Sportscasting does NOT belong on this list

Fact 1: Sports broadcasters earn less money than many other working professionals.

Fact 2: Sports broadcasters love going to work more than many other working professionals.

I bring up these facts because CareerCast.com recently published a list of the ten worst jobs in 2015.

Broadcaster made the top five. And it’s crap.

Granted, they listed “broadcaster” not sports broadcaster.

The ratings were based upon four factors:

1. Environment
   Including physical demands, hazards and proximity to danger.
2. Income
   Average beginning, mid-career and top incomes.
3. Outlook
   Based upon unemployment data as well as potential employment and salary growth.
4. Stress
   Including deadlines, competitiveness and how often your life is at risk. CareerCast had this to say about broadcasting stress: “For those who are able to find full-time work in broadcasting, success requires a high threshold for stress.”

With factors like those four, it is easy to see why professions like Enlisted military personnel, Corrections officer or even Taxi Driver are among the top ten. But, broadcasting?

Now let’s look at the four factors realistically as they pertain to sportscasting:

1. Environment
   A baseball ballpark is one off the most beautiful, safe and wholesome settings where a person can work. Football, basketball and hockey aren’t far behind (unless you are covering a Raiders game in which case, yes, you are in proximity to danger).
2. Income
   It’s a known fact that sports broadcasting incomes stink. You’re lucky to earn your age.

   However — and this is the biggest place where CareerCast blew it — the compensation for sports broadcasters cannot be measured only monetarily.

   How many people earning $75,000 a year love going to work every day? How many are paying top dollar for parking and admission to games that sports broadcasters attend for free? How many would love to be in the locker room, get to know the players, attend practice and sometimes be treated like a celebrity around town?

3. Outlook
   With the advent of online broadcasting and cable TV, on-air opportunities for sports broadcasters have never been greater.
4. Stress
   Every profession has deadlines to some degree. Every profession is competitive. Anyone who complains about the competitiveness of their chosen field needs to man up.

   And as far as “how often your life is at risk,” – well, when is the last time you heard of a sports broadcaster dying on the job? It’s not even a threat. Unless you are covering a Raiders game.

CareerCast – please remove our awesome profession from your stinkin’ list. I venture to guess that most of the folks who read your list would love to have our jobs.