Huge Sports Anchor Shake Up in Jacksonville
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Dan Hicken, longtime sports anchor and sports director at WTLV/WJXX First Coast News, is leaving the station after almost 30 years to jump across the street.
Hicken is headed to WTEV TV/WAWS.
Jim Zerwekh, general manager at WTEV/WAWS announced on Wednesday that Brent Martineau was being elevated to sports director at the station effective immediately.
Word is that current WTEV/WAWS sports director Steve Wrigley is or will soon be out at the station.
Hicken's contract was set to expire Friday, and the two sides could not come to an agreement. Tuesday was his last night on air.
“I’m grateful for my time there. It’s the only place I’ve ever worked as a grownup,” said Hicken who took the job following graduation from Florida. “But the guys at CBS have been so great. They are so committed to sports, and I can be a sportscaster again. It just seemed like a great fit for me and my family.
“This opportunity was a no-brainer. They’ve got the Jaguars, they have SEC football and they have a strong presence in the high school sports scene. They’re committed to local sports, and that’s what I want to do, and that’s who I am.”
A non-compete clause in his contract will keep him off the air for six months.
“I am so appreciative and so thankful that they are willing to wait that long for me to be back on the air. I’ll help work to develop as many stories as possible in the meantime,” Hicken said.
Zerwekh praised Martineau’s work the past five years and added that he would take on an even bigger role as the station expands its coverage.
“Brent has done a tremendous job for us and has won multiple awards for his efforts,” Zerwekh said. “He’s spearheaded our coverage of not just the Jaguars but with a lot of the other sports that we cover.
