“They’re strong, but they all sound the same.” That’s what a network television executive told an agent who had just presented a group of sportscasters.
The sportscasting job market is undergoing a seismic shift: personality over polish.
I recently read a book written by former Philadelphia Eagle turned magician, Jon Dorenbos. It’s titled Life Is Magic: My Inspiring Journey from Tragedy to Self-Discovery.
If you’re not familiar with Jon through his football career, you may have seen him on America’s Got Talent. What makes his story unique is that when Jon was about twelve years old, his father killed his mother. The book is about Jon’s lifelong journey of forgiving his father and conquering the challenges that have come with his unique life circumstances.
One of Jon’s habits will be especially beneficial to sportscasters looking to advance their careers:
Read More
Do you know what’s scary? Calling a girl for the first time to ask for a date. Do you know what else is scary? Calling three hours of baseball by yourself.
When our former president Ronald Reagan was a sportscaster in Iowa, he called baseball by himself, and he wasn’t even at the ball park. The news ticker would tell him what each batter did, but it wouldn’t give details of the at-bats. Reagan had to fill in those details using his imagination.
If Ronald Reagan could excel at calling baseball solo, you can too.
Read More
My parents gave me a lot of advice when I was growing up. Much of it I ignored, thinking they were wrong or that I simply knew more than them. Sometimes, though, when a coach or the parent of a friend gave me the same advice, I ran with it because it came from a different voice. Trying to help our members at STAA is sometimes the same way.
I have preached ‘til I’m blue in the face that cookie-cutter cover letters – form letters – do not work in the job market. Alas, not all of our members at STAA respect the message. I received the following email this week from the Program Director at a one of the nation’s most prominent sports radio stations.
Read More
If you’re listening to play-by-play, what sounds better? “Jones passing; Smith running,” or “Jones passes; Smith runs”?
For me and for most listeners of play-by-play, “passes” and “runs” is preferable.
I never knew why until a sportscaster, who was working on his master’s degree, studied it and explained it to me.
Read More
When Kobe Bryant retired from the NBA, he was asked about his post-career plans. He replied that he wanted to write books and make documentaries.
He said he wanted to inspire through stories.
Everybody loves stories. It begins in childhood with bedtime stories, and we never really outgrow them.
There are ways you can use stories to distinguish your sportscasting.
Read More
There are two sports talk radio shows I especially enjoy listening to. One is Jim Rome. The other is a local show. I love the content from both shows. However, I’m prone to tuning out the local show.
Why would I do that? Because sometimes the local show buries the main topic under five minutes of small talk. When they do, I change the channel even though I’m otherwise dedicated to the show.
On the other hand, Jim Rome immediately gets to the topic. If I tune in to hear his take on the big story of the day, I don’t have to wait long for him to get right to it.
Read More
Do you remember the scene in Slap Shot when Strother Martin starts calling other teams because he knows the Chiefs are folding?
Here’s how to utilize your contacts to help you in the job market without sounding desperate like Strother Martin.
Read More
A sports broadcasting employer shared this story with me.
A guy arrived for a job interview wearing jeans and a polo shirt.
The outfit is a fine choice if you’re going to pick up a gallon of milk. It’s a terrible choice if you’re interviewing for a sportscasting job.
I share this story because we all have extra time on our hands until the games resume. One way to use it wisely is to build a personal website.
Read More
Dear Sportscaster,
Our industry lacks diversity. It’s especially evident at the highest levels of play-by-play and sports talk radio.
Regretfully, STAA has reflected the disparity.
Read More