US sport has to say goodbye to a reporter legend. Emmy-winning college basketball host Billy Packer, who brought his unparalleled basketball knowledge to 34 Final Fours for NBC and CBS, has died at the age of 82. This was announced by his son Mark on Thursday evening via Twitter.
The Packer Family would like to share some sad news. Our amazing father, Billy, has passed. We take peace knowing that he’s in heaven with Barb. RIP, Billy. ???????? pic.twitter.com/uFRixmgCcd
— Mark Packer (@MarkPacker) January 27, 2023
Packer’s career spanned the growth of college basketball from a regional event in the mid-20th century to a nationwide fascination fueled by the popularity of March Madness.
From 1975, when UCLA coach John Wooden won his last title, through Kansas’ victory in 2008, he served as an analyst or commentator on every Final Four.
Basketball commentator Billy Packer started at NBC in 1974
Born in Wellsville, New York, Packer attended high school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and played as a college player at Wake Forest from 1960-1962. He was selected to All-ACC with the Demon Deacons in ’60 and ’61 and earned NCAA All-Region honors in ’62 when Wake Forest made the Final Four.
Gradually, Packer found his way into broadcasting. NBC hired him in 1974, and he moved to CBS when the network bought the rights to the 1981 NCAA tournament for $48 million.
During his career, he became a widely recognized icon of college basketball on television, working with many of the top play-by-play analysts of his day including Curt Gowdy, Dick Enberg, Brent Musburger and Jim Nantz. In 1993 he received a Sports Emmy in the category “Outstanding Sports Personality”
Occasionally he caused controversy. Like when he called then-Georgetown guard Allen Iverson “a tough monkey” in 1996 and apologized in 2000 for sexist remarks made regarding two Duke students.
Packer also wrote several books, including the memoir Hoops: Confessions of a College Basketball Analyst (1985).
His son Mark followed his father in front of the camera and is currently hosting a show on the ACC Network.
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