Popular US sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies at 78

The family of popular United States sportscaster, Greg Gumbel, has announced his death at the age of 78 after battling cancer.

A celebrated figure in the sports broadcasting industry, Gumbel worked at CBS Sports for decades and made history in 2001 as the first black sports commentator to provide play-by-play commentary during a Super Bowl broadcast.

In a statement, Gumbel’s family reflected on his impact, stating, “he leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcasting industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten.” They added that 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,” the statement continued.

Born in New Orleans and raised in Chicago, Gumbel began his broadcasting career in the early 1970s. His first break came when an executive at a local NBC affiliate in Chicago invited him to cover high school basketball games.

Reflecting on this moment in a 2021 interview, Gumbel said, “He said, ‘I have this idea and I want you to take it and run with it.’ We introduced our audience to a lot of guys who went on to become famous.”

According to BBC, Gumbel joined CBS Sports in 1989 after previously working with the Madison Square Garden Network, where he covered New York Knicks basketball and Yankees baseball games. His tenure at CBS Sports included hosting “NFL Today” during two separate stints, which featured pre-game, halftime, and post-game coverage, including three Super Bowl broadcasts.

He also worked with NBC Sports for four years, hosting “NFL on NBC” and several Super Bowl pre-game shows. Beyond football, Gumbel was a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball, a fixture of college football broadcasts, and served as a primetime anchor for the 1994 Olympic Winter Games.

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