Release

CBS SPORTS TO BROADCAST 26TH CONSECUTIVE NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINNING WITH FIRST-ROUND ACTION ON THURSDAY, MARCH 15

Tournament Schedule and Broadcast Pairings Announced  

          "March Madness" returns to the CBS Television Network when CBS Sports broadcasts the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship for the 26th consecutive year.  Exclusive live, network coverage begins on Thursday, March 15 and concludes on Monday, April 2 with the National Championship game from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.

             THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR, the Network's studio show, tips off CBS's coverage of first- round games on Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16 (12:00 Noon-5:00 PM, ET and 7:00 PM-12:00 AM, ET, both days/nights) and is hosted by Greg Gumbel, Clark Kellogg and Seth Davis from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. Lesley Visser, Tracy Wolfson and Sam Ryan serve as reporters for THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR throughout CBS Sports' coverage of the tournament.

            CBS Sports broadcasts the one-hour NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION SHOW on Sunday, March 11 (6:00-7:00 PM, ET), during which the exclusive, live, first-time announcement of the pairings for the NCAA Tournament are made.  The show originates from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, hosted by Gumbel, along with Kellogg and Davis. Jim Nantz and Billy Packer will be live from United Center in Chicago, Ill.

           Following is the CBS Sports roster of announce teams for first and second-round action, led by Nantz, covering his 22nd Final Four, and Emmy Award-winning analyst Packer, covering his 33rd consecutive Final Four and Championship game.  This marks the 17th consecutive year the duo will call college basketball's premier event.

Play-By-Play/Analyst

 Jim Nantz/Billy Packer

Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas

Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery

 James Brown/Len Elmore

Gus Johnson/Dan Bonner

Kevin Harlan/Bob Wenzel

Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel

Tim Brando/Mike Gminski

           Bob Dekas is coordinating producer of CBS Sports' NCAA basketball coverage, and Bob Fishman is the lead director.  Eric Mann is Senior Producer.  Mann, David Winner and Vin DeVito produce THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR studio coverage.  Bob Matina directs. 

         Tony Petitti is Executive Vice President and Executive Producer, CBS Sports.

        The complete broadcast schedule follows.

CBS Sports Contacts:    Jennifer Sabatelle                      LeslieAnne Wade

(212) 975-4120                                   (212) 975-5171

jsabatelle@cbs.com                  lwade@cbs.com

 

*A member of the CBS Sports Communications Department will be available throughout tournament coverage at (212) 975-1796.

CBS SPORTS 2007 NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCAST SCHEDULE

 

Date                       Time (ET)                      Game(s) and Specials                                                  Coverage

 

Thurs., March 15     12:00 Noon-5:00 PM      FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER                            Regional

                                                                       Winston-Salem, N.C.

                                                                       Buffalo, N.Y.                            

                                                                       Lexington, Ky.              

                                                                       Sacramento, Calif.

7:00 PM-12:00 AM        FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER                            Regional

 (same sites as above listing)

 

Fri., March 16         12:00 Noon-5:00 PM      FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER                            Regional

                                       Columbus, Ohio

                                       Chicago, Ill.                                                               .

                                                                       New Orleans, La.

Spokane, Wash.

 

7:00 PM-12:00 AM        FIRST ROUND DOUBLEHEADER                            Regional

 (same sites as above listing)

Sat., March 17         12:00 Noon-1:00 PM      THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR                            National

 

                                1:00 -10:00 PM              SECOND ROUND QUADRUPLEHEADER               Regional

                                                                       Winston-Salem, N.C.

                                                                       Buffalo, N.Y.                            

                                                                       Lexington, Ky.              

                                       Sacramento, Calif.

Sun., March 18        12:00 Noon-7:00 PM      SECOND ROUND TRIPLEHEADER                          Regional

                                       Columbus, Ohio

                                       Chicago, Ill.                                                               .

                                                                       New Orleans, La.

                                       Spokane, Wash.

Thurs., March 22     7:00 PM-12:00 AM        REGIONAL SEMIFINAL DOUBLEHEADER            Regional

                                                                       San Antonio, Texas

                                                                       San Jose, Calif.

 

Fri., March 23         7:00 PM-12:00 AM        REGIONAL SEMIFINAL DOUBLEHEADER            Regional

                                                                       East Rutherford, N.J.

                                                                       St. Louis, Mo.

 

CBS SPORTS 2007 NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCAST SCHEDULE

 

Date                       Time (ET)                     Game(s) and Specials                                                  Coverage

Sat., March 24         1:00-3:00 PM                 MEN'S DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP                      National

                                                                      Mass Mutual Center

                                                                      Springfield, Mass.

 

                                3:00-4:30 PM                 THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR                             National          

 

                                4:30-9:00 PM                 REGIONAL FINAL DOUBLEHEADER                      National

                                                                       San Antonio, Texas

                                                                       San Jose, Calif.

 

Sun., March 25        2:00-2:30 PM                 THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR                             National

 

2:30-7:00 PM                 REGIONAL FINAL DOUBLEHEADER                      National

                                                                       East Rutherford, N.J.

                                                                       St. Louis, Mo.

.

Sat., March 31         2:00-3:00 PM                 CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR                                  National

                                                                       Geico Presents College Basketball's Ten

                                                                       Greatest Shooters                              

                                3:00-3:30 PM                 ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR                                    National                                                                       "Outside the Games"                               

                                3:30-6:00 PM                 THE FINAL FOUR SHOW                                          National

                                                                     Georgia Dome

                                                                      Atlanta, Ga.

 

6:00-11:00 PM               NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR                                      National

                                                                      Georgia Dome

                                                                      Atlanta, Ga.

CBS SPORTS 2007 NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCAST SCHEDULE

 

Date                       Time (ET)                     Game(s) and Specials                                                  Coverage

Mon., April 2           9:00 PM-Conclusion       PRELUDE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP                             National

                                                                      Georgia Dome

                                                                      Atlanta, Ga.

.                                                                      NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP National                                                Georgia Dome

                                                                      Atlanta, Ga.