
ESPN signs Dick Vitale to multi-year extension, creates annual event in his honor
ESPN signs Dick Vitale to multi-year extension, creates annual event in his honor
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Dick Vitale talks cancer awareness and Clemson vs Duke basketball game
Dick Vitale ESPN tv personality talks cancer awareness and Clemson vs Duke basketball game
On his 86th birthday, Dick Vitale got a pair of gifts he won't soon forget.
The legendary ESPN college basketball analyst has signed a multi-year contract extension through the 2027-28 season, the network announced on June 9.
Additionally, ESPN unveiled the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational, an annual men's college basketball event that will honor the color commentator and former coach. The inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational will feature Duke against Texas on Nov. 4 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
REQUIRED READING: The 2025 NBA draft deadline has passed. Who are the college basketball winners and losers?
'I couldn't believe it when I got the call from ESPN,' Vitale said to ESPN. 'They said, 'we want to have a big game called the Dick Vitale Invitational.' I said, 'are you serious?!' All of the people at ESPN, starting with (ESPN chairman) Jimmy Pitaro, and all of my friends and colleagues have been so great to me especially with my recent battles with cancer. They've been by my side from day one and to do this is unbelievable. Long after I'm gone, to still have a game out there with my name attached to it? Wow, that is truly unbelievable!'
Vitale has been with ESPN since 1979, joining as a college basketball analyst shortly after the network went on the air. During that time, he has called over 1,000 games and become synonymous with ESPN's college basketball coverage with his high energy, colorful personality and famous catchphrases.
His latest contract will stretch his ESPN tenure to nearly 50 years.
Vitale's on-air work has earned him induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. In April, he received the Dean Smith Award, which is given out annually by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to 'an individual in college basketball who embodies the spirit and values' of the iconic former North Carolina coach.
Vitale has been a more infrequent presence on ESPN over the past several years as he has undergone treatment for various forms of cancer. He called his first game in nearly two years in February, when Clemson upset No. 2 Duke.
'Dick is the heart of college basketball, and his kindness, generosity and courage are a constant inspiration to us all,' Pitaro said in a statement. 'Through the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational, we will celebrate him and his profound impact on the sport. We are also thrilled that Dick will remain a signature voice on ESPN through the 2027-28 season.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Colorado vs. Georgia Tech: Game time, TV announced
The Colorado Buffaloes will continue to be in the national spotlight under Deion Sanders. The 2025 season opener against Georgia Tech has been selected for ESPN's national broadcast on August 29 at 8 p.m. ET. This marks the third consecutive year the Buffs have been featured in a major network's Upfront presentation, which is a showcase of premier content for advertisers. Advertisement As part of ABC's Big 12 Upfront slate, Colorado joins a high-profile lineup that includes Iowa State vs. Kansas State in Dublin, Nebraska at Cincinnati, and TCU at North Carolina. This announcement continues an impressive streak for Colorado. The Georgia Tech opener will be the 14th straight contest broadcast on a major network or flagship ESPN, extending a program record. In Coach Prime's first two seasons, 21 of 25 games have been nationally televised. An unprecedented media platform for the Buffs, according to CU Athletics. CU has also bee showcased during the offseason. The Black and Gold spring game was nationally televised on ESPN platforms twice in the last three years, and their 2024 NFL Pro Day aired on NFL Network. These broadcasts show the widespread interest in Sanders' rebuild and the program's rising national profile. Advertisement Related: Shedeur Sanders' shows true colors at Browns minicamp The 2025 opener also carries historic intrigue. While Colorado and Georgia Tech have never met, they famously split the 1990 national championship. Related: Deion Sanders turns heads by welcoming back castaway transfer at Colorado This will be the first of a home-and-home series with Sanders and the Buffs heading to Atlanta next year.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
ESPN analyst has words for SMU Football's playoff credibility
ESPN analyst has words for SMU Football's playoff credibility originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Leave it to Paul Finebaum to stir the pot before the first snap of the college football season. The ESPN analyst, never one to mince words, took aim at SMU football during a recent segment of The Paul Finebaum Show, dismissing the Mustangs' 2024 College Football Playoff berth as unearned. 'Last year, SMU got a third-place ribbon. They had no business being in the CFP,' Finebaum said bluntly. Advertisement The comment has sparked major backlash among Mustangs fans and college football insiders, especially given SMU's standout first year in the ACC. The Mustangs went 11-3, won the ACC Coastal Division, and went undefeated in regular-season conference play before narrowly falling to Clemson 30-27 in the ACC title game. Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee leads his team to the field before the 2024 ACC Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Bank of America Stadium. :Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Created: Despite the loss, SMU secured a spot in the expanded 12-team CFP. While their postseason ended with a 38-10 loss to No. 6 Penn State, the selection committee deemed their resume strong enough, especially in a year filled with parity across the Power Four. Finebaum's critique raises a larger question: what does it really take for programs outside the traditional elite to be respected? Advertisement With a 2025 slate that includes matchups against Clemson, Louisville, and Miami, and a non-conference gauntlet featuring Baylor and TCU, SMU has a chance to prove last season wasn't a fluke. The Mustangs aren't just playing for wins this fall, they're playing for national credibility. And thanks to Finebaum, they've got bulletin board material before Week 1. If Finebaum wanted to wake a sleeping giant in Dallas, he may have just succeeded. Related: SMU Football Makes Underrated Hire After Playoff Season Related: SMU Football Faces Backlash After Team GPA Under Rhett Lashlee Surfaces This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
SMU's Rhett Lashlee Admits the College Football Playoff Made an Error
SMU's Rhett Lashlee Admits the College Football Playoff Made an Error originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The SMU Mustangs made the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff after losing a closely-contested ACC championship against Clemson. However, there was one team Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee says should've gotten in. Advertisement SMU clinched the last spot over Alabama in the playoff, resulting in weeks of debate across college football. Many wondered if more teams meant a more problematic outcome for the Playoff Committee. Lashlee feels SMU and Alabama should've both been included in the postseason. But if that's the case, who gets left behind? 'Well, I felt like we deserved to be in but after we came up short 12 hours before in that ACC championship game with Clemson," Lashlee said in an interview with The Next Round. "I cannot say I felt great with the way it was shaping up to be either us or Alabama, which I'm not sure that's the way it should've shaped up. I think maybe we both should've been in.' Advertisement SMU ended the regular season with a top ten ranking at 11-1. Their only loss was to BYU in non-conference play. But the loss to Clemson was followed by a 38-10 Playoff defeat to Penn State in Happy Valley. Related: SMU Football Faces Backlash After Team GPA Under Rhett Lashlee Surfaces As for Alabama, they will have another chance to prove themselves as a worthy postseason contender in 2025. At 9-3, the late-season loss to Oklahoma killed off any chance of sneaking into the playoff. Under Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide had three wins against ranked opponents, including No. 2 Georgia. Related: Explosive Edge Rusher Hudson Woods Commits to SMU Football SMU hopes to repeat the magic of last year in a wide open ACC. The game to watch will be a title game rematch at Clemson on Oct. 18. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.