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Greg Gumbel, a veteran sports broadcaster perhaps best known for hosting CBS’ annual Selection Sunday show for the NCAA Tournament, has passed away.
Gumbel was 78 years old. The news was shared by Emmy Award-winning producer Dan Forer in a Facebook message on Friday afternoon.
“The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy, but they are often mixed with sorrow,” Forer wrote. “I just learned that my dear friend Greg Gumbel has passed.”
CBS later confirmed his passing with a statement from his family:
Gumbel enjoyed a broadcasting career that spanned decades and included stints at ESPN, NBC and CBS, amongst other networks. In addition to his work with CBS on the NCAA Tournament, Gumbel also called NFL games as a play-by-play broadcaster from 2006-2023. He was also a play-by-play broadcaster for CBS at the College World Series from 1990-94 and 2000-02.
For a generation of college basketball fans, though, Gumbel was best known as the voice of the annual NCAA Tournament selection show on CBS. That’s a role he filled from 1998-2023.
After news of his passing became public, tributes from fans and colleagues began pouring in on social media:
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
