Years ago, I broadcast a high school football game in the worst conditions imaginable for a broadcaster.
Dense, impossible to see through fog.
At kickoff, the fog was hanging threateningly low over the field. By the second half, I couldn’t see fans sitting five rows in front of the press box, much less the field or even the sidelines.
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When the Washington State University baseball team traveled to San Diego years ago, a family obligation prevented their broadcaster from making the trip. Two days before the series opener, I was asked to fill-in.
I was torn. A chance to do DI baseball was exhilarating. On the flip side, I worried about my ability to do my best with so little time to prepare.
Here are three tips for preparing for a play-by-play broadcast on short notice.
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Have you ever lost your car keys? You know they are somewhere in the house, yet you can’t find them.
Finding NCAA Division II play-by-play jobs can be similarly frustrating.
Aspiring NFL and major college play-by-play broadcasters often see DII as a step towards their goal. Finding those jobs, though, is hard.
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It’s easy to let development of your on-air abilities slip during the grind of a busy broadcasting season. That’s why off-season is the perfect time to put a laser focus on advancing your play-by-play skills.
Here are four suggestions:
In 2003, I was doing play-by-play and sideline reporting for a startup TV network called The Football Network. It was all football all the time, before the NFL Network.
The first several broadcasts we did we wore coats and ties. About a month later, management gave us polo shirts with the company logo and asked us to wear them for our next broadcast. Ironically, the game was in my hometown of San Diego.
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Last week, I shared four things you can do this baseball season to increase your chances for moving up next year.
The fourth was the most obvious: improve your play-by-play.
Here are three habits you will hear when listening to the baseball broadcasting greats.
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Each spring, many baseball broadcasters lament returning to the same positions they held the previous season versus moving up the minor league ladder.
Sometimes, it’s a numbers game. Many broadcasters; Few opportunities. Other times it’s because the person didn’t do all they could to increase their chance for promotion.
Here are four things you can do this baseball season to help you move up next summer.
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It’s common to hear about strong-armed quarterbacks firing bullets and great outside shooters described as snipers.
But should they be?
With stories of shootings and gun violence becoming alarmingly commonplace, it’s debatable whether words like bullets, guns and snipers are appropriate in sports broadcasting.
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In the last three years, I’ve been fortunate enough to pick up play-by-play for three brand new sports (volleyball, soccer and distance running – a half-marathon). I used different approaches for all three.
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We’re right in the middle of basketball season. I hope the team for which you broadcast is doing well. It’s always more fun to call games for a winner.
The season’s midway point is a good a time to start thinking about updating your basketball demo.
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