Jerry Schemmel, the longtime sports broadcaster on KOA radio who has called Rockies games for the past 10 seasons, has lost his job.

Schemmel said Thursday that he was laid off as part iHeartMedia’s massive job cuts around the country that began this week. KOA is part of iHeartMedia, the largest radio conglomerate in the United States.

“I’m shocked. I never saw this coming,” Schemmel said. “I really didn’t. It came out of left field, for sure. It’s unfortunate that I am part of a business that can be prone to massive corporate layoffs. It’s a hard reality.”

Schemmel was an employee of KOA radio, not the Rockies, and he said the Rockies had no part in the decision to lay him off.

Schemmel has been involved in sports on a number of levels for more than 30 years, but covering baseball has always had a special place in his heart.

“There was never a day in my 10 years with the Rockies that I wasn’t excited to go to the ballpark,” he said. “Calling baseball games was my dream job, always has been. To be able to broadcast a team from my own backyard has been amazing. Now I’ll have to find out what challenge comes next.”

Rockies manager Bud Black was saddened to hear the news.

“Jerry is a pro,” Black said. “His passion for his profession showed up every day. I personally will miss our daily interactions. And everyone around the ballpark, I’m sure, will feel the same.”

Added all-star shortstop Trevor Story: “Jerry was one of my favorite people to see every day. I’m going to miss him greatly.”

Schemmel has been a prominent part of Colorado’s sports landscape for two decades. He was the radio play-by-play voice for the Denver Nuggets for 18 seasons, as well as the radio voice for Colorado State football and basketball during the 2009-10 season.

There was no immediate word on Schemmel’s possible replacement at KOA. Jack Corrigan, who teamed with Schemmel, is entering his 18th season covering the Rockies.

Corrigan said that KOA will continue to utilize two broadcasters for Rockies games, adding that a decision on his new partner would have to be made quickly because spring training is fast approaching.

KOA has always employed two play-by-play men in the booth instead of a play-by-play man and an analyst as if often the case in other markets. The analyst is often a former baseball player. Corrigan said he does not know the direction the radio station will go.

Wendy Goldberg, a spokesperson for iHeartmedia, declined to discuss the specifics of Schemmel’s dismissal. She did provide a prepared statement.

“We are modernizing our company to take advantage of the significant investments we have made in new technology and aligning our operating structure to match the technology-powered businesses we are now in,” the statement reads. “This is another step in the company’s successful transformation as a multiple-platform, 21st century media company, and we believe it is essential to our future — it continues our momentum and adds to our competitiveness, our effectiveness and our efficiency with all our major constituencies.

“During a transition like this it’s reasonable to expect that there will be some shifts in jobs — some by location and some by function — but the number is relatively small given our overall employee base of 12,500. That said, we recognize that the loss of any job is significant; we take that responsibility seriously and have been thoughtful in the process.”