MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Concordia College and Moorhead High School longtime athletic play-by-play announcer Larry Knutson announced that he is retiring from broadcasting Cobber and Spud games.
“It’s been my big honor to call as many games as I have and been involved with as many student-athletes, family members, coaches and administrators as I have – it’s time for me to step away,” Knutson said. “I never felt like I worked a day in my life when I was broadcasting games, and I couldn’t imagine living life any other way.”
Knutson has been calling Moorhead Spud contests since 1979 and started doing Concordia games shortly after. During his career he has been the voice of Spud football, volleyball, basketball and hockey contests. He has called Cobber football and basketball games on the radio since the mid 1980’s and has also provided occasional play-by-play for volleyball, hockey and baseball games for the Concordia live stream broadcasts.
Knutson, who is originally from Ashby, Minn., was inducted into the Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Moorhead Hall of Honor in 2013.
His list of accolades doesn’t stop with Moorhead HS and Concordia. Knutson was named the recipient of the Sid Hartman Media Award by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation in 2022. He has also been inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Hall of Fame, the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as well as being honored with the Mike Augustin Award for his outstanding contributions to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) athletics. Knutson is the longest running play-by-play announcer in the MIAC.
“Some voices don’t just call the game—they become part of its history,” Concordia Athletic Director Rachel Bergeson commented. “And that will ring true for Larry Knutson at Concordia. The hours behind the microphone touched so many people from athletes, fans, family, and friends of the college. I can’t thank Larry enough for all he has done for Cobber Athletics.
Bergeson also went on to state, “Larry has also been a constant in my family’s story — calling not only my son’s high school games, but my games as well, and sharing in so many of our moments along the way.”
Knutson approximated that he has called between 4,000 and 5,000 games during his career and has been around long enough to broadcast the games of grandkids of athletes whom he called when he first started broadcasting games.
"After 47 years as the voice of the Spuds, Larry Knutson leaves behind a lasting legacy,” Moorhead High School Activities Director Dean Haugo added. “His passion and presence defined generations of Moorhead athletics, and his voice will forever be part of Spud history."
Not only is Knutson’s longevity with Moorhead and Concordia impressive, but he has been the backdrop for many championship moments for the Spuds and Cobbers. Most recently, he was the voice of back-to-back Minnesota State High School boys' hockey titles in 2025 and 2026. He also called the Spud football state championship in 1987 and the NCAA Division III women’s basketball crown for Concordia in 1988.