CBS to Broadcast MU Intramural Basketball Championship
Kody Smith
The most exciting collegiate basketball experience takes over the CBS television network in late April. Following the conclusion of March Madness on April 4, basketball fans from around the entire United States will be enticed by the phenomenal play of the Manchester University intramural student-athletes. The University and the country’s most-watched network agreed to terms to telecast the spring intramural basketball championship game live from Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.
CBS has been known to broadcast some of the most illustrious events in all of sports, including the Super Bowl, the Masters and March Madness. However, in a new, groundbreaking campaign, the network has decided to host the biggest event in all of sports. Legendary broadcaster Greg Gumbel has called memorable moments on CBS from the NFL and the NCAA Division I basketball tournament, but is excited about his newest assignment.
“This is a thrilling moment for not only all basketball fans, but for all sports fans alike” Gumbel said. “We televise the NCAA Division I Tournament every year, and the viewership tends to increase every year. Showcasing the talents of the Manchester Intramural athletes will put the game on a whole new level.”
Joining Gumbel on the broadcast team will be NBA legends Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Charles Barkley. The trio is expected to arrive in North Manchester on April 17 to analyze the campus evaluate the talents on the floor. The three broadcasters as well as the camera crew will be housed in the empty rooms throughout East Hall, and receive meals through Chartwells, free of charge.
“We are all looking forward to watching the greatest basketball that college has to offer,” Smith said. “It is not often where fans get to witness these kind of events. It is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Manchester junior Dan Heim is a member of a team for the upcoming season, and he seems rather confident. The linebacker for the Spartans football team was outspoken when the news broke that the championship game would be televised, noting that this will not be the last time his face will be seen on screen.
“It is about time that my talents could be recognized on a national level,” Heim said. “This will give the world its first glimpse at my all-around athletic ability. Following this performance, you will see me every Monday night in a wrestling ring following my basketball career.”
A plethora of Spartan students will partake in the upcoming intramural season, with only one compilation of students leaving Stauffer-Wolfe with the sacred t-shirts that each member of the team is bestowed if they are the last ones standing. “Those shirts would be the greatest achievement I have ever had in any athletic I have ever participated in,” Heim said. “No team will stop us from climbing the ladder and retrieving the prize.”
The event is expected to set an all-time attendance record inside the home of Spartan basketball. No official date has been announced for the championship game, so check back with the Sports Information office or www.muspartans.com as the intramural season progresses.