Is Jim Nantz retiring? Why March Madness broadcaster is leaving booth

Longtime CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz is calling his last March Madness game as UConn and San Diego State battle for the NCAA Tournament championship.

A generation of college basketball fans have grown up with Jim Nantz narrating some of the game’s most memorable moments. He’s been around almost as long as One Shining Moment.

But after 2023, Nantz’s voice will no longer be attached to CBS’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament.

Nantz is stepping away from the March Madness broadcast booth after calling the national championship game between UConn and San Diego State.

Is Jim Nantz retiring?

Not exactly.

Nantz is indeed giving up his play-by-play duties for college basketball’s annual tournament but he isn’t retiring from broadcasting in general. He is still going to lend his voice to the Masters and NFL games on CBS in the fall.

And for now, the 63-year-old expects to continue doing those jobs for the long haul.

“I’m not retiring,” Nantz said, per USA TODAY Sports. “I’ve still got about 40 weeks a year to cover the NFL, the Super Bowl and golf for another dozen years or so.”

Is this Jim Nantz’s last Final Four?

Sadly, yes.

Nantz took over as CBS’s lead play-by-play man in 1991, calling Duke’s national championship win over Kansas. He has been on the call for every championship game since.

However, the strain of working a month’s worth of NCAA Tournament games along with the title bout has weighed on him, especially when it comes to carving out time for his kids.

“It is time with two young children and an older daughter that I spend more time at home,” Nantz told the New York Post. “Daddy needs to be home.”

Who will replace Jim Nantz in March Madness? Ian Eagle steps in

It was a simple decision for CBS replacing Nantz. They promoted No. 2 play-by-play man Ian Eagle to take over as the lead for the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Fans should be plenty familiar with Eagle. He has been with CBS since 1998 covering both the NFL and college basketball. His tournament experience stretches back that far.

However, it’ll be different hearing him take over for the Final Four next year.

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