As Ian Eagle prepares for the men’s NCAA Tournament and his run through calling the Final Four, he’s been finding himself going through old text messages with Greg Gumbel.
Eagle had known Gumbel since he arrived at CBS in 1998 and remembered how humble and approachable he was from the moment they met. Eagle gets a laugh out of the messages, remembering how kind of person Gumbel was, but reading them also made him emotional.
There’s certainly been an empty presence during the coverage of 2025 March Madness, the first tournament since Gumbel’s death. The voice that welcomed Selection Sunday and each day of the tournament for 25 years died from cancer in December at the age of 78.
“It’s very sad,” Eagle told USA TODAY Sports. “He just had a major impact on the people at our network and people that work this event.”
Gumbel wasn’t part of last year’s tournament coverage as he stepped away from his hosting duties. The void was certainly noticeable considering he was the quintessential voice of March Madness. But knowing he’s gone this year has made it hard to work the tournament.
“He was such an integral part of what the public got to experience and what we got to experience as his colleagues and friends,” CBS studio analyst Clark Kellogg said. “I got to spend 20-plus years next to him and the seat that he sat in as the host of the road to the Final Four.
“There’s no way you aren’t impacted by who he was as a man and as a broadcaster.”
CBS has made sure to honor Gumbel since the NCAA Tournament bracket got revealed. On Selection Sunday, CBS aired a tribute video and The Rolling Stones – Gumbel’s favorite band – played through the studio. The off-camera crew donned The Rolling Stones shirts, and host Adam Zucker said it was an honor to fill his seat. The rest of the studio crew spoke about his impact on the tournament.
The tributes continued as the first round kicked off Thursday. The Rolling Stones played on the broadcast of opening day of the first round, and host Ernie Johnson and crew remembered Gumbel. Kellogg said “it’s sad and surreal” he wasn’t in the host chair. All broadcasters are wearing a gold microphone pin on their suits in memory of Gumbel throughout the tournament, and each commentary team made sure to take some time to speak about Gumbel.
“He was synonymous with this event because of the excellence in which he did his job for all of these years,” Eagle said.
It has felt empty without Gumble on camera. Kellogg spent decades to his left and said “I miss him terribly.”
But Kellogg remembered what made Gumbel such an icon. He had a deep appreciation for the NCAA Tournament and the moments that made it special. Anyone that worked with him felt the spirit and class he displayed, and it made those working with him better suited to showcase the tournament.
“My life has been enhanced,” Kellogg said. “I trust that I’m better in my role as a person, but also in my role as a broadcaster, because I got a chance to be in his orbit for the years that I did.”
