MOLINE, Ill. — After spending nearly 25 years with WQAD, Sports Director Matt Randazzo has announced his departure.
Matt's official last day was Friday, Nov. 8, but News 8 will be celebrating his time at the station during The Score Sunday, starting at 10:35 p.m. on our main channel. If you aren't able to tune in live, News 8 will reair the half-hour special throughout the week on our WQAD News 8+ streaming app, available for Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.
Matt joined News 8 as an intern but has been a lifelong Quad Cities resident and sports fan.
"I grew up right here in the Quad Cities flipping channels as fast as I could as a kid," Matt said in his going away post on Facebook. "I'd go from Thom Cornelius/Dan Pearson to Don Sharp to Dan Burich as fast as I could to get as much local sports as I could. I couldn't get enough. And for a quarter century, I lived and breathed local sports. I've been beyond blessed."
From the John Deere Classic to local high school football coverage to covering basketball superstar Caitlin Clark, Matt has had a memorable and expansive career with News 8. He said this move away from the television set will allow him to spend more time with family.
"Being a dad is hands down my most important job in life. My wife is an absolute rockstar. She's gladly allowed me to do what I love. But it's time to get off work before 11 p.m. every night and work a few less Saturdays," Matt remarked.