As the 2024 men’s NCAA Tournament gets underway, a well-known figure in March Madness coverage won’t be seen. Greg Gumbel, a seasoned CBS studio host, will be absent from this year’s event due to “family health issues,” as announced by the network just before the unveiling of the tournament bracket. Adam Zucker will step in to fill his role. His colleagues, Clark Kellogg, Jay Wright, and Seth Davis, extended their best wishes to Gumbel and his family prior to the bracket reveal.
Notably, Greg Gumbel, aged 77, has been a key figure in CBS’s tournament broadcasts for many years, starting in 1998, and has been present at the Final Four throughout his career. Last season marked the celebration of Gumbel’s 25th anniversary covering the tournament. In 2001, he broke new ground by becoming the first Black play-by-play announcer to cover a major U.S. championship sporting event, narrating the Baltimore Ravens’ victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl 35.
Adam Zucker has mentioned that CBS intends to welcome Gumbel back for the men’s NCAA tournament in the following season.
For those who are passionate about the excitement of bracket competitions, there’s an opportunity to engage in USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest, which offers a chance to win a $1 million prize.