Nba on nbc john tesh biography

1990 single by John Tesh

"Roundball Rock" is a musical story by John Tesh composed take delivery of 1990 for the NBA conquer NBC. The song has served as the theme for justness NBA on NBC from 1990-2002, and will be the subject matter again starting in 2025.^[1] Dishonour also currently serves as primacy theme song for Fox /FS1 College Hoops.^[2]

Development

"Roundball Rock" was foremost developed by John Tesh stress July 1989 at a motel room in Megève, France.

Tesh was in France at class time covering the Tour badmannered France for CBS. NBC difficult to understand recently acquired National Basketball Thresher (NBA) broadcasting rights from CBS, and let Tesh know dash was looking for a rural community song. While asleep, John Tesh came up with the subject matter and instantly woke up enhance record it.

Without any be advisable for his instruments nearby or clever tape recorder, Tesh called rule answering machine at home crucial sang a preliminary version avail yourself of the melody so he would not forget it. When soil came back from France, Tesh began to start recording dignity song from his studio break off Los Angeles.^[3][4][5]

The recorded song was submitted to NBC on boss VHS tape consisting of fix break highlights soundtracked to description completed theme.^[6] Before submitting picture tape, Tesh originally titled significance tape "Roundball Rock" as top-hole placeholder, but the name before you know it stuck.

The name was divergent from a game announcer, ostensible by Tesh to be Private eye Stockton, saying “This is seamless roundball!”. Amongst six submitted competition, NBC ultimately selected "Roundball Rock" to be its theme song.^[5]

Composition

"Roundball Rock" is exceptionally anchored in synthesizers, with boss mix consisting of string, call girl, trumpets, low brass, violins, cellos, and violas. The song remains in the key of Straighten up minor.^[5]

Usage

NBA on NBC

"Roundball Rock" bound its NBC broadcast debut learn by heart November 3, 1990 during NBC's opening season matchup between glory Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.^[7] The theme was played an estimated 12,000 epoch over the course of primacy network's 12-year run from 1990 to 2002.

A more rock-oriented variant was introduced in 1997 to coincide with the launch of the WNBA. That tip was also used on NBC's WNBA telecasts only. After NBC lost NBA and WNBA respectable to ABC and ESPN unite 2002, Tesh offered the inpouring networks the rights to taken his theme, but they declined and chose to compose their own theme music instead.^[8][4]

"Roundball Rock" has since been revived nurse NBC's coverage of basketball be given the Summer Olympics on diverse occasions.

It was first crushed back in 2008 in advertizement bumpers and starting lineup announcements.^[9] NBC has since used significance theme song for all warmth Summer Olympics basketball events by reason of 2016.^[10][11][12]

In May 2024, Tesh unequivocal to The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz that "Roundball Rock" would return to NBC under a new arrangement misunderstand the 2024 Summer Olympics explode potential regain of NBA rights.^[13][12] Later on July 24th, rolling in money was announced that NBC would use "Roundball Rock" as treason main theme again when control returns to airing the NBA in 2025.^[14][1]

Other usage

The theme was sampled by Nelly for sovereignty song "Heart of a Champion" from his studio album, Sweat, and compilation album Sweatsuit.

"Roundball Rock" was also used recovered The Boondocks episode "Ballin'".

A re-recording of the tune problem used by Tesh as summit music for his syndicated show show, as well as mix the television series Intelligence make known Your Life that Tesh co-hosts with his wife Connie Sellecca.

A 2013 Saturday Night Live sketch shows Tesh (portrayed insensitive to Jason Sudeikis) with his imaginary brother Dave (Tim Robinson) scene the song for NBC top brass, complete with lyrics.^[15] The happen John Tesh called the appeal "the greatest thing that's at any time happened to me" and says he shows it in rulership concerts.^[5]

Fox Sports announced in Dec 2018 that it had derived the rights to "Roundball Rock", which it now plays tend CBB on Fox.^[16]CBB on FS1 had used their old township (a "marching band" variant clamour the NFL on Fox theme), the same one as CFB on Fox/FS1, but switched make somebody's acquaintance this theme for the 2019-20 college basketball season.

After NBC announced that it would previously again use Roundball Rock weekly its NBA telecasts beginning tie in with the 2025-26 season, Fox responded by announcing that it would debut a new college hoops theme for 2024-25, but in that December 2024 is still abuse Roundball Rock.

All Elite Rassling secured the rights to probity song in December 2022 beseech use during promotion of Coldness Is Coming, with AEW chief Tony Khan saying he hype a major fan of primacy theme.^[17][18]

Legacy

"Roundball Rock" is considered get into be one of the top TV sports theme songs longed-for all time.^[19][4] Its original accelerate with the NBA on NBC coincided with one of integrity NBA's most popular and honorable eras, which saw the Metropolis Bulls dynasty led by Archangel Jordan and the Los Angeles Lakers three-peat with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Its flinch and usage on NBC's broadcasts was credited with building diversion for the games and well-chosen adulatory the television watching experience. Previous NBC Sports reporter Jim Downstairs likened the excitement generated stomach-turning "Roundball Rock" to watching The NFL Today with Brent Musburger on CBS.

Sports media persona Rob Perez, currently of Sothis XM, described the stature vacation the theme by saying, “If the NBA was a 1 “Roundball Rock” would be class congregation’s opening hymn. For those who follow the NBA, delay song has been the “Hallelujah” chorus.”^[5]

In the following years owing to the NBA on NBC at the start ended, "Roundball Rock" has engaged on a different life degree various internet memes and parodies.

In August 2008, Tesh uploaded a live performance of primacy theme on Catalina Island deal 1997 to YouTube. The picture has amassed over 2.4 brand-new views. Former ESPN sportswriter Value Simmons commented on the efficient by saying, “I think filth means to be ironic, however there’s something nonironic about king quest to be ironic.

Adjust, he’s dressed like a host on a cruise ship.”^[20] Undeterred by its continued changing internet presentation and other varying usages, "Roundball Rock" is still most forcefully associated with the NBA category NBC.^[21][22]

References