2023 Dick Vitale Gala has record-setting fundraising night

The event raised $12.4 million for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

By Ryan Kohn
| 9:30 a.m. May 6, 2023

Dick Vitale stands with members of his All-Courageous team and the gala's 2023 honorees.

Black Tie

The 2023 Dick Vitale Gala was once again a record-setting night.

After raising $11.1 million for The V Foundation for Cancer Research in 2022, Dick Vitale vowed to shatter that mark in 2023 — and succeeded. The 2023 event raised $12.4 million for pediatric cancer research.

The event was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota. The honorees for the 2023 event were former San Francisco Giants catcher and National League MVP Buster Posey, NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson, International Tennis Hall of Famer John McEnroe and ESPN tennis analyst Patrick McEnroe.

North Carolina State basketball Hall of Famer Dereck Whittenburg received the John Saunders Courage Award and Tennessee men’s basketball Head Coach Rick Barnes received the Dick Vitale Spirit Award.

Vitale, V Foundation CEO Shane Jacobson, ESPN's Kevin Negandhi — who served as the event's emcee — and the honorees spoke at a press conference before a cocktail hour and a dinner service, which included speeches from Vitale, each honoree and the award recipients. The event raised the record-setting funds through silent auctions, raffles and donations.