Legendary college basketball announcer Billy Packer has died.
In a tweet, ACC Network host Mark Packer announced the death of his father, sharing “We take peace knowing that he’s in heaven with Barb.”
Billy Packer announced 34 Final Fours between NBC and CBS. He served as a color commentator for every Final Four from 1975 through 2008.
Packer played collegiately at Wake Forest, leading the 1962 squad to the Final Four. After briefly serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Packer began his broadcasting career as the analyst on regional ACC television games in 1972 before becoming a regular in 1973.
“I have had a chance to broadcast most of the great games since college basketball got on national television and I’m not interested in broadcasting any more games,” Packer told the Associated Press before his final assignment in 2008. “I enjoyed doing that but I won’t be any more.”
Packer’s son Brandt — a producer at the Golf Channel — also shared the news of his father’s death on Twitter, writing “Rest in Peace to the most incredible Dad, mentor and best friend. My entire life I always tried to emulate him – how to be a husband, father, to prep for a telecast, you name it, he was the bar for me. Just crushed.”
The longtime analyst won a Sports Emmy in 1993 for Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio and Sports Event Analyst for his work with CBS Sports.
One of the pioneers of college basketball on television, Packer worked with legendary play-by-play men like Curt Gowdy, Brent Musburger, Dick Enberg, and Jim Nantz.
His storied career was not without controversy. Frequently referred to as a “negative” announcer, Packer was noted for criticizing strategy by various coaches throughout his career. In 1996, Packer called Georgetown guard Allen Iverson a “tough monkey”. Critics called the comment racist in nature, however Georgetown head coach John Thompson defended Packer by saying he doesn’t “have to explain to anybody about Billy being a racist because he’s not”.
Billy Packer was 82.
Tributes to the late broadcaster came pouring in late Thursday. With contemporaries and colleagues alike paying tribute to the college basketball broadcasting legend.
