It is early to speculate, but the NCAA Tournament could have a new look on CBS and Turner Sports next year.
TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley told the New York Daily News last week that he feels “overexposed” on CBS/Turner Sports coverage of the NCAA Tournament and would like a smaller workload in the future.
In particular, Barkley said the opening Thursday and Friday of the tournament — when the studio team often works from Noon to Midnight ET — are “too much.” Barkley: “We should have another crew work the afternoon games, then we can come in the studio from 6 p.m. to midnight. … The fact of the matter is we?re on too much now. You can?t stay enthusiastic for 12 straight hours.”
CBS and Turner have enough studio personnel to fill two separate studio teams during the first two weeks of the tournament, making such a move tenable. In addition, Turner has already shown that it is willing to make changes to keep Barkley engaged. For example, TNT assigned Barkley several live NBA game telecasts this year after he indicated he was getting restless in his studio role.
Another potential change next season could leave Jim Nantz on the sidelines for the Final Four.
Turner Sports will have the right to select the broadcast team for the 2014 Final Four if the event airs on TBS, the New York Daily News reported Saturday. As Sports Business Daily and The New York Times have reported, Turner is expected to exercise an option in the CBS/Turner NCAA television contract that would allow TBS to air the Final Four for the first time next year instead 2016.
TBS coverage of the Final Four would likely include more Turner-affiliated broadcasters. In the three years of the current TV deal, the Final Four broadcast team has been almost entirely made up of CBS personnel — Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg in the booth and Tracy Wolfson on the sidelines. Steve Kerr is the only Turner Sports presence on the game telecasts.
If Turner Sports is able to select the broadcast team, it would not be a surprise to see Marv Albert replace Nantz and Craig Sager replace Wolfson. Of course, it should be pointed out that CBS and Turner Sports have yet to formally indicate that the Final Four will move to TBS next year.
