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CBS/Turner already announced their new lead broadcast booth of Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, and Grant Hill for the Final Four. Here is more. Of course, the real question is HOW CAN WE GET GUS JOHNSON BACK?!?!! Link to more:
CBS and Turner will debut eight out of eight all new announcing teams for the 2015 NCAA Tournament. CBS especially is known for their conservative approach to sports broadcasting and consistency in announcing assignments so it comes as a major surprise.
Rounding out the lineup, Chris Webber (who appears to be the favorite as TNT’s new lead NBA analyst) will join Marv Albert. This is noteworthy because Webber has kept his distance from CBS/Turner’s joint coverage of the tournament in years past as we all know about his strained relationship with the University of Michigan. But that’s not all. Veteran analyst Len Elmore will join Albert and Webber in a three man booth, which was hinted at when Albert and Elmore worked together this past weekend. And perhaps in the best news of all, Craig Sager will be on the sidelines with the group as well.
With Bill Raftery now on the #1 team, Verne Lundquist then needed a new partner. That man is the highly underrated Jim Spanarkel, who leaves his longtime partnership with Ian Eagle. Thus starts a domino effect seen throughout the rest of the CBS/Turner lineup. The Bird will then be joined by Doug Gottlieb, who had worked past tournaments with Spero Dedes. Dedes’ partner for this year’s tourney will be Mike Gminski, who called last year’s action with Andrew Catalon, whose new partner for 2015 is CBS Sports Network’s Steve Lappas.
Crystal clear, right?
The final changes come in Dan Bonner joining Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller for a new three man booth while Steve Smith moves up from the studio to the broadcast booth to work alongside Turner colleague Brian Anderson.
With that, here’s the full commentator lineup for the 2015 tournament including the sideline reporters for each broadcasting team. Given studio analyst assignments, it’s a safe bet that the first four teams listed will be the ones to call Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games as well:
1) Jim Nantz / Bill Raftery / Grant Hill // Tracy Wolfson*
2) Marv Albert / Chris Webber / Len Elmore // Craig Sager*
3) Verne Lundquist / Jim Spanarkel // Allie LaForce*
4) Kevin Harlan / Reggie Miller / Dan Bonner // Rachel Nichols*
5) Ian Eagle / Doug Gottlieb // Evan Washburn
6) Brian Anderson / Steve Smith // Lewis Johnson
7) Spero Dedes / Mike Gminski // Jaime Maggio
8) Andrew Catalon / Steve Lappas // Jamie Erdahl
CBS and Turner will once again go with two studio teams in New York and Atlanta up until the Final Four. The New York team includes Ernie Johnson and Greg Gumbel as hosts with analysts Clark Kellogg, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith. No surprises there. Those gentlemen will also be the lead studio crew for the Final Four and National Championship Game, joined by Reggie Miller, Steve Smith, and Seth Davis. Matt Winer will host from Atlanta during the first week of the tournament with Davis and former Spartan Mateen Cleaves. For the second week, Johnson moves to Atlanta to host while Gottlieb goes to the New York studio and Steve Smith goes to Atlanta.
The NCAA Tournament begins with the First Four in Dayton. Anderson and Smith will call the Tuesday games while Eagle and Gottlieb will call the Wednesday games.
This is such an amazing upgrade. You absolutely must pair Nantz with someone who has some personality, and combining him with Kellogg was just the worst mix ever. It would have been too boring for GOLF, let alone March Madness.
I’d take Doris Burke over 2/3 of these guys, especially Doug Gottlieb. I can see keeping him around as a studio analyst, but not as a sideline analyst. What a douche.
Yeah, Burke is solid – that would be a good add. Gottlieb was always better in the studio, imo.
I really liked Greg Anthony on the call, that’s a shame. Unless Michigan wins the B1G tournament, then Webber doesn’t have to worry about calling any Blue games.
I also agree that Spanarkel is underrated … it’s going to be different hearing him without Eagle.
I like Bonner (some do not) but I would elevate Doris Burke – she had the knowledge and a way of making things exciting. It is obvious she loves basketball.
Greg Anthony really was good. Is he gone forever?
Right on cue —
Absolutely love screaming Gus RT @thebiglead: It's March, so Gus Johnson is losing his mind. http://t.co/rWcWr1POmg pic.twitter.com/984fNWjX7Q
— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) March 5, 2015
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