Football announcers provide information about ongoing games, working