Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley to call 2 games together this year, including First Four matchup
A Dream Realized: Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley to Call NCAA Tournament Game
For Dick Vitale, the voice of college basketball for generations, a lifelong ambition is finally coming to fruition. The Hall of Fame broadcaster will team up with fellow broadcasting icon Charles Barkley to call an NCAA Tournament game this March, a moment decades in the making. The game, a First Four matchup, will air on TruTV, TNT Sports, and ESPN.
From Regular Season to March Madness: A Long Road
Vitale, 86, has been a fixture on ESPN for over four decades, known for his infectious enthusiasm and signature catchphrases like “Awesome, baby!” While he dominated the regular season and conference tournament coverage, the NCAA Tournament always remained just out of reach. For years, the rights to March Madness were held exclusively by CBS, preventing Vitale from fulfilling his dream.
The landscape shifted with the recent partnership between ESPN and TNT Sports, opening the door for this historic pairing. ESPN is now licensing TNT Sports’ “Inside The NBA,” the acclaimed studio show starring Barkley, and the collaboration has extended to on-air talent. Burke Magnus, ESPN’s president of content, and Craig Barry, TNT’s executive vice president and chief content officer, approved the plan to put Vitale and Barkley together.
Interestingly, opportunities were presented by CBS in the past. Sean McManus, then-chairman of CBS Sports, offered Vitale a chance to call tournament games in 2022, but Vitale declined. A similar offer was rejected by ESPN itself back in 2006. The timing, it seems, was never quite right.
A Friendship Forged in the Broadcast Booth
The desire to work alongside each other has been mutual for years. Barkley first publicly expressed his wish to team with Vitale in 2013, telling Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, “I would love to do a game with Dick Vitale because I think he has been great for college basketball. It’d be good for the game.” Their on-air chemistry, built on a genuine friendship, is a key factor in the decision to pair them for these broadcasts.
Before the tournament game, the duo will provide analysis for the December 13th matchup between Indiana and Kentucky on ESPN, with Dave O’Brien handling play-by-play. This will serve as a warm-up for their March Madness debut.
Beyond the Game: Vitale’s Inspiring Fight
Vitale’s journey to this moment is particularly poignant given his recent health battles. Over the past four years, he has courageously fought three different forms of cancer. These struggles have, at times, impacted his voice, a voice that has become synonymous with college basketball. His resilience and determination to return to the broadcast booth are an inspiration to many.
Vitale’s commitment extends beyond the game itself. He has been a tireless fundraiser for cancer research, raising millions of dollars through the V Foundation for Cancer Research. His dedication to this cause underscores his character and his impact on the world beyond sports.
The Global Impact of College Basketball and Cancer Research
The popularity of NCAA Men’s Basketball extends far beyond the United States. According to data from the Statista, the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament averaged 10.67 million viewers on television alone. This global reach highlights the cultural significance of the sport and the excitement surrounding March Madness.
Furthermore, the fight against cancer is a global health crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly 10 million people died from cancer in 2020, representing nearly one-sixth of all deaths globally. Vitale’s fundraising efforts contribute to a vital cause with far-reaching implications.
“This is a dream come true,” Vitale said in a statement released by ESPN. “To finally call a tournament game with my buddy Charles… it doesn’t get any better than this. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this happen.”
Barkley echoed the sentiment, adding, “Dickie V is a legend, and I’m thrilled we’re finally going to get to call a game together. It’s going to be a lot of fun for us, and hopefully for the viewers as well.”
The pairing of Vitale and Barkley promises to be a memorable one, blending decades of experience, genuine camaraderie, and a shared passion for the game. It’s a moment that fans have been waiting for, and a fitting tribute to a broadcaster who has given so much to college basketball.
ARTICOL ORIGINAL:
Basketball broadcasting icons Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley will join forces to call two games this season, including one First Four matchup to begin the NCAA Tournament in March on TruTV, TNT Sports and ESPN announced Monday.
The 86-year-old Vitale has long wanted to work an NCAA Tournament game during his Hall of Fame career, and he will partner with Barkley and a play-by-player to be named later on the TruTV game.
First, Vitale and Barkley will analyze a game on ESPN on Saturday, Dec. 13, between Indiana and Kentucky. Dave O’Brien will serve as the play-by-play announcer.
The plan to put the pair together was borne out of Barkley and Vitale’s longtime friendship, and aided by the new partnerships between ESPN and TNT Sports. ESPN is licensing TNT Sports’ iconic “Inside The NBA” that stars Barkley. ESPN’s president of content, Burke Magnus, and TNT’s executive vice president and chief content officer, Craig Barry, gave the Barkley-Vitale idea the go-ahead.
For years and years, there has been talk about Vitale calling some NCAA Tournament games. While he was the lead analyst in the sport during the regular season and the conference tournaments on ESPN, March Madness belonged to CBS for decades before the network partnered with TNT Sports. An arrangement to allow Vitale to call an NCAA Tournament game was never completed. Two years ago, then-CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus offered Vitale a chance to call a game or two in the tournament, but Vitale declined. In 2006, ESPN also rejected a similar offer from McManus.
The duo has been hoping to work together for a long time. In 2013, Barkley told The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch, then of Sports Illustrated, that he wanted to team with Vitale.
“I told these guys one of my goals is to do a game with Dick Vitale,” Barkley said. “I would love to do a game with Dick Vitale because I think he has been great for college basketball. It’d be good for the game.”
Over the past four years, Vitale, who has raised millions for cancer research, has battled three forms of the disease. At times, it had impacted his vocal cords and his ability to speak.
He is back this season and will now end the year calling an NCAA Tournament game alongside Barkley.