New voice for Sioux football?
UND likely will be looking for a new play-by-play radio announcer for Sioux football.
Dan Hammer, who has called Sioux games the last seven seasons, said Tuesday he is returning to television. Hammer accepted the position of sports director of "Valley News Live," the joint KVLY-KXJB television newscasts.
Hammer has been the sports director of Radio Fargo-Moorhead the last four years. He has been the voice of Sioux football for the last seven, but his new television duties will make it difficult for him to continue to call Sioux games.
"At this stage, I think both UND and I recognize that with my new responsibilities and hours, it's going to be very difficult for me to remain as the voice of the Sioux," Hammer said. "I'd love to keep doing it, but that's 11 weekends I'd be tied up."
Hammer has a lot of TV experience. He spent 21 years at KVLY before leaving in 2002 for Radio Fargo-Moorhead.
Hammer starts his new TV duties Monday.
January 18th, 2011 - 21:25
I just hope Mike Berg will still be in the booth.
January 19th, 2011 - 01:46
I wish Dan luck in Fargo. On a different note, what does UND have to do as an institution, program, and as a community to build a decent, and respected football program? Is it possible to build a program like that in Grand Forks or has NDSU excelled so far past us in football and basketball that we will never catch up. I’m curious to hear what people think.
January 19th, 2011 - 04:20
ndsu was 3-8 in 2009. the talk at that time was the two football programs weren’t too far apart. in 2010 UND had a tough year, and NDSU had a great year. so i don’t think it’s fair to say ndsu is leaps and bounds ahead of und in football. getting in the Big Sky will hopefully expand recruiting to the west coast and help UND become a force in FCS football. basketball….i don’t have as high expectations there….
January 19th, 2011 - 12:29
I’m wondering how much UND’s lack of athletic facilities (hockey excluded) is hurting their recruiting efforts. UND is a perfect place to build a winning program, the students, alumni, and community are extremely proud of the institution and desperately to follow another sport other than just hockey. I wonder what it would take to build a new stadium on campus? There use to be architectural conceptual rendering of two possible stadiums on the internet (one with a retractable roof) a few years back, but now they’re gone.
January 19th, 2011 - 15:17
I’m sorry you seem to insinuate that we have a lack of athletic facilities. As compared to who? Our neighboring institutions on the 1-29 corridor? I won’t even give them the dignity of calling them peer institutions because acedemically wise and facility wise they are so far behind us it would be waste of writing to do so. Our facilities are just fine, and with with goals to improve. When comparing to USD’s Dakota Dome, NDSU has the BSA-FargoDome, and SDSU has Frost & I can’t remember the football fields name. When comparing I think we come out pretty well. Why in the world would we need to waste $$$’s and build yet another football stadium in this town when in fact we have a very nice one that we don’t own but is very much ours on gameday. And we don’t fill it. We did during our championship year, and if we have another year like that- we will again. Let’s face it our facilities stand up well, our institution as a whole stands at the front so I don’t think any of that will effect recruiting.
Now to the topic, Dan did a great job as our radio voice, and as I understand it nothing is set in stone, yet. I hope he returns, but if not North Dakota Football will be fine as will it’s broadcasts. But he will be missed.
January 19th, 2011 - 18:28
Not only did Dan do a very good job, he gave uND a voice in the Fargo market on his other radio shows, and that was important, too. Wish him the best in TV, but hope Dan can find a way to stay with Sioux football, too.
January 19th, 2011 - 19:33
Scott Swygman said on the radio today that he would like the football announcing job. What kind of a chance would he have?
January 19th, 2011 - 20:51
Hrkac, I wasn’t referring to our I-29 neighbors, considering we don’t play them in sports anymore. I was referring to Montana, Montana State and Mid-Major FBS programs. I’m not sure how you feel but I hope UND one day out grows the FCS and takes it rightful place in a larger more prestigious conference (MAC or something comparable). Let’s be honest, the Alerus on the outside is a nice looking building. However, it is a boring, typical mid-western football dome (like SD,NDSU, U of Idaho ect…) and doesn’t have a UND atmosphere to it. I would love to see them renovate the Old Memorial field and bring football back to campus, I think it would be well worth the money!
January 20th, 2011 - 03:11
I agree that Scott Swygman would be a good choice. He has long, loyal record to UND athletics even if UND treated him poorly recently. He would be a good choice for a lot of Sioux fans.
January 20th, 2011 - 18:11
Football at Memorial never worked before. At least attendance wise that is. I’ve been to both UNI’s Dome and the Kibbie Dome for Idaho both can’t hold water as compared to the Alerus for Football. I was at October games with so-so weather when the team was good and no-one came to Memorial. Everyone has this Utopian view of football at Memorial when really that rarely ever happened. A renovation or building a new stadium would be a waste of money to me that could best be to better our programs in other ways within the department.
Now back to the radio voice part, I’ve never been as particular as some on this site & others of who does the radio in our games. When Terhar did Sioux Hockey, I thought he was good… when Scott Miller was involved in Sioux Sports to me he did very well as well. I know, I can’t do it but actually alot of guys can. Just make sure you give me frequent updates of the score of the game and what the time is remaining in said game and you’ll do well in my book.