Greg Gumbel, the longtime sports broadcaster who became synonymous with March Madness and called two Super Bowls, died at the age of 78 his family said Friday.
Gumbel died “after a courageous battle with cancer,” his wife Marcy and daughter Michelle said in a statement released through CBS Sports.
“Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace and positivity,” they said. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten.”
Greg Gumbel has passed away at the age of 78.
Forever a legendary March Madness voice. pic.twitter.com/XXNlIl01rP
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) December 27, 2024
Gumbel’s career with CBS began in 1988 as a part-time NFL broadcaster. He began announcing college basketball in 1989 and became the host of “The NFL Today” studio show in 1990. After joining NBC from 1994 to 1998, where he hosted “The NFL on NBC” and daytime coverage of the 1996 Olympics, Gumbel returned to CBS in 1998 — becoming the voice of the studio show for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and rejoining its NFL coverage.
Gumbel called Super Bowls in 2001 and 2004, at the time making him the first network broadcaster to call play-by-play and host a Super Bowl. He was also the first Black play-by-play announcer to call a Super Bowl. Gumbel stood out among his peers for his versatility, morphing between studio hosting and play-by-play at the highest levels of the business.
In the studio, Gumbel’s voice became a staple of Selection Sunday. From 1998 to 2024, he hosted “College Basketball on CBS,” annually leading the group of analysts breaking down the tournament bracket — and ensuing weeks of coverage.
“The CBS Sports family is devastated by the passing of Greg Gumbel. There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television. He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor to call him a friend and colleague,” CBS Sports president David Berson said.
“A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcoming voice for fans across many sports, including the NFL and March Madness, highlighted by the Super Bowl and Final Four. Greg broke barriers and set the standard for others to follow.”
Gumbel missed the 2024 NCAA men’s Tournament due to what was described as a family health concern. It was the first tournament he missed since 1997.
This story will be updated.
(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
