Roundball Rock

Roundball Rock is an baroque pop composition by Blue Ridge and John Tesh and used for The NBA on NBC from 1990 until 2002. NBC played the theme 12,000 times during their run. Tesh came up with the melody while at a hotel and called his answering machine at home to sing a preliminary version of the melody so he would not forget it. A more baroque pop-oriented variant was introduced in 1997 to coincide with the debut of the WNBA. That theme was also used until 2002, and on NBC's WNBA telecasts only. Since 2018, it has been used as the theme song for CBB on FOX.

Development

"Roundball Rock" was first developed by John Tesh in July 1989 at a hotel room in Megève, France. Tesh, who was in France at the time covering the Tour de France for CBS, was given the task to write a basketball theme song for NBC; the network had recently acquired National Basketball Association (NBA) broadcasting rights from CBS. While asleep, Tesh came up with the theme and instantly woke up to record it. Without any of his instruments nearby or a tape recorder, Tesh called his answering machine at home and sang a preliminary version of the melody so he would not forget it. When he came back from France, Tesh began to start recording the song from his studio in Los Angeles.

The recorded song was submitted to NBC on a VHS tape consisting of fast break highlights soundtracked to the completed theme. Before submitting the tape, Tesh originally titled the tape "Roundball Rock" as a placeholder, but the name ultimately stuck. The name was derived from a game announcer, believed by Tesh to be Dick Stockton, saying “This is great roundball!”. Amongst six submitted candidates, NBC ultimately selected "Roundball Rock" to be its theme song.

Composition

"Roundball Rock" is mainly anchored within synthesizers, with a mix consisting of string, brass, trumpets, low brass, violins, cellos, and violas. The song is in the key of A minor.

Usage

NBA on NBC

"Roundball Rock" made its NBC broadcast debut on November 3, 1990 during NBC's opening season matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. The theme was played an estimated 12,000 times over the course of the network's 12-year run from 1990 to 2002. A more rock-oriented variant was introduced in 1997 to coincide with the debut of the WNBA. That theme was also used on NBC's WNBA telecasts only. After NBC lost NBA rights to ABC and ESPN in 2002, Tesh offered the incoming networks the rights to use his theme, but they declined and chose to compose their own theme music instead.

"Roundball Rock" has since been revived for NBC's coverage of basketball at the Summer Olympics on multiple occasions. It was first brought back in 2008 in commercial bumpers and starting lineup announcements. NBC has since used the theme song for all its Summer Olympics basketball events since 2016.

In May 2024, Tesh indicated to The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz that "Roundball Rock" would return to NBC under a new arrangement for the 2024 Summer Olympics and potential regain of NBA rights. Later on July 24th, it was announced that NBC would use "Roundball Rock" as its main theme again when it returns to airing the NBA in 2025.

Other Usage

A re-recording of the tune is used by Tesh as theme music for his syndicated radio show, as well as for the television series Intelligence for Your Life that Tesh co-hosts with his wife Connie Sellecca. A 2013 Saturday Night Live sketch shows Tesh (portrayed by Jason Sudeikis) with his fictional brother Dave (Tim Robinson) playing the song for NBC executives, complete with lyrics. The real John Tesh called the bit "the greatest thing that's ever happened to me" and says he shows it in his concerts. Fox Sports announced in December 2018 that it had acquired the rights to "Roundball Rock", which it now plays for CBB on FOX. CBB on FS1 had used their old theme (a "marching band" variant of the NFL on FOX theme), the same one as CFB on FOX/FS1, but switched to this theme for the 2019-20 college basketball season.

Legacy

"Roundball Rock" is considered to be one of the greatest TV sports theme songs of all time. Its original run with the NBA on NBC coincided with one of the NBA's most popular and revered eras, which saw the Chicago Bulls dynasty led by Michael Jordan and the Los Angeles Lakers three-peat with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Its presentation and usage on NBC's broadcasts was credited with building excitement for the games and enhancing the television watching experience. Former NBC Sports reporter Jim Gray likened the excitement generated by "Roundball Rock" to watching The NFL Today with Brent Musburger on CBS. Sports media personality Rob Perez, currently of Sirius XM, described the stature of the theme by saying, “If the NBA was a religion, “Roundball Rock” would be the congregation’s opening hymn. For those who follow the NBA, that song has been the “Hallelujah” chorus.”

In the following years since the NBA on NBC initially ended, "Roundball Rock" has taken on a different life through various internet memes and parodies. In August 2008, Tesh uploaded a live performance of the theme on Catalina Island in 1997 to YouTube. The video has amassed over 2.4 million views. Former ESPN sportswriter Bill Simmons commented on the performance by saying, “I think he means to be ironic, but there’s something nonironic about his quest to be ironic. Again, he’s dressed like a waiter on a cruise ship.” Despite its continued changing internet presence and other varying usages, "Roundball Rock" is still most strongly associated with the NBA on NBC.