Basketball icons — ESPN’s Dick Vitale and TNT Sports’ Charles Barkley — will partner for two must-see telecasts this college basketball season.
Vitale and Barkley, members of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball and Sports Broadcasting Halls of Fame, will first call the No. 25 Indiana at No. 19 Kentucky men’s basketball game Saturday, December 13 on ESPN (7:30 p.m. ET) with play-by-play voice Dave O’Brien.
The two beloved and iconic hoops voices will reunite in March to call their first-ever NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament game as part of TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ First Four coverage.
The unique pairing combines Vitale’s beloved energy, storytelling, catchphrases and more than four decades of experience with Barkley’s unmistakable authenticity, humor and candid insight.
"Dick and Charles are two of the most entertaining and iconic voices in basketball, so having them together on the same broadcast is a true gift for fans,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN’s President of Content. “We are thrilled to have it come to fruition, especially for a marquee college basketball rivalry game like Indiana-Kentucky in primetime on ESPN.”
“This is a unique opportunity for Dick and Charles, two of the biggest personalities in the game to be side-by-side calling games for the first time,” said Craig Barry, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer, TNT Sports. “This is great for the game and the fans; we can’t wait to see what unfolds.”
“Dick has meant so much to the game of basketball, and we have long felt he deserved an opportunity to call an NCAA Men’s Tournament game, and we are delighted he has finally agreed following several offers,” said Harold Bryant, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President, Production, CBS Sports. “Having him call the game with Charles will be must-see TV and a great way to tip off the First Four.”
Since joining ESPN during its first year in 1979, Vitale has called more than 1,000 games. His passion and signature style have helped shape the college basketball experience for fans for 46 years, while cementing his legacy as one of the most enduring figures in sports broadcasting history.
Barkley is one of sports television’s most recognizable analysts, known for his award-winning work across 25 years on TNT Sports’ Inside the NBA. His broadcasting career has made him a cultural icon whose voice resonates well beyond the basketball court.
