Midco

Midco
	File:Midcontinent logo.png
Formerly	Midcontinent Communications
Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Telecommunications
Founded	1931; 95 years ago, in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Headquarters	Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Area served	Minnesota; North Dakota; South Dakota; Wisconsin; Northeast Kansas
Key people	Pat McAdaragh (CEO)
Products	Cable television; internet; telephone; fiber-optic;
Owners	Midcontinent Media (51%); Comcast (49%);
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Midco—previously known as Midcontinent Communications—is a regional telecommunications provider delivering triple-play offerings, including cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services across North Dakota, South Dakota, significant portions of Minnesota, as well as select areas in Kansas and Wisconsin. Its enterprise solutions feature dedicated fiber-optic data connections through leased circuits tailored for large-scale businesses.

Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Midco functions as a joint venture with ownership divided between Midcontinent Media (51%) and Comcast (49%). The company serves over 200 communities, both urban and rural, reaching a market exceeding 1.2 million individuals.

History

Originating in 1931 in Minneapolis, Minnesota under the name Welworth Theater Company, Midcontinent Media shifted its focus from movie theaters to broadcasting by acquiring KELO-AM/FM and initiating KELO-TV operations in 1953. While initially expanding into radio and television broadcasting, the company divested these assets by 2004 to concentrate exclusively on telecommunications.

Beginning in the 1960s, the firm broadened its portfolio to include telephone and cable television services throughout the Upper Midwest. In 1999, it established a joint venture with AT&T Broadband (which later became Comcast), combining cable operations in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Nebraska under the Midcontinent Communications brand.

After Charter Communications filed for bankruptcy in 2008, Midco purchased multiple cable systems from Charter in Minnesota during early 2009, thereby enlarging its regional presence. The company further increased its subscriber base in June 2011 by acquiring 33,000 customers from US Cable across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Midco discontinued paging services in 2004 to focus on broadband Internet and telephony offerings. In January 2016, it rebranded to MIDCO accompanied by the slogan "Let's Go," aiming to reinforce its brand identity.

In October 2016, Midco entered the Kansas market through acquisition of the Lawrence cable system from Wide Open West, strengthening its competitive stance locally.

Midco Sports

Midco operates a regional sports channel known as Midco Sports, which concentrates on NCAA Division I athletics within conferences such as the Summit League, Missouri Valley Football Conference, and Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The network highlights institutions including South Dakota and North Dakota. Additionally, it serves as the principal broadcast partner for NCAA Division II’s Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, covering prominent basketball tournaments.

The network’s premier programming features the NSIC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments held at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls each February and March. It broadcasts every game from quarterfinal rounds through to championship contests. Coverage also includes Summit League tournament quarterfinals and semifinals from the Denny Sanford Premier Center; however, championship games are televised by CBS Sports.

Midco Sports along with its secondary channel, Midco Sports 2, are accessible to all MIDCO cable subscribers and distributed regionally through affiliate agreements. The network employs a team of more than 30 full-time professionals specializing in on-air presentation and production.

On April 21, 2023, due to a scheduling conflict on Bally Sports North, Midco Sports aired a Minnesota Twins baseball game.

External links