Two iconic basketball broadcasters are going to be working together twice this season.
ESPN announced Monday it will have a college basketball broadcast featuring both Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley later this month on its network.
Then the two will work together again in March when the NCAA Tournament rolls around.
A historic pairing
Vitale and Barkley will join play-by-play man Dave O’Brien on Dec. 13 when the University of Kentucky plays host to Indiana in a regular season matchup of historic state neighbors and rivals.
Then they will be part of TNT Sports’ production of the First Four when the NCAA Tournament begins in Dayton, Ohio, in March.
“This is a unique opportunity for Dick and Charles, two of the biggest personalities in the game to be side-by-side calling games for the first time,” TNT Sports vice president Craig Barry said in a release. “This is great for the game and the fans, we can’t wait to see what unfolds.”
An odd couple?
While Vitale and Barkley might be the two most recognizable basketball analysts on the air today, they approach their craft in much different ways.
Vitale typically works games and does so with gusto, bringing incredible positivity to most of his messages.
Barkley, on the other hand, works almost exclusively in the studio for TNT and is known for his sometimes harsh takes on the state of basketball in general, especially the NBA.
Vitale first made his name as a coach for Detroit Mercy and then the Detroit Pistons.
He joined ESPN in 1979 when the network was first getting off the ground and became one of the faces of college basketball over the years.
However, he has not worked a regular TV broadcast in the NCAA Tournament since the network lost the rights to March Madness to CBS in 1991.
“Dick has meant so much to the game of basketball, and we have long felt he deserved an opportunity to call an NCAA Men’s Tournament game, and we are delighted he has finally agreed following several offers,” CBS Sports executive producer and VP of content Harold Bryant said in a release. “Having him call the game with Charles will be must-see TV and a great way to tip off the First Four.”
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Barkley was a hall of fame player for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and Houston Rockets after starring in college at Auburn.
He’s been a fixture on TNT Sports’ Inside the NBA for 25 seasons, but that program is now licensed to ESPN after TNT lost the rights to broadcast NBA games earlier this year.
That relationship paved the way for the upcoming Vitale-Barkley mashup.
Whether the pairing fits one of Vitale’s catchphrases — “Awesome, baby!” or one from Barkley — “That’s terrible” — remains to be seen, but it’s a cool idea nonetheless.
Barkley last worked as a game analyst on Christmas Day 2017, according to SportsMediaWatch.com.
