Final Four Announcers Biased? You’re Probably on the Wrong Channel

Wondering why the Final Four announcers are so biased? You are almost certainly on the wrong channel.

march madness logoFor the fourth time, Turner Sports will present team-specific coverage of the NCAA Tournament Final Four and National Championship Game. The traditional impartial broadcast — with announcers Jim Nantz, Grant Hill and Bill Raftery — will air on TBS.

TNT and TruTV will carry team-specific “homer” coverage, featuring announcers with ties to the participating schools.

For Loyola (Chicago)-Michigan, TruTV will cover the Ramblers and TNT the Wolverines. For Villanova-Kansas, TruTV will cover the Wildcats and TNT the Jayhawks.

So if you are a Ramblers fan and think the announcers are biased toward Michigan, you’re probably watching TNT. If you’re a Wolverines fan and think the announcers are in the tank for Loyola, you’re probably watching TruTV.

The same goes for the late window. Wildcats fan who thinks the coverage is too pro-Kansas? You’re probably on TNT. Jayhawks fan convinced the announcers are pro-Villanova? You’re probably on TruTV.

As for the team-specific Final Four announcers:

TruTV’s Ramblers broadcast will feature Loyola radio voice Jeff Hagedorn on play-by-play, 1963 Loyola captain Jerry Harkness on analysis, and Yahoo! Sports reporter — and Loyola alum — Shams Charania on the sidelines.
TNT’s Wolverines broadcast will include Michigan women’s basketball voice Matt Park (pxp), former Michigan football player Jay Feely (analyst) and Michigan alum and CNN reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta (sideline).
On TruTV’s Villanova broadcast, play-by-play voice Scott Graham and sideline reporter Kacie McDonnell return after serving the same role in 2016. Former Villanova star Randy Foye will serve as the analyst.
Finally, TNT’s Kansas broadcast will feature longtime Jayhawks voice Dave Armstrong, former Jayhawks player Scot Pollard as the analyst, and the comedian Rob Riggle — an alum of Kansas — on the sidelines.

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