The newest change to CBS/Turner Sports’ NCAA Tournament coverage is in the role of host.
Turner Sports host Ernie Johnson will be the primary anchor for the NCAA Tournament Final Four on TBS and National Championship Game on CBS, Turner and CBS announced in a Tuesday press release. Johnson will work alongside the top studio team of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Clark Kellogg.
Kellogg, CBS announced last year, has been replaced by Greg Anthony as CBS’ top game analyst this season.
Greg Gumbel will anchor the ‘B’ studio team with Reggie Miller, Seth Davis, Grant Hill and Doug Gottlieb. Gumbel was not necessarily demoted — he will still trade off with Johnson in CBS’ New York studios during the first two weeks of the tournament. However, 2014 will be the first year since Gumbel returned to CBS in 1998 that he has not been the primary anchor for the Final Four.
On the other hand, Gottlieb almost certainly was demoted. After joining the lead studio team in New York last year, he will work alongside Matt Winer, Steve Smith, Davis and Hill from Turner’s Atlanta studios.
Other changes this year include the long-rumored addition of Andrew Catalon as a play-by-play voice, replacing Tim Brando, and the addition of the aforementioned Hill.
(Tue. news from CBS/Turner Sports)
