans. I wondered what happened to Tom Nieman , oh Jason Andera is gone too. I thought they had a lot of people on the payroll, but now it seems they don't have enough, the Summit League pre-season media day extravaganza was really good and all the interviews well done and entertaining, I really enjoyed that. How are they going to do that now missing so many people? . Midco employed a high level of articulate and knowledgeable professional sportscasters, all very good and I liked them all, not a bad one in the bunch. Will miss these guys and gals. Good luck to them all.

WDAY's NDSU coverage is probably one reason why.

Seems like a slap in the face, or an effort to save face, for Midco to mention some returning as freelancers. Brian Shawn, in particular, now faces concerns about healthcare given his cancer diagnosis a couple years ago.

Midco's cost cutting could afford SD an opportunity to adopt a coverage model like WDAY/InForum via Sioux Falls Live, in which case it'd be great for them to add Brown and Castora for Jacks coverage to pair with Zim. Brown could fulfill the "Izzo role," Castora a more "digitally savvy" Kolpack role, and Zimmer a more sports-focused/much less political McFeely (or more involved Peterson-type may be more apt) role

[Jacked_Up]

Terrible news. I really liked David Brown. He’s a very very good play by play guy. The stories he did for Midco Sports Mag were always really well done. Why anyone would get rid of him and keep Elsen and Newitt is beyond me.

Unlike Jay Elsen, I don't think Brad Newitt is a full-time employee of Midco. I also happen to think that Newitt is a very good TV sports analyst.

[Southeast]

One thing I find interesting is the number of people on Twitter/FB and the local fan forums who were proud to tell the world they were not going to pay the outrageous $30 for 3 months of Midco streaming service now acting outraged about the Midco talent layoffs.

[tbcruiser]

Yes, a true debacle by Midco, it seems one decision led to the other.
Apparently (enough of ) their customers rejected this business model decision. Wonder if that genius is still employed?

[jakejc795]

Unlike Jay Elsen, I don't think Brad Newitt is a full-time employee of Midco. I also happen to think that Newitt is a very good TV sports analyst.

So good I'm happy to let the 'Yotes have him

[RahRahRabbits]

One thing I find interesting is the number of people on Twitter/FB and the local fan forums who were proud to tell the world they were not going to pay the outrageous $30 for 3 months of Midco streaming service now acting outraged about the Midco talent layoffs.

I think it's more about people just getting fed up with all the separate subscription services, and being upset with yet one more. $30 for a season of Jackrabbit basketball really isn't all that bad... but the general fatigue and growing annoyance into outrage is real.