There was a time in the 1980’s when CBS’ Championship Weekend consisted of the Big East Tournament semifinals and the Big East Championship and then it was a long wait until the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. Luckily, CBS diversified its Championship portfolio and it has four championship games in its six broadcast windows starting from 11:30 a.m. Saturday through 5:45 p.m. Sunday.
CBS has the Conference USA Championship, Big Ten Conference Semifinals and Championship, Pac-12 Championship (the last year of airing the game) and the A-10 Championship.
And CBS will utilize some of its NCAA announcing teams including Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel, Uncle Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery, Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner/Reggie Miller and the Final Four team of Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg and Steve Kerr.
We have the particulars from CBS Sports.
CBS SPORTS’ CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTED BY EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF “NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION SHOW”
Conference Championships for Conference USA, Pac-12, Atlantic 10 and Big Ten Featured on Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11
CBS Sports’ coverage of CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND is highlighted by the NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION SHOW on Sunday, March 11 (6:00-7:00 PM, ET) with the exclusive, live, first-time announcement of the pairings for the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
CBS Sports begins Championship Weekend on Saturday, March 10 (11:30 AM, ET) with the Conference USA Championship followed by the Big Ten Semifinals (1:40 and 4:00 PM, ET). The Pac-12 Championship concludes Saturday’s quadruple-header coverage (6:00 PM, ET).
On Sunday, THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOURÒ tips off the day (12:00 NOON-1:00 PM, ET) followed by national coverage of the Atlantic 10 Championship (1:00 PM, ET) and the Big Ten Championship (3:30 PM, ET). The SELECTION SHOW wraps up an exciting weekend of college basketball on the CBS Television Network.
Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony and Seth Davis host the NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION SHOW live from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York. Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg and Turner Sports’ Steve Kerr join via satellite from the site of the Big Ten Championship at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Gumbel, Anthony, and Davis also host AT THE HALF®, CBS Sports’ halftime studio show, and THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR®.
Eric Mann produces and Bob Matina directs studio coverage. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
Following are the weekend talent and production assignments:
Saturday, March 10 – Quadruple-header
- 11:30 AM, ET: Conference USA Championship — Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
- 1:40 and 4:00 PM, ET: Big Ten Semifinals — Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg/Steve Kerr
- 6:00 PM, ET: Pac-12 Championship — Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner/Reggie Miller
Sunday, March 11 — Doubleheader
- 1:00 PM, ET: Atlantic 10 Championship — Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
- 3:30 PM, ET: Big Ten Championship — Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg/Steve Kerr
That will do it.
