The two main outlets to tune into a sports game are television and radio, but no matter the media outlet for a sports game, the jobs of the broadcasters on TV and radio are a bit different. As a play-by-play announcer, you must tell the story of the game and as a color commentator, you must explain why or how something happened, more like an analyzer.
In radio there is no visual aid, so the broadcaster must become an artist with words. They describe or ‘paint’ what is happening during the game. The broadcasters are the eyes of the listeners. It’s very important to describe as much information as they can. That information could be on a specific player, the uniforms, the weather, the playing conditions, any specific movements and so on. The announcers want dead air to be a minimum, meaning they should always be talking because if they aren’t talking maybe something went wrong or if nothing is happening, it gets boring.
For TV, it’s completely different. You have a visual aid, so you don’t have to describe everything, because, well, they can see it. Play-by-play announcers are still saying what’s happening though, but with less description. Color commentating is a lot easier than radio, because it requires less description, since the viewer can see it, and broadcasters now have technology where they can draw on your screen, and they can show you what you should look at.
A big thing with TV is that there are times when you shouldn’t talk. Let the moment breathe. Some TV broadcasters are amazing at that. Joe Buck with the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series is a perfect example. After Buck said, “the Cubs have won it all,” fans went nuts and the team celebrated on the field. It’s moments like that that give you chills.
For both radio and TV, it’s smart to come up with your own slogans and phrases. Just like with comedians, you don’t want to steal another performer’s stuff. In radio, Pat Hughes for the Chicago Cubs says, “That ball has a chance… Gone!” Former Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster, Vin Scully, says, “It’s time for Dodgers baseball.” We see it on TV as former Chicago White Sox broadcaster, Hawk Harrelson, says “You can put it on the board… YES!” and ESPN basketball announcer, Mike Breen, would just say “BANG!” after a big shot. These simple words and phrases are iconic, and it’s a trademark for a broadcaster.
Sports radio and TV broadcasters are pretty comparable. A majority of the differences are what to say and what not to say, then when to continue talking and when to let the moment breathe. Besides those differences, the job of the broadcasters is to deliver the game to the audience no matter what the media platform is. You want the fan to enjoy the game and to get a better understanding while also being yourself and getting the listener or viewer to tune in again.
