Longtime broadcaster Dick Vitale has become synonymous with college basketball over the years, and now a pair of teams will tip-off an invitational in his honor.
Duke and Texas will play in the first-ever Dick Vitale Invitational in Charlotte, North Carolina on Nov. 4 to open the college hoops season.
ESPN Events started the event for the network’s longtime college hoops commentator, and ESPN announced another season of Vitale under contract on Monday, against the backdrop of the announcement of the event. Vitale, 86, has been battling cancer in recent years.
“Jimmy Pitaro and all my colleagues and friends at ESPN have been so good to me, and I am so thankful for all of the prayers and love I have received from them during my cancer battles. ESPN has been family to me and has given me a life that has been even better than my dreams. To the Vitale family, ESPN is ‘Awesome, baby’ with a capital A!”
A New Jersey native, Vitale didn’t play college basketball at Seton Hall where he earned a degree in business administration, but he went into coaching soon after. Vitale coached high school for eight years, followed by two years as an assistant with Rugters, and four years as the head coach with Detroit.
Vitale coached the Detroit Pistons in the NBA, but was fired just 12 games into his second season in 1979 amid a 4–8 start. That led to Vitale’s opportunity with ESPN when Scotty Connal hired him in 1979. Vitale has called over 1,000 games since.
“For over 30 years, Dick Vitale has been the voice of college basketball,” Vice President of ESPN Events Clint Overby said in a statement via Duke. “I can’t think of a better way to honor his legacy than have a basketball event featuring the very best of the sport. As a kid, I grew up listening to his calls and developing a love for the sport, its traditions, and the personalities involved.”
“We can’t thank Mr. Vitale enough for what he’s done for the sport and look forward to a special night,” Overby added.
Vitale is a member of two halls of fame—Sports Broadcasting and James Naismith Basketball. In addition, Vitale has been a major advocate for cancer research.
“We are thrilled to host the inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational in Charlotte,” CEO of the Charlotte Sports Foundation Will Pitts said in a statement. “Bringing together two powerhouse programs like Texas and Duke is an incredible way to kick off this new tradition.”
“More importantly, this event celebrates the enduring legacy of Dick Vitale — his passion for college basketball, his advocacy for cancer research, and the joy he brings to fans everywhere,” Pitts added. “It’s an honor to carry his name on this event, and we look forward to making this a special experience for everyone involved.”
Duke has one of the most storied college basketball programs around, with five national titles since 1991, numerous star players, and a die-hard fan base. Texas has been to three Final Fours, and the Longhorns won four Big 12 conference tournament titles before joining the SEC last year.
It will be the sixth meeting between Duke and Texas. Duke leads the all-time series 5–0, and the two last met in 2017 at the PK80 championship in Portland, which ended in an 85–78 win for the Blue Devils.
The entire series has been at neutral sites amid in-season tournaments or the NCAA tournament. Their closest matchup occurred at the Big Dance in 2009 when Duke won 74–69 over the Longhorns.
