History of Marv Albert in Timeline
"The voice of basketball", Marv Albert, is an American former sportscaster renowned for his signature commentary style. He is best known for his work as the lead announcer for NBA games on NBC and TNT, and as "the voice of the New York Knicks" from 1967 to 2004. His contributions to the sport earned him the prestigious Basketball Hall of Fame honor and induction into the broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2015.
June 12, 1941: Birth of Marv Albert
Marv Albert, originally Marvin Philip Aufrichtig, was born on June 12, 1941.
1960: Enrollment at Syracuse University
Marv Albert began his studies at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1960.
1962: Voice of the AAA Syracuse Chiefs
Marv Albert served as the voice of the AAA Syracuse Chiefs in 1962.
January 27, 1963: First Knicks Game as a Broadcaster
On January 27, 1963, Marv Albert got his first opportunity to broadcast a New York Knicks game on WCBS Radio, filling in for Marty Glickman. The game took place at the Boston Garden against the Celtics.
1963: Completion of Studies at Syracuse University
Marv Albert completed his studies at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1963.
1965: Albert Begins Calling New York Rangers Games
Marv Albert added to his broadcasting repertoire by calling the games of another Madison Square Garden tenant, the New York Rangers, starting in 1965.
1965: Graduation from New York University
Marv Albert graduated from New York University in 1965.
1967: Albert Becomes "The Voice of the New York Knicks"
In 1967, Marv Albert began his 37-year run as the voice of the New York Knicks, serving as their primary broadcaster on radio and television.
1973: Albert Takes Over Giants Radio Broadcasts
Marv Albert succeeded Marty Glickman as the radio broadcaster for the New York Giants football games in 1973.
1976: Albert Calls NHL Games for Syndicated Network
During the 1976-1977 NHL season, Marv Albert provided play-by-play commentary for regular season and playoff games for the syndicated NHL Network.
1976: End of Giants Broadcasting Stint
Marv Albert's time calling New York Giants football games on the radio came to an end in 1976.
1983: Albert Becomes NBC's No. 2 Play-by-Play Announcer
By 1983, Marv Albert rose to the position of the second-most prominent play-by-play announcer for NFL games on NBC, after Dick Enberg. He often alternated in this role with Don Criqui.
1986: Co-host and Reporter for the World Series
In 1986, Marv Albert took on a new role as co-host and reporter for the World Series.
1986: Albert Hosts World Series Coverage for NBC
Marv Albert, along with Bob Costas, hosted NBC's studio and pre-game shows for the 1986 World Series.
1988: Second Stint as World Series Co-host and Reporter
Marv Albert returned as co-host and reporter for the World Series in 1988.
1988: "Dazzling Dunks and Basketball Bloopers" VHS Release
Marv Albert hosted the "Dazzling Dunks and Basketball Bloopers" VHS tape released by NBA Entertainment in 1988.
1988: Albert Returns as World Series Host for NBC
Marv Albert reprised his role as a host for NBC's World Series coverage in 1988, once again partnering with Bob Costas for studio segments and pre-game shows.
1990: Lead Play-by-Play Announcer for the NBA on NBC
Marv Albert became the lead play-by-play announcer for the NBA on NBC in 1990.
1990: Albert Begins Announcing NHL All-Star Games for NBC
Marv Albert started calling NHL All-Star Games for NBC in 1990, working with John Davidson. Their partnership continued until 1994.
1992: Albert Appears on Roger Waters' Album
In 1992, Marv Albert made a unique appearance on Roger Waters' album "Amused to Death." He provided commentary in a sportscaster style for the track "Perfect Sense, Part II," describing a military attack.
1993: Previous Sexual Misconduct Allegation
During the trial, another woman, Patricia Masden, came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Marv Albert. Masden claimed that Albert bit her on two separate occasions - once in Miami in 1993.
1994: End of Albert's NHL All-Star Game Coverage on NBC
In 1994, Marv Albert's tenure as the commentator for NHL All-Star Games on NBC came to an end.
1994: Albert Calls Rangers' Stanley Cup Victory
Marv Albert handled the radio call of the New York Rangers' Stanley Cup-clinching victory in 1994.
1994: Albert Leaves the Rangers
Marv Albert stepped down from his broadcasting role with the New York Rangers following the 1994-1995 season.
1994: Second Allegation of Biting Incident
Patricia Masden also accused Marv Albert of biting her in Dallas in 1994, adding to the allegations of sexual misconduct against the sportscaster.
1994: Albert's Commentary Inspires Band Name
The rock duo Tenacious D, formed by Jack Black and Kyle Gass, drew inspiration for their band's name from Marv Albert's commentary. Albert often used the term "tenacious defense" to describe the New York Knicks' playing style in 1994, which resonated with Black and Gass.
February 12, 1997: Sexual Assault Allegations and Arrest
On February 12, 1997, a 42-year-old woman accused Marv Albert of sexual assault in his Pentagon City hotel room. The woman alleged that an argument led to Albert biting her, throwing her on the bed, and forcing her into oral sex.
1997: NBC Fires Albert, Then Rehires Him
Following his guilty plea, NBC swiftly terminated Marv Albert's employment, ending his more than two decades with the network. His final NFL broadcast for NBC before the firing was the Ravens-Giants game alongside Randy Cross and Len Berman. However, NBC rehired Albert less than two years later, with Dick Ebersol, the Chairman of NBC Sports, stating that Albert had taken the necessary steps to address the situation.
