SO YOU WANT TO BE A

PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER?

 

 

           

            These notes are being prepared specifically for soccer announcers, but the rules can and do apply to all sports. The general rules of play by play announcing are universal.

 

 

             

              There are a number of basics you need to know. Rules and terminology should be learned and understood before you do your very first game. The rules must be interpreted during the play by play, and the audience certainly knows them and so must you. Terminology can be a matter of personal choice, but also can devolve into cliché, so be careful. In the beginning, keep it simple.

 

 

            THESE ARE THE BASICS YOU MUST KNOW:

 

                            The Rules

                            The Terminology

                            The Players

                            The Coaches

                            The Style of Play

                            The Stats

                            The History – of the teams, of the series, of the league, of the sport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              You need to KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

 

                            In the case of the college announcer, that audience is familiar with, and

                            very interested in the success of, the team you’re following. You should,

                            however, always treat the game and the team with respect, and with the      

                            eye of an impartial observer.

 

 

            SEE and FEEL the game.

 

                            Paint the picture of what you’re seeing. How it smells; How green is the grass; Hot; Cold; Big pitch, small pitch; How close are the fans; How many fans

 

 

 

              PLAY BY PLAY announcing is a PRESENT TENSE activity.

                           

              Use an active voice in present tense. The game is happening in front of you, and the audience should be able to see the game in their mind as you describe it as it happens.

Example: “Joe passes the ball to Bill, who shoots. The goalkeeper makes the save.” There are times when you must recap the action you’ve seen, but minimize those times. The game takes place in front of you and in real time; describe it as such to the audience.

 

 

              Be FAIR and HONEST.

 

              In college and high school, don’t be too critical of the individual; the team is fair game. In pro sports, one can be critical of the individual as well as the team. In both cases, don’t get personal. It does no good to make personal attacks, period.

 

 

            Do your HOMEWORK!

 

                            **Read the Media Guide

                            **Read the press clippings and media advances

                            **Read the weekly updates, stats, etc.

                            **Talk with the Public Relations Director for both teams

                            **Talk with the Coaches – your coach regularly, the opposing coach if possible

                            **Build rapport with the players. It should be a professional arrangement only. This is a tough call in college athletics, where young announcers can relate so personally with the athletes and may ever be social acquaintances. It is difficult to be objective about a person on the field, when you are “chums” off it. There is no hard and fast rule on this one; use your judgment.

                            **Know the team as well as you can. You won’t know the opponents nearly as well as your own team, but you should be familiar with the names, numbers, stats, tendencies and history of the opposition.

                            **Make a chart, a game board, a cheat-sheet, whatever you want to call it – a play-by-play sheet with numbers, names and information – that is understandable to you, one that works for you in terms of its size, its information. Some pxp announcers have better memories than others. But you should have in front of you, in an organized manner, everything you might need in the broadcast. You will discover that your recall is greater than you think, but it’s always nice to have it in front of you, in the event you need it.           

 

           

 

Make the game UNDERSTANDABLE

and ENTERTAINING for the audience. Most important: HAVE FUN!

 

Call the game at comfortable pace. If it is a manic game, try to slow it down for the listener. If it is a slow – boring, uneventful – game, give it some life! Your first responsibility is to inform and entertain the audience. You are recording the history of this event in real time. You need to be a reporter, and you need to relay to the audience a clear, an honest and a complete a picture of what you are seeing.

 

 

 

Most important: HAVE FUN!

 

 

                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright  2006   John Shrader Media