A brand new annual males’s faculty basketball occasion will honor Corridor of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale.
ESPN Occasions, in collaboration with the Charlotte Sports activities Basis, introduced the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational on Vitale’s 86th birthday.
The inaugural occasion will happen on Nov. 4 on the Spectrum Middle in Charlotte, N.C. and can function the Texas Longhorns taking up the Duke Blue Devils.
“ESPN has been such an important a part of my life since December 5, 1979, and I used to be so thrilled to study that ESPN Occasions could have an annual Dick Vitale Invitational,” Vitale stated. “Jimmy Pitaro and all my colleagues and buddies at ESPN have been so good to me and I’m so grateful for all the prayers and love I’ve acquired from them throughout my most cancers battles. ESPN has been household to me and has given me a life that has been even higher than my goals. To the Vitale household, ESPN is ‘Superior, child’ with a capital A!”
“Dick is the guts of faculty basketball, and his kindness, generosity and braveness are a continuing inspiration to us all,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated. “By way of the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational, we’ll have a good time him and his profound impression on the game.”
ESPN additionally introduced that Vitale has a brand new multiyear contract by the 2027-28 season, which can prolong his tenure with the corporate to almost 50 years. Since becoming a member of ESPN throughout its first 12 months in 1979, Vitale has known as greater than 1,000 video games. His numerous accolades embrace induction into the Naismith Basketball and Sports activities Broadcasting Halls of Fame. Most just lately, he acquired the celebrated Dean Smith Award from the U.S. Basketball Writers Affiliation (USBWA), and was launched by former ESPN president George Bodenheimer as The New York Athletic Membership’s Winged Foot Award recipient.
Off the courtroom, his tireless dedication to the Dick Vitale Pediatric Most cancers Analysis Fund has resulted within the V Basis presenting over $105 million in analysis grants advancing childhood most cancers remedies and care.