1998: Bob Costas Fills in for Marv Albert
Bob Costas took over play-by-play duties for the NBA Finals from 1998 to 2000 during Marv Albert's absence.
1999: Marv Albert Joins TNT
In 1999, Marv Albert began calling national games for TNT while continuing his role as the lead broadcaster for the NBA on NBC.
1999: Albert Becomes Lead Play-by-Play Announcer for TNT
Marv Albert took on the role of lead play-by-play announcer for National Basketball Association games on TNT in 1999.
2000: Marv Albert Returns to Broadcasting
Marv Albert returned to his lead broadcasting role for the 2000-2001 NBA season following a temporary replacement by Bob Costas.
2000: Albert Joins TNT's Wimbledon Coverage
In 2000, Marv Albert joined the broadcast team for TNT's coverage of the Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament, lending his voice to the prestigious event.
2001: Marv Albert Calls Final NBA Game on NBC
Marv Albert called Game 4 of the 2002 NBA Finals, which marked the final NBA telecast on NBC.
April 17, 2002: Limo Accident Injures Marv Albert
Marv Albert and color commentator Mike Fratello were injured in a limo accident in Trenton, New Jersey, on April 17, 2002. The accident caused Albert to sustain facial lacerations, a concussion, and a sprained ankle.
2002: NBC Loses NBA Broadcasting Rights
After NBC lost the NBA broadcasting rights to ABC and ESPN in 2002, TNT became Marv Albert's primary broadcasting commitment.
2002: Albert Concludes Wimbledon Coverage for TNT
After two years, Marv Albert's stint as a commentator for TNT's Wimbledon coverage came to an end in 2002.
2002: Albert Joins Westwood One
In 2002, Marv Albert became the lead play-by-play voice for the NFL on Westwood One radio network.
2002: End of NBA Coverage on NBC
Marv Albert's time as the lead play-by-play announcer for the NBA on NBC came to an end in 2002 when the network lost broadcasting rights.
2003: Albert Begins Super Bowl Coverage for Westwood One
Marv Albert began his stint as the Super Bowl play-by-play announcer for Westwood One in 2003. He continued in this role until 2010.
2003: Voice of the "NBA Live" Video Game Series
Marv Albert lent his voice to the "NBA Live" video game series by EA Sports starting in 2003, continuing in this role until "NBA Live 10."
2004: Departure from the New York Knicks
Marv Albert's tenure as the voice of the New York Knicks ended in 2004 after he was let go by team management.
2005: Albert Becomes Lead Play-by-Play Announcer for the New Jersey Nets
Marv Albert became the lead play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Nets in 2005, calling their games on the YES Network alongside Mark Jackson.
2008: Partners with Mike Fratello on YES Network
Marv Albert began partnering with Mike Fratello on the YES Network for New Jersey Nets broadcasts starting in the 2008-2009 season.
2009: End of Albert's Tenure at Westwood One
Marv Albert's time as the lead NFL announcer for Westwood One came to an end in 2009.
2009: Relegated to Secondary Play-by-Play for the Nets
Marv Albert was relegated to a secondary play-by-play role for the New Jersey Nets during the 2009-2010 season and was replaced as the lead broadcaster by Ian Eagle.
2009: Kenny Albert Joins Knicks Broadcast Team
Marv Albert's son, Kenny Albert, joined the New York Knicks broadcast team as a part-time play-by-play announcer in 2009, occasionally filling in for Mike Breen.
June 4, 2010: Marv Albert Leaves Westwood One
On June 4, 2010, Marv Albert announced his departure from Westwood One, where he had been the lead play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Football and Super Bowls from 2003 to 2010.
June 6, 2011: Albert Joins CBS Sports
On June 6, 2011, Marv Albert joined CBS Sports as a play-by-play announcer for The NFL on CBS, often working alongside Rich Gannon.
2011: Albert Leaves YES Network for CBS Sports
In 2011, Marv Albert departed from the YES Network to join CBS Sports, where he provided coverage for NFL and NCAA tournament games.
2011: Albert Begins Announcing NCAA Tournament Games
Marv Albert began announcing NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship tournament games in 2011 as part of Turner Sports' coverage.
May 29, 2014: Albert Steps Down from NFL on CBS
On May 29, 2014, Marv Albert decided to focus on his basketball broadcasting duties for TNT and CBS, leading him to step down from calling The NFL on CBS.
2015: Induction into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Marv Albert was recognized for his illustrious broadcasting career with induction into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2015.
2015: End of Announcing NCAA Tournament Games
Marv Albert's time announcing NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship tournament games concluded in 2015.
February 2016: Albert Steps Down from NCAA Tournament Coverage
In February 2016, Marv Albert and Turner Sports announced that he would no longer be calling NCAA Tournament basketball games, citing the demanding schedule as a factor in his decision.
2016: Kenny Albert Becomes National Radio Voice of the Stanley Cup Finals
Kenny Albert, son of Marv Albert, became the national radio voice of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016.
May 15, 2021: Marv Albert Announces Retirement Plans
On May 15, 2021, Marv Albert announced his plans to retire from broadcasting following the conclusion of the 2021 NBA playoffs.
2022: Appearance in "Playoffs on NBA Lane" Short Film
In 2022, Marv Albert appeared in the "Playoffs on NBA Lane" short film alongside ESPN sideline reporter Malika Andrews.