Legendary Sportscaster Greg Gumbel Has Died
on Dec 27, 2024
Sportscasting legend Greg Gumbel has died after a battle with cancer, his family announced Friday (December 27). He was 78.
Greg Gumbel’s family shared the news in a statement, saying:
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity.
He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten.
Greg’s memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him. — Marcy & Michelle Gumbel”
Greg Gumbel boasted a sportscasting career that lasted more then five decades.
Gumbel started his career as a play-by-play announcer and host for the New York Knicks basketball and New York Yankees baseball programs on the Madison Square Garden Network.
He joined CBS Sports in 1989. During his CBS tenure, Gumbel hosted “The NFL Today,” a pre-game, halftime, and post-game show that included regular season games and the Super Bowl.
He was also the primetime anchor of the network’s coverage of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France. He took on the co-anchor role for CBS’s morning broadcast of the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway.
In addition, he was the play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball’s regular-season and post-season games, host of broadcasted college football games, and announcer for the College World Series.
In 1994, Greg moved to the NBC network where he filled similar sportscasting and hosting roles before returning to CBS in 1998. For the next 24 years, the beloved personality brought his knowledge and voice to college basketball, NBA, Major League Baseball, and college baseball broadcasts.
Gumbel officially retired from broadcasting in 2022.
Greg Gumbel Remembered By His Colleagues
After news of his death was announced, many of Gumbel’s former co-workers and colleagues are remembering him with heartfelt statements.
Lesley Visser, a colleague of Gumbel’s from CBS Sports, remembered him as “one of the greats.”
“He just had a light touch, he had a wit about him, and everyone loved working with him. Greg had an innate dignity that he brought to the table,” Visser told CBS News.
President & CEO of CBS Sports, David Berson, issued a statement remembering Gumbel as “beloved and respected.”
“The CBS Sports family is devastated by the passing of Greg Gumbel. There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television,” Berson shared. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcoming voice for fans across many sports … Greg broke barriers and set the standard for others to follow. It is an extremely sad day for all of us at CBS Sports and the entire sports community. We will miss Greg dearly.”
Greg Gumbel is survived by his wife of 51 years, Marcy, and their daughter, Michelle.
