Award-winning WISN 12 Sports Director Dan Needles to Retire in March

MILWAUKEE, WIS. (December 17, 2021) – After more than 30 years of covering all sports spanning Wisconsin and beyond, long-time WISN 12 sports director Dan Needles will be retiring. Effective March 4, 2022, Needles will end his television career – recognized as an award-winning sports anchor and reporter who has been broadcasting the most significant sports stories in Wisconsin history.

“When sports is the big story, and in Wisconsin it often is, Southeastern Wisconsin has always been able to rely on Dan,” says Jan Wade, president and general manager of WISN 12. “For decades he’s provided our viewers with in-depth reporting, expert insight, and without a doubt, a lively sense of humor! He is an incredible vault of sports knowledge, more so than anyone I have ever seen, and his expertise and presence will be missed here at the station.”

Needles has been at the forefront of historic sports events since starting at WISN 12 in 1990, at the local, state, and national levels. Over the years, he has covered Super Bowl victories by the Green Bay Packers, MLB Playoff appearances by the Milwaukee Brewers, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, major golf championships, and most recently, the Milwaukee Buck’s journey to win the NBA Championship.

“For a kid who grew up in Waukesha watching the news on WISN 12, I’ve been able to live out my dream by working here for more than three decades,” shares Dan Needles. “I have had the pleasure of working with so many true professionals who taught me what journalism is, and I thank the viewers who shared my passion for sports.”

Recognized for his contributions to television broadcasting, Needles has received numerous awards. These accolades include a 2017 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Wisconsin Silver Circle Award,  the “Best Sportscast” award by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, along with a host of other honors presented by the Milwaukee Press Club and the Midwest Associated Press.

“I look forward to spending many happy years with my wife and family, traveling and playing golf, but will always make Southeastern Wisconsin my home,” adds Needles.

Prior to joining WISN 12, Needles served as a weekend sports anchor and reporter at WAOW-TV in Wausau, WI, sports director at WNBK-FM in New London, WI, and as the sports and news director at WCFW-FM in Chippewa Falls, Wis.

 

About WISN 12 and Hearst Television

WISN 12, the ABC station in Milwaukee, is owned by Hearst Television, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hearst. Hearst Television owns and operates 33 television and two radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 22 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all of the major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over nearly 70 video channels including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, Estrella and more. The radio stations are leaders in Baltimore news/talk and rock music listenership. Its Hearst Media Production Group unit produces original programing across linear and streaming platforms for domestic and international distribution. Its Very Local app, free to download on household OTT devices and available across popular streaming services, offers 24/7 access to local news, weather and an array of local and regional programming.  Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry’s premier companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.