Bill Land: A voice larger than life
Legendary sports broadcaster Bill Land bids farewell to Spurs fans with a Grand Closing statement
Bill Land, a legendary play-by-play announcer and voice of the San Antonio Spurs, announced his retirement on August 21st via press release to the media:
“I am grateful and appreciative for the support from the entire Spurs organization as well as FOX Sports/Bally Sports,” said Land. “I feel truly blessed to have had a dream job with the best production crew in the league and the best analyst in the NBA, Sean Elliott. As I move into the fourth quarter of my life, I want to thank everyone, especially Spurs fans, for their incredible support over the years and particularly this past year as I have battled cancer.”
Last August, Land was diagnosed with multiple myeloma - an incurable - but not untreatable, form of blood cancer. His battle with multiple myeloma while continuing to work showed his dedication and love for his role as lead play-by-play announcer for the San Antonio Spurs television broadcasts.
Despite this medical setback, Bill continued to work diligently and called Spurs games alongside former San Antonio Spurs Champion-turned-broadcaster Sean Elliott. His partnership with the former Spurs star created a dynamic duo in the booth.
Bill was well known for his catchphrases, shouting “Oh Mama!” on any given Spurs television broadcast.
Land's 21 seasons with the Spurs started in 2003 when he took on a more prominent role, providing him with the opportunity to call some of the most significant moments in Spurs history. Land was able to call the Spurs’ Big Three era (Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan), four Championship seasons, rebuilding phases for the team, and concluded by covering media-deemed generational talent Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season.
Bill Land’s retirement post was met with widespread appreciation, indicating his role in fostering a community spirit among Spurs fans. His ability to engage with the audience, knowledge of basketball, and aptness to convey emotions during pivotal moments made him more than just an announcer; he was a storyteller during the San Antonio Spurs journey to greatness.
In my opinion, there was nobody who resonated with the fans through storytelling like Bill Land.
Bill- as you enter the 4th quarter of life -on behalf of San Antonio Spurs fans all over the world I’d like to say, “Thank You.”
Grand Opening. Grand Closing.
Subscribe to SPURFECT for more San Antonio Spurs content. KDot The Kemist is a contributor for SPURFECT Blog and founder of Topic Of Discussion Radio.
Good article 💪🏾