Dale Hansen is the face of TV Sports Anchoring in Dallas/Fort Worth serving the area for more than 38 years before retiring in 2021. It was the final stop on a career that started 50 years ago.
At the time of his retirement, Dale was the weeknight sports anchor during the 10 p.m. newscast on WFAA, Channel 8 in Dallas Texas. He also hosts Dale Hansen’s Sports Special on Sundays at 10:35 p.m. He’s well known for his acclaimed “Unplugged” segments, many of which have gone viral nationally.
Hansen began his career as a radio disc jockey and operations manager in Newton, Iowa in 1971. This was followed by a job as a sports reporter at KMTV in Omaha, Nebraska. Hansen’s first job in Dallas was with KDFW-TV (Channel 4). He joined WFAA-TV in 1983.
In 1987, Hansen was honored with the George Foster Peabody Award for Distinguished Journalism. That same year, he won the DuPont-Columbia Award for his contribution to the investigation of SMU’s football program. As a result of this investigation, the NCAA prohibited SMU from fielding a football program in 1987.
Hansen is the only local on-air broadcaster who has received the Radio Television Digital News Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2019.
Hansen has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Dale Hansen also is a member of the Lone Star Emmys Silver Circle, inducted in its early years back in 2009. That was followed by his induction into the Lone Star Emmy Gold Circle in 2022, rounding out a career that spanned a half century.
Hansen’s awards and honors include:
- Lone Star Emmy Silver Circle Honoree
- Recipient of over 20 Lone Star EMMY Awards
- Dallas Peace and Justice Center’s 2019 Inspiration Award
- Hero of Hope Award from the Cathedral of Hope Church
- Peacemaker Award from the Turtle Creek Chorale
- Children’s Hero Award from TexProtects
- Distinguished Professional Achievement Award from the UNT School of Journalism
- Communicator of the Year by the National Speech and Debate Association
- Sportscaster of the Year on two occasions by the Associated Press
- Texas Sportscaster of the Year on four occasions by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association
- Best Sportscaster by United Press International and the Dallas Press Club
- TV Personality of the Year by American Women in Radio and Television
- Iowa Associated Press award for Best Investigative Reporter
Q&A with Dale Hansen:
1) Who are you? I’m just a small town guy from Logan, Iowa … never went to college … have had 11 jobs in my life and been fired from 9 of ’em … but I am that person who always believes there’s a better day coming … so I never give up
2) What are your interests? I have very few interests outside of tv … I love golf and cards … almost any card game .. I like wine and a good political debate with friends on both sides of the aisle … play golf … then gin rummy … a little wine and a debate… it’s the perfect day
3) What do you like about working at WFAA? I like working at Channel 8 becuz it’s just better than all the others … not perfect … but better … we have good people who do sometimes great work … and at least for me … a management team that has figured out how to ignore my flaws as best they can
4) What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? I sleep with a basset hound under the covers … with her head on my pillow