Richard John ‘Dick’ Vitale was born on 9 June 1939, in Passaic, New Jersey USA. Also known as Dickie V, he is one of the most famous and richer American basketball sportscasters , having also been a coach, showman, author, columnist, cameo actor, power broker and motivational speaker whose numerous achievements and contributions made him a cult figure in the sports world.
So how rich is Dick Vitale? According to various sources, Vitale has accumulated a net worth of $15 million dollars, his wealth being earned from his long career as a coach and sportscaster, as well as an author.
Dick Vitale left Seton Hall University in 1963, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in business and administration. After that he graduated from William Paterson College with a masters degree in education, and he also earned 32 graduate credits beyond his masters degree in administration.
Dick Vitale Net Worth $15 Million
Dick started working as a coach in 1959, at an elementary school in New Jersey when he was just twenty years old. After a few years, he started coaching at a local high school, and then at the school that he once attended – East Ruherford High School. After twelve years, in 1971, he became an assistant coach at Rutgers University, New Jersey, where his talent was seen. In 1973 he was selected to be the head coach at the University of Detroit, and later he became athletic director at the same university. These positions were the basis of his net worth.
Dick’s career kept going upwards, and he took a job as a coach in the NBA`s Detroit Pistons. He stayed there through a full season, after which he was hired to work at sports network ESPN where in 1979 he had his first chance to broadcast a basketball game. He quickly gained popularity and since then, he has called close to a thousand games, including NBA contests for ESPN during the next two seasons. These contributed enormously to his net worth.
In 1988 he made his first of several cameo movie appearances, and also began his analyst work for ABC Sports, which additionally increased his salary. In the years following, he continued increasing his wealth by working as a guest columnist for USA Today, providing comments on a variety of topics in his “Dick Vitale Fast Break” segment during the college basketball season on Sports Center, and working as a college basketball analyst for ESPN Radio.
There has been lots of recognition for his achievements and contributions in many areas. He was named Honorary Alumnus by the University of Detroit and he was voted Man of the Year by the Detroit Athletic Club in 1977. In 1988 he was presented with an Honorary Citizens Award by Father Flanagan of Boystown, and one year later the American Sportscasters Association recognized him as “Sports Personality of the Year”. In 1991 the NIT Metropolitan Media did the same. He was also given a Ronald Reagan Media Award by the United States Sports Academy in 1997, and the next year he was awarded the Basketball Hall of Fame`s popular Curt Gowdy Media Award. Later he was given many other awards like: NABC Cliff Wells Appreciation Award, Jake Wade Award, President`s Humanitarian Award for his work with young people, National Pathfinder Award. In 2011 the University of Detroit even named their basketball court in his honor. He has also been inducted into seven halls of fame, including in 2008 the Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2012 the League Museum Hall of Excellence.
Nowdays, Dick Vitale is popular even outside of sports television. He has made several cameo appearances and he has authored nine books, which have also increased his net worth. Vitale is known for some catchphrases like “baby” and “diaper dandy” as well as his unique and colorful broadcasting style.
In his personal life, Dick Vitale married Lorraine McGrath in 1971; their two daughters, Terri and Sherri went to the University of Notre Dame on tennis scholarships, and they both eventually graduated with MBAs.
