CBS SPORTS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL BEGINNING WITH FIRST-ROUND ACTION ON THURSDAY, MARCH 16
Tournament Schedule and Broadcast Pairings Announced
CBS Sports celebrates 25 years of championship basketball when "March Madness" returns to the CBS Television Network with exclusive live, network coverage of the NCAA Men�s Division I Basketball Championship begins on Thursday, March 16 and concludes on Monday, April 3 with the National Championship game from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana.
THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR, the Network's studio show, tips off CBS's coverage of first- round games on Thursday, March 16 and Friday, March 17 (12:00 Noon-5:00 PM, ET and 7:00 PM-12:00 AM, ET, both days/nights) and is hosted by Greg Gumbel, Clark Kellogg and Seth Davis from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. Lesley Visser serves as a contributor to THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR throughout CBS Sports coverage of the tournament.
CBS Sports broadcasts the one-hour NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION SHOW on Sunday, March 12 (6:00-7:00 PM, ET), during which the exclusive, live, first-time announcement of the pairings for the NCAA Tournament are made. The show originates from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, hosted by Gumbel, along with Kellogg and Davis. Jim Nantz and Billy Packer will be live from Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
Following is the CBS Sports roster of announce teams for first and second-round action, led by Nantz, covering his 21st Final Four and Emmy Award-winning analyst Packer, covering his 32nd consecutive Final Four and Championship game. This marks the 16th consecutive year the duo will call college basketball�s premier event.
Play-By-Play/Analyst//Reporters
Jim Nantz/Billy Packer//Jim Spanarkel (2nd Week)
Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas//Bob Wenzel (2nd Week)
Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery//Mike Gminski (2nd Week)
Gus Johnson/Len Elmore//Tracy Wolfson (2nd Week)
Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner
Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel
Tim Brando/Mike Gminski/Stephen Bardo
For CBS Sports� regional coverage during the second week of the tournament, Jim Spanarkel, Bob Wenzel, Mike Gminski and Tracy Wolfson will serve as reporters on their respective broadcast teams.
Bob Dekas is coordinating producer of CBS Sports� NCAA basketball coverage, and Bob Fishman is the lead director. Eric Mann is Senior Producer. Mann, David Winner and Vin DeVito produce THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR studio coverage. Bob Matina directs.
Tony Petitti is Executive Vice President and Executive Producer, CBS Sports.
The complete broadcast schedule follows.
CBS SPORTS 2006 NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Date Time (ET) Game(s) and Specials Coverage
Thurs., March 16
12:00 Noon-5:00 PM FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER Regional
Greensboro, N.C.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Salt Lake City, Utah
San Diego, Calif.
7:00 PM-12:00 AM FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER Regional
(same sites as above listing)
Fri., March 17
12:00 Noon-5:00 PM FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER Regional
Philadelphia, Pa.
Dayton, Ohio.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Dallas, Texas
7:00 PM-12:00 AM FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER Regional
(same sites as above listing)
Sat., March 18
12:00 Noon-1:00 PM THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR National
1:00 -10:00 PM SECOND ROUND QUADRUPLEHEADER Regional
Greensboro, N.C.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Salt Lake City, Utah
San Diego, Calif.
Sun., March 19
12:00 Noon-7:00 PM SECOND ROUND TRIPLEHEADER Regional
Philadelphia, Pa.
Dayton, Ohio.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Dallas, Texas
Thurs., March 23
7:00 PM-12:00 AM REGIONAL SEMIFINAL DOUBLEHEADER Regional
Atlanta, Ga.
Oakland, Calif.
Fri., March 24
7:00 PM-12:00 AM REGIONAL SEMIFINAL DOUBLEHEADER Regional
Washington, D.C.
Minneapolis, Minn.
Sat., March 25
1:00-3:00 PM MEN'S DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP National
Mass Mutual Center
Springfield, Mass.
3:00-4:30 PM THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR National
4:30-9:00 PM REGIONAL FINAL DOUBLEHEADER National
Atlanta, Ga.
Oakland, Calif.
Sun., March 26
12:30-2:00 PM CBS SPORTS SPECIAL �PISTOL PETE: National
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PETE MARAVICH
Encore Presentation
2:00-2:30 PM THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR National
2:30-7:00 PM REGIONAL FINAL DOUBLEHEADER National
Washington, D.C.
Minneapolis, Minn.
Sat., April 1
3:00-3:30 PM THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR National
�Outside the Games�
3:30-4:00 PM THE MOMENT: 25 YEARS National
4:00-6:00 PM THE FINAL FOUR SHOW National
RCA Dome
Indianapolis, Ind.
6:00-11:00 PM NCAA MEN�S FINAL FOUR National
RCA Dome
Indianapolis, Ind.
Mon., April 3
9:00 PM-Conclusion PRELUDE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP National
RCA Dome
Indianapolis, Ind.
NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP National RCA Dome
Indianapolis, Ind.
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