One of ESPN’s longest-tenured employees will be sticking with the company for some time to come. Dick Vitale, who’s been one of the Worldwide Leader’s key analysts on college basketball since their very first year (1979-80), has agreed to a contract extension through the 2017-18 season. Vitale turned 76 Tuesday, and tweeted that this was a special birthday gift:
I am one of the luckiest guys in TV / Thnx so much @markgrossespn @leefitting @jksports https://t.co/0I88fEE6sP
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) June 9, 2015
Vitale was already under contract through 2016-17, so this just adds another year to his agreement. However, it makes it clear that ESPN isn’t moving away from him despite the controversial decision last year to elevate Jay Bilas to their primary college basketball analyst and not have Vitale work the Duke-North Carolina game. Vitale said at the time he wasn’t bitter, though, saying “ESPN has treated me like royalty.” This extension is also proof he’s happy to keep working with them.
College basketball’s still an important sport for the Worldwide Leader, and they have an awful lot of games to air each year, so there should still be plenty of work for Vitale. It’s clear that he’s still passionate about the job, too, and that he’s going to continue to be an ambassador for college basketball. As he told For The Win‘s Nina Mandell last fall, he has no plans for retirement:
“(This is) going to be my 36th year (on ESPN),” he said. “I told Dan Patrick earlier and I’m going to tell you: My goal is to be the first broadcaster in the history of broadcasting to work at a game when I’m 100 years old.
“I have 25 years. You better cheer for me to make that.”
Well, with this new contract, Vitale will be working games when he’s 78. That’s a pretty good start.
