GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- University of North Dakota Athletics Director Brian Faison honored retiring WDAZ-TV General Manager Bob Kerr with a framed jersey at Friday's Sioux Booster Luncheon in Grand Forks.

Kerr is retiring at the end of the month after 43 years in the broadcast business, 27 of those years at WDAZ, the ABC affiliate in Grand Forks.

Kerr has been instrumental in broadcasting Fighting Sioux games in nearly every sport to both the Grand Forks area and the entire state of North Dakota.

“I remember we were televising a lot of games before ESPN was,” said Kerr.  “I remember going to Pine Bluff (Arkansas) for the women's basketball national tournament and people were surprised that we were televising women's basketball.  Then we ended up producing all the games and sending it back to every market.”

Through Kerr's leadership, the Fighting Sioux Sports Network now serves over 300,000 households throughout North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota, bringing Fighting Sioux men's hockey games to legions of loyal UND fans.

“Bob has done so many great things to support the community of Grand Forks, the UND Athletics Department and the University of North Dakota,” said Faison.  “He has played a true leadership role in the growth of the Fighting Sioux Sports Network.”