Joe Schmit (Broadcaster & Public Speaker)

Joe Schmit is a broadcaster for KSTP in the Twin Cities, a professional speaker, and an author. 

Originally from Seymour, Wisconsin, Schmit grew up close to Green Bay, and it’s there that his love for sports first began. 

“I played sports 365 days a year,” says Schmit, who according to his friends, loved to talk as much as he relished throwing a spiral, to the point that one of his peers joked that he should go into sports broadcasting.

After high school, Schmit did just that, enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with the hopes of becoming a local sportscaster back in Green Bay. 

“Everything I had dreamed of happened,” Schmit recalls, meaning he did indeed get to cover sports near his hometown, but the Seymour native admits that his ambitions eventually extended beyond chronicling the Packers, high school athletics, and fishing. 

Seeking something bigger, Schmit explored his options. 

“I was 26, and my contract was set to expire, so I sent my tape out to several different markets,” he says. 

Soon, Minneapolis called, so he hopped on a plane. 

“Next thing I knew, I was moving to the Twin Cities,” says Schmit, who would go on to become a fixture in the living rooms of Twin Cities residents as his new job had him on TV covering Super Bowls, Final Fours, and World Series. 

From seeing Kirby Puckett spearhead the Twins to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991, to witnessing the insane evolution of NBA superstar Anthony Edwards during the 2024 NBA playoffs, if something notable happened with a Minnesota sports franchise these last few decades, Schmit probably saw it live. 

“I’ve been lucky because even though Minnesota has not won big in a lot of sports, to be on the inside and tell stories, not only of guys like Randy Moss and Kirby Puckett, but also college coaches and young kids trying to make it, that’s been fulfilling,” Schmit notes. 

Being in close proximity to so many up-and-coming Twin Cities athletes has enabled Schmit to see the journeys of generational talents come full-circle. 

“I first interviewed Joe Mauer when he was a junior in high school, and then I attended his enshrinement into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York [in 2024],” Schmit says. 

“And when Joe was getting inducted into the Hall of Fame, I felt like his uncle,” he adds with a laugh. 

Schmit also experienced something similar with hoops phenom Jalen Suggs, first interviewing Suggs in eighth grade and then watching him develop into a $150 million wing with the Orlando Magic. 

“Seeing these kids’ dreams come true is very fun to watch because you know how much effort they have put in,” Schmit says. 

“Again, that’s why I say I’ve been lucky to be a part of all these great events, and cover all these spectacular athletes and people.”

For as much fun as Schmit has had as a broadcaster, it should be noted that the job is not without its inherent challenges. 

For instance, we only see Schmit every day for the three minutes he is on air, but there is so much legwork that goes into creating that brief recap of the day in sports. 

“It takes a team effort to produce even a short segment,” Schmit points out, and then there is the fact that sports broadcasters have a hectic schedule.   

“When you are in sports broadcasting, your life revolves around sports.”

Last spring, the Minnesota Timberwolves went on a magical run to the Western Conference Finals, dismantling the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets before being ousted by the Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks. 

For success-starved Timberwolves fans, that much winning was something they hadn’t seen since 2004, back when Kevin Garnett was in his prime, and while Schmit was equally ecstatic about seeing the Timberwolves return to NBA relevance in 2024, the reality is that his personal life had no consistency.  

“I had things planned with my family, but because the Timberwolves were playing in Dallas that night, I’m there,” Schmit mentions. 

“I always say that in this business you have to have a very understanding wife, and a very talented producer, and sometimes not in that order,” he adds with a hearty chuckle. 

Not that Schmit is complaining about his heavy workload. 

In fact, one might say Schmit thrives when his calendar is gasping for air and his inbox is buried in unread messages, which helps explain why Schmit had no qualms about getting into public speaking and authorship when various opportunities arose. 

At first, much of what Schmit spoke about revolved around his perspective on past Minnesota sports glory.   

“But suddenly I realized that I was going to dislocate my shoulder from patting myself on the back so much,” Schmit quips, so he pivoted, and he started talking about the people he met along the way who were making a profound impact on the world.

“Next thing you know, I had a lot more people asking me to speak, and then people started telling me that I had to write a book.”

So he wrote a book, and then two more, one of which was a children’s book with the aforementioned Joe Mauer, for which all proceeds went to charity. 

“The book with Joe has been very successful,” Schmit humbly reveals. 

“We have raised over $125,000.”

As we talk, it’s quite evident why Schmit has earned his spot in the pantheon of Twin Cities broadcasters, and why people around Minnesota and the entire country contact him about speaking at their events.

He’s authentically himself, and he cares about the people and the stories he covers, and consequently I’m grateful that he has spared twenty minutes to speak with me before he heads off to another speaking function. 

As Schmit forges ahead in his career, he will continue broadcasting for network television while managing a successful speaking business. 

“I have several projects in the works, but I’m definitely going to keep speaking,” says Schmit, who estimates that he speaks at roughly 50-60 events per year. 

“I like to be busy, and I also like to make an impact, so I’m going to continue doing things that make a difference in people’s lives, even long after I leave broadcasting.” QS

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