Jay Bilas no longer calls NCAA Tournament games — and he isn’t entirely sure why.
For nearly a decade, from 2003-10, ESPN would loan out the iconic basketball analyst to CBS for March Madness coverage, where he was paired with the legendary Dick Enberg. So why did Bilas walk away from this tradition? Jimmy Traina set out to find the answer, probing the longtime ESPN star on the SI Media Podcast for some clarity.
@sports.illustrated ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas explained why he no longer does the NCAA tournament for CBS on the SI Media podcast with Jimmy Traina #espn #cbb #college #basketball #jaybilas #marchmadness #cbs #media #podcast ♬ original sound – Sports Illustrated
“I don’t really know,” Bilas offered. “I think it’s because they, ESPN, decided they didn’t want to do it anymore. My understanding — and I don’t know all the ins and outs of it — but as you know, the rights holder of the tournament can put restrictions on how highlights are used on other outlets. So, SportsCenter could only use, I don’t know what the number was, maybe a minute and a half per 30 minutes of highlights of the tournament?
“And I think when I was traded over there, the trade was me and I think Len Elmore at the time for highlight restrictions being taken off. And they could run more highlights during an hour on SportsCenter, whatever it was. I don’t know all the ins and outs of it; all I knew was that I loved it.”
It meant that Bilas got to call games with Enberg, whom he met while at Duke.
He paid tribute to his former partner on X (formerly Twitter) following his passing in 2017.
I first met Dick Enberg when I was in college, and had the honor and privilege of knowing him ever since. I grew up listening to Dick in Los Angeles, and had the great honor of working with him. He was the best of the best in every way. RIP Dick Enberg. pic.twitter.com/LuTI1uV6TJ
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) December 22, 2017
“We had become good friends,” Bilas added of Enberg. “And to be able to work with him and do the games was a joy. You know, it’s the National Championship. So, you know, you work the whole year doing 50 games, or whatever we do, plus studio and all that stuff — and you’re immersed in it. Then, you get the opportunity to do that. It was really fun.”
The trade itself was simple but impactful.
Bilas and Len Elmore for more freedom to air NCAA Tournament highlights on SportsCenter. In exchange for removing restrictions, CBS got two top-tier analysts. That deal opened the door for Bilas to work with Enberg, forging a partnership that became the gold standard for NCAA Tournament coverage.
It was the kind of trade where everyone walked away a winner.
But now, even if he provided some clarity, we’re left wondering why Bilas isn’t still utilized for the tournament.
