Someone You Should Know: Matt Wurnig, 50 Dates 50 States

BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — “I had no idea what I was doing, but it was really funny,” Matt Wurnig, creator, 50 Dates 50 States, recalled. “I was going on like three or four dates a night.”

And that was just the beginning of Matt Wurnig’s brain-child, 50 Dates 50 States.
Before Matt set out on his female-finding adventure, however, he worked as the director of fun for the Bismarck Larks.

“It was my job to literally make people smile and laugh,” Matt explained. “So I was all in.”

After working two full summers for the larks, covid hit, and sitting in his apartment, bored, Matt turned to Tinder for entertainment.

“A notification popped up and it said you can place your location anywhere in the U.S. for free. And so I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ So I started dropping my location in like New York, LA, Miami, Dallas, all the big cities, you know,” Matt said.

When Matt started getting matches, a light bulb went off and he decided go on 50 virtualdates in 50 states.

“The girls, they knew what they were signing up for because I kind of explained what I was trying to accomplish and, and how it was kind of a pandemic project,” Matt siad.

His 50 virtual dates went so well, he didn’t want the fun to end.

“I built this vision in my head of how I wanted it to go,” Matt said. “And then I was like, Well, how can I make it bigger and better?”

And that’s when Matt decided to take his experiment on the road, officially dubbing it, “ 50 Dates 50 States .”

“I put together a route, I got my date scheduled, I communicated with them, I got my truck wrapped,” Matt explained. “Like it was just all these little planning pieces and logistics.”

Leaving his job with the Bismarck Larks and traveling during covid, in a 2001 – F150 with over 200-thousand miles, Matt knew the odds were stacked against him, but a quote from one former president kept him motivated.

“Teddy Roosevelt, and it’s “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have,’” Matt recited. “And so I think for me, I was like, this is what I have and this is the moment I’m in. So I’ve got to roll with what I got.”

Matt continued to believe, driving from state to state, going from date to date.
Since most people go on dates to find that special someone, I asked Matt if he’s found love on this adventure.

“I looked at trying to find the one or trying to find a love is like a bonus to at all,” Matt said with a laugh.

Matt says he and some of the ladies may have “caught feelings,” but he has yet to find “the one.”

Finishing up 50 Dates 50 States season 2, Matt made his way back to North Dakota for the off season to work for the Larks once again, but this time as their on field host, for the summer.

But dating is still a big part of his schedule!

He took four lucky ladies, chosen from a pool of more than 350, to ND Country Fest, one date each night, and he has more dates to come during his stay in North Dakota.

Of all the states Matt could spend his off-season, why here?

“I think just the experience I have, or I had here in Bismarck,” Matt shared “And the people made me want to come back and I think it’s so much fun coming back here.”

While working for the Larks and going on dates, Matt is gearing up for next season in October, but with a new twist.

I’m hoping to hit the road and have a girl be the star of it, which is exciting,” Matt shared. “And me travel with her and be the host to it.”

Not only will a girl be the star, but each guy in each state will receive a wooden heart.

“At the end of the date, they give her their heart and she has to decide if she’s going to take it or break it. She can only keep five hearts out of all 50 dates she goes on. It could really spice things up you know, imagine going on a date with a gal and and she breaks your heart at the end, like literally,” Matt exclaimed. “Oh that would be a bit tough”

Matt Wurnig, creator of 50 Dates 50 States, is Someone You Should Know.

You can follow Matt on his adventures on TikTok: @50Dates50States or Instagram: @matthewwurnig

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