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Jake Wade Award
Presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in the media to the field of intercollegiate athletics. Voted on by the Special Awards Committee. The nominee must be a member of the media.
Bill Raftery — Jake Wade Award recipient
CBS Sports / FOX Sports / ESPN / Westwood One
One of the most recognizable voices in college basketball who has worked extensively with CBS Sports/Turner, FOX Sports, ESPN and Westwood One, among others, Bill Raftery is the recipient of this year's CSC Jake Wade Award for outstanding work by a media member in college athletics.
A lead analyst for CBS' coverage of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament for many years, and now also for FOX Sports' men's basketball coverage, Raftery is known for his signature catchphrases and excitability in the game's big moments, such as, "with a kiss," "onions!" and "a little nickel-dimer."
Raftery moved to broadcasting in 1983 after 18 years as a college men's basketball head coach and administrator (at Seton Hall and FDU). He was head coach at Seton Hall from 1970-81 and was there at the birth of the Big East Conference.
Since then, Raftery has been a constant presence ever since. Initially part of ESPN's staff, Raftery moved to FOX when the network acquired the Big East Conference's rights. It was there that he was paired with Gus Johnson (CSC's 2021 Jake Wade Award Winner).
For 23 years, Raftery was the lead analyst for Westwood One's radio coverage of the NCAA Division I Men's Final Four. Since 2015, Raftery has lent his voice to CBS Sports along with doing his FOX broadcasts. He was paired with Ian Eagle this March for the 2024 edition of the tournament.
A four-time Sports Emmy Award winner, Raftery is a 2015 inductee into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame and a 2017 inductee into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. In 2006, Raftery received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame which honors members of the electronic and print media for outstanding contributions to the sport.
Gallery: (5-29-2024) Bill Raftery, Jake Wade Award
Tony Neely, University of Kentucky Assistant AD/Athletics Communications and Public Relations: "Simply stated, Bill Raftery makes basketball more fun. Whether it is his playful joking with coaches and athletic communicators before a game, providing his unique -- and razor-sharp -- analysis during the game, or commiserating with a coach or SID after the game, Bill makes the game more enjoyable for participants and viewers alike. And, having been a college head coach, Bill understands and appreciates the importance of sports communication professionals."
Jimmy Traina, Sports Illustrated, quoted in support of Raftery's nomination for the Jake Wade Award: "If you don't think a broadcaster can enhance a game or make the viewing experience more enjoyable, then you must not pay close attention to Bill "Raftery! Raftery has mastered the art of being a character AND an excellent X's-and-O's strategy guy. Most of the good X's-and-O's analysts are drier than the toast Jim Nantz enjoys at breakfast. Raftery is the complete opposite of dry."
Statement from Sean McManus, recently retired after serving as President of CBS Sports, in support of Raftery's nomination for the Jake Wade Award: "Few in this industry like Bill are recognized as being at the top of their game, as well as being universally respected and liked by colleagues, coaches, players, and fans. The voice is so undeniably distinctive, and the vernacular so unique, that it makes for memorable moments."
