Twin Cities Radio Station Issues Layoffs Friday

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL METRO — SKOR North, the sports radio station that broadcasts on AM 1500 in the Twin Cities, was forced to issue a number of layoffs Friday as the new coronavirus crisis continues to impact the economy.

"We learned today that there will be major changes made to SKOR North as we know it. We lost a lot of GREAT teammates," Phil Mackey, a content director and host with the station, said in a statement Friday.

"The decision was out of my/our control. COVID-19 had a major impact on our financial runway. For our guys who lost jobs today, I will go to bat for every one of them. If you are a sports media entity in a position to hire – whenever that may be – Matthew Coller, Ramie Makhlouf, Derek Wetmore, Seth Auger, Jon Harrison and Ross Brendel are STARS. I love you guys."

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The COVID-19 crisis is having a significant impact on the Minnesota media landscape. Four newspapers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro are have been shuttered in the last month.

"These last 60 days have been REALLY hard on sports media," Mackey added. "Especially a new brand like SKOR North, which launched just over a year ago. And a recovery isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. It’s unbelievably frustrating. And great people — here and elsewhere — are now in search of work because of it."

The Mackey & Judd show will continue to be broadcasted on AM 1500 radio and via podcast.