Greg Gumbel, an American TV commentator, is renowned for his work with CBS Sports, particularly in the National Football League and college basketball. In 2001, he became the first African-American to announce play-by-play for a big US sports championship during Super Bowl XXXV on CBS.
Early Life & Family
Greg Gumbel was born on May 3, 1946, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Rhea Alice LeCesne and Richard Gumbel, who was a judge. He was raised Catholic in the south side of Chicago and attended De La Salle Institute. Gumbel graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa with a B.A. in English and also played baseball during his time there.
Bryant Gumbel, Greg’s brother and a television sportscaster at KNBC in Los Angeles, informed him of an available position as a sports announcer at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. This led Greg to leave his job selling hospital supplies in Detroit and pursue his dream job, returning to Chicago where he worked for seven years.
Marcy Gumble and Greg Gumble are a married couple living in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area. Their daughter Michelle, who is also married, lives with them.
Greg Gumbel’s Career
In 1973, Greg Gumbel’s brother Bryant, who was a television sportscaster at KNBC in Los Angeles, told him that WMAQ-TV, an NBC-owned station in Chicago, was holding auditions for a sports announcer. Despite working in Detroit selling hospital supplies, Greg applied and was eventually hired for the job.
He returned to Chicago and worked at WMAQ-TV for seven years. The previous sportscaster, Dennis Swanson, later became the president of ABC Sports.
Before gaining recognition at CBS, Greg Gumbel held positions at MSG, ESPN, and WFAN radio in New York City. His role at ESPN included hosting SportsCenter and commentating on early NBA games. Additionally, he acted as a substitute announcer for Marv Albert on New York Knicks broadcasts and covered college basketball on MSG.
In 1988, Greg Gumbel started his career at CBS by working as a part-time NFL announcer. He also began announcing college basketball in 1989. From 1990 to 1993, he co-hosted The NFL Today with Terry Bradshaw.
Additionally, he was the main anchor for CBS’ coverage of Major League Baseball, college football, and the Daytona 500 and Pepsi 400 in 1999.
In addition to serving as a host, Gumbel also offered commentary for various sports events such as the NBA (with Quinn Buckner), Major League Baseball (with Jim Kaat), and College World Series baseball. He was the main anchor for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, and co-hosted the weekday morning broadcasts for the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.
In 1994, Greg Gumbel made the switch to NBC after CBS lost the rights to broadcast NFL and Major League Baseball games. During his time at NBC, Gumbel served as the host for the network’s coverage of the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
After Super Bowl XXXII aired, Greg Gumbel left NBC and returned to CBS. He became the studio host for the network’s coverage of college basketball, including the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, a role he still holds today.
After the 2005 NFL season, Greg Gumbel was replaced by James Brown as the studio host of The NFL Today. However, Gumbel returned as the second play-by-play announcer, taking over for Dick Enberg, and worked alongside Dan Dierdorf until Dierdorf’s retirement after the 2013-14 season.
In 2020, Gumbel switched positions with Kevin Harlan and began working with Rich Gannon. The following year, Adam Archuleta became Gumbel’s partner in the fourth spot after CBS chose not to renew Gannon’s contract.
On March 15, 2023, CBS Sports renewed its agreement with Greg Gumbel, allowing him to continue as the host of college basketball while reducing his coverage of the NFL. Unfortunately, in 2024, Gumbel was unable to participate in March Madness due to personal health matters within his family.
Net Worth
Greg Gumbel, a renowned American television sportscaster, has amassed a net worth of $16 million. He rose to fame for his extensive coverage of the NFL and NCAA, starting his career as a sportscaster in 1973.
Throughout the years, he has been employed by various networks including CBS, ESPN, and MSG. In 2001, he made history as the first African-American to provide play-by-play commentary for a major sports championship, the Super Bowl.
