College basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale has signed a multi-year contract extension with ESPN, ensuring his presence on the network through the 2027-28 season.
On his 86th birthday, the network also announced the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational, a new annual men’s college basketball event to honor his legacy.
The inaugural Invitational game will feature a matchup between Duke and Texas on November 4th, in Charlotte, North Carolina. That is a marquee matchup in honor of a marquee man.
Vitale is a legendary figure in college basketball broadcasting. He joined ESPN in 1979, and his enthusiastic style and colorful catchphrases like “diaper dandy” and “PTPer” have become part of the sport’s lexicon.
The man utters the phrase “Baby!” like most of us use the word “um.”
If you’ve ever watched a game that he’s called, you never have any doubt that the man was excited to be watching the sport of college basketball. And it was real energy, nothing manufactured.
ESPN announced Monday that it reached a new multi-year contract extension with Dick Vitale, keeping the legendary broadcaster with the network through the 2027–28 season.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 9, 2025
This deal will bring his tenure with ESPN to nearly 50 years.
🔗 https://t.co/qgxGQdFkhK
Dick Vitale is Pretty Stoked
ESPN seems pretty excited about getting the most recognizable voice in college basketball, even as he approaches 90 years old.
“Dick is the heart of college basketball, and his kindness, generosity, and courage are a constant inspiration to us all,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “Through the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational, we will celebrate him and his profound impact on the sport.”
“We are also thrilled that Dick will remain a signature voice on ESPN through the 2027-28 season.”
Vitale is pretty stoked about the news too.
“ESPN has been family to me and has given me a life that has been even better than my dreams,” he said, according to Awful Announcing. “To the Vitale family, ESPN is ‘Awesome, baby’ with a capital A!”
And he’s especially thrilled about the game named in his honor for many years to come.
“They’ve been by my side from day one, and to do this is unbelievable. Long after I’m gone, to still have a game out there with my name attached to it?” he told ESPN. “Wow, that is truly unbelievable!”
Happy 86th birthday, @DickieV!
— ESPN Front Row (@ESPNFrontRow) June 9, 2025
The legendary ESPN broadcaster reacts to Monday’s announcement of the creation of the Dick Vitale Invitational & his new multi-year contract extension
🔗 https://t.co/2t29vsf0lA pic.twitter.com/j0Brw9y9ol
Great News Following Some Tough Times
News of the contract extension and a game named in his honor comes as welcome news following some really dificult times for Dick Vitale.
Who could forget his emotional sendoff toward the end of the ACC tournament title game between Duke and Louisville last year?
Not only was it his final broadcast of the season, but Vitale also reflected on his recent battle with cancer. Or battles, we should say. He has fought four types of cancer over the past four years but was finally declared cancer-free in December.
Vitale expressed gratitude for being able to return to the booth and shared an inspiring message of positivity and faith for others facing the disease.
“It’s my last game this year, and I pray and hope that I can be back next year and maybe even be better, and hope and pray my doctor really helps me with my voice,” Vitale said, fighting back the emotions.
“It’s been like, to me, a miracle, really, to sit here with you guys. I can’t tell you how much you meant to me. It’s been unbelievable. A tough three years… Cancer sucks.”
An emotional Dick Vitale shares a parting message at the end of the final game he'll call this season.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 16, 2025
"It's been like, to me, a miracle, really, to sit here with you guys. I can't tell you how much you meant to me. It's been unbelievable…Cancer sucks." pic.twitter.com/30Iay7kLl2
Dick Vitale’s journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, with scares that would have sidelined the spirit of lesser men. From melanoma to lymphoma and vocal cord cancer, Dickie V has faced it all, proving that his heart isn’t just in the game but in the fight for life itself.
His resilience is a testament to his late friend Jim Valvano’s legendary declaration during his own fight against cancer: “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”
Before his broadcasting career, Vitale was a successful coach at the University of Detroit, leading the team to the NCAA tournament in his first season as head coach.
His impact extends beyond the microphone. He’s been actively involved in the fight against cancer, notably through the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which he helped establish.
Vitale’s accolades include inductions into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, cementing his status as a beloved and influential figure in all of sports.
It isn’t just Vitale who is thrilled he’ll be back again next year. It’s the entire college basketball universe.
