Dick Vitale Net Worth

What Is Dick Vitale's Net Worth and Salary?

Dick Vitale is an American basketball sportscaster and former head coach of NBA and college teams who has a net worth of $20 million. Dick Vitale, affectionately known as "Dickie V," is one of college basketball's most iconic broadcasters and personalities. He began his career as a high school basketball coach in New Jersey before moving up to college coaching, eventually becoming the head coach at the University of Detroit from 1973-1977. He briefly served as the Detroit Pistons' head coach in 1978-79.

Vitale's most significant impact came when he joined ESPN in 1979 during the network's infancy. He called ESPN's first-ever major NCAA basketball game and went on to become the voice and face of college basketball for over four decades. His enthusiastic style, catchphrases like "It's awesome, baby!" and "PTP'er" (Prime Time Player), and genuine passion for the sport made him a beloved figure in sports broadcasting.

Throughout his career, Vitale has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2008) and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. He's also a passionate advocate for cancer research, particularly through his work with The V Foundation for Cancer Research. In 2022, Vitale faced his own battle with cancer, receiving treatment for lymphoma and melanoma, but returned to broadcasting after recovery. His contribution to college basketball extends beyond commentary to include several books and consistent advocacy for the sport and its student-athletes.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Dick Vitale was born on June 9, 1939, in Passaic, New Jersey. He was raised in Garfield. His father, John, worked as a clothing press operator and security guard, while his mother, Mae, did factory work as a seamstress. As a teenager, Vitale attended East Rutherford High School and then went to college at Seton Hall University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration. Later, he graduated with a master's degree in education from William Paterson University.

In 1958, Dick had his first job as a coach at a Garfield, New Jersey elementary school. He eventually moved up to the high school level and became the head coach at Garfield High School for one season. Later, he coached at his alma mater, East Rutherford High School, ultimately leading his teams to two New Jersey state championships. From 1964 to 1971, his record at the school was 131-47.

College and NBA Coaching

In 1971, Vitale became an assistant coach at Rutgers University, working under head coach Dick Lloyd. After he did two seasons at the school, he was hired to be the head coach at the University of Detroit. In 1977, Dick took that school to the 32-team NCAA tournament. His record with Detroit was 78-30, which included a 21-game winning streak during the '77 season. Following that successful season, Vitale was promoted to the position of the university's athletic director.

Dick graduated to the professional leagues in 1978. For the '78-'79 season, he coached the NBA's Detroit Pistons, ultimately bringing them to a 30-52 record. However, at the end of 1979, during a rough start for the team, Pistons owner Bill Davidson alerted Vitale that the team had decided to make a coaching change.

Start in Broadcasting

After leaving his position as coach of the Pistons, Vitale was given his first television gig by Scotty Connal at the then-nascent ESPN network. Although hesitant to accept, he ended up taking the job on the premise that he would do it temporarily until he could land another coaching job. In December 1979, he called ESPN's first college basketball game alongside play-by-play partner Joe Boyle; the game saw DePaul University defeat Wisconsin 90-77.

Initially, Dick did not adapt easily to the broadcasting world. Among other things, he missed his first production meeting in Chicago and often talked over commercials and play-by-plays. Still, his employers believed in him. Vitale started to understand his skill and impact when, during the 1983 Final Four, numerous fans came asking for his autograph.

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Continued Broadcasting Success

In 1985, the American Broadcasting Company, or ABC, purchased ESPN, and Vitale started broadcasting for that network. Among other notable achievements, he covered every televised game between Duke and the University of North Carolina from 1979 to 2015. By the 2004-2005 season, Dick was calling around 40 games a year. Additionally, in 2002, he called a prep game between Oak Hill Academy and St. Vincent-St. Mary's, which at the time featured future NBA all-star LeBron James.

In 2009, along with Canadian sportscaster Dan Shulman, Vitale called his first televised NBA game since the 1984 playoffs; the match was between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets. That year was a major one for Dick, as it marked the year he had called around 1,000 games. As a color commentator, he is usually paired with play-by-play announcer Mike Patrick for ACC games, and with Dan Shulman for both Saturday primetime and other non-ACC games. For the postseason, Vitale serves as an in-studio analyst alongside host Rece Davis. Over the years, he has been paired with such big names as Roger Twibell, Brent Musburger, Jim Simpson, Mike Tirico, and Brad Nessler.

Other Media Appearances

Vitale has done much work outside of sports broadcasting. In 1994, he provided his voice and likeness to the Sega Genesis video game "Dick Vitale's 'Awesome, Baby!' College Hoops." Later, he lent his voice to EA Sports' "NCAA Basketball" video game series. Dick has also done many product endorsements, appearing in commercials for such brands as DiGiorno, Oberto, GEICO, Hooters, and Taco Bell. Meanwhile, he has shown up in a number of films, usually playing himself as a sports commentator. His movie credits include "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!," "Blue Chips," "Jury Duty," "He Got Game," "Love & Basketball," and "Home of the Giants."

Vitale is also a fairly prolific author. He released his first book, "Vitale," in 1988. Subsequent titles include "Time Out Baby!," "Dickie V's Top 40 All-Everything Teams," "Holding Court: Reflections on the Game I Love," "Campus Chaos," and "The Lost Season." In 2004, he released an autobiography, co-written with Dick Weiss, called "Living a Dream." The book includes thoughts on Vitale's experiences with ESPN and the Pistons, as well as his memories of former coach Jim Valvano.

Personal Life

Dick has been married to Lorraine McGrath since 1971. The pair has two daughters, Sherri and Terri, who have given them five grandchildren. Among Vitale's favorite non-NBA teams are the Rays, Lightning, and Buccaneers, all from Tampa Bay.

Real Estate

In 2001, Dick and Lorraine paid $485,000 for an undeveloped 1.4-acre plot of land in Bradenton, Florida. In 2003, they completed construction on a 12,700-square-foot mansion. Today the home is worth $5-7 million.

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