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WQAD Sports Director Matt Randazzo says goodbye after 25 years

After spending the past 25 years at WQAD, Matt Randazzo has announced he is leaving to spend more time with family.

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. 

Nearly 25 years ago I walked into WQAD as an eager, wide eyed, and probably unprepared intern. I knew very little. The...

Posted by WQAD Matt Randazzo on Monday, October 21, 2024

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