Why is Jim Nantz Not Calling March Madness Games?
By The Big Lead
The NCAA Tournament is right around the corner and soon we'll all be filling out brackets, thinking we're experts on The Mountain West and voraciously consuming all manner of content informing us which teams have senior guards and can get hot from behind the three-point line — the two elements we know are essential for a long tournament run. It is an annual tradition among millions of sports fans around the country and one that brings pure joy to many. There's plenty for the passionate and casual fan. You can bask in the glory of watching eight college basketball games in one day or somehow ending up at the top of your office pool after making bracket choices based purely on how funny the mascots are. It's hard to go wrong.
The three-week event is one of the crown jewels of the CBS-TNT Sports portfolio and the voices of so many memorable March Madness moments will be back in our lives. The most familiar one, however, will not be returning as Jim Nantz called his last Final Four last spring.
Why is Jim Nantz Not Calling March Madness Games?
Prior to last year's NCAA Tournament,Nantz announced his intentions to step away from college basketball coverage in order to spend more time with his family. He identified the Final Four being in his hometown of Houston as the perfect sendoff. Nantz delivered an emotional sign-off for the ages after commentating the UConn Huskies' victory over San Diego State in the national championship game.
How Long Did Jim Nantz Call March Madness Games?
Jim Nantz began calling NCAA Tournament games in 1986. His first one was a second round matchup between Duke and Old Dominion. Bill Raftery, who eventually would become his partner at the Final Four for the tail end of his 31-year run calling Final Fours, was his analyst for that broadcast. When it was all said and done, Nantz voiced 93 Final Four games and 31 title games.
Who Replaced Jim Nantz at CBS For March Madness?
CBS-TNT is lucky to have a deep and established bench and opted to tap Ian Eagle as the voice of this year's Final Four and championship game. He'll be alongside Bill Raftery and Grant Hill.
What Does Jim Nantz Do Now?
The question should really be what doesn't Jim Nantz do now. The broadcasting legend is still CBS' No. 1 NFL announcer and its lead golf anchor. Though he stepped aside from one marquee role, he still has plenty of irons in the fire and just worked a Super Bowl. Plus, he has a replica of No. 7 at Pebble Beach at his home not far from the course and is good for a funny viral clip or two every now and again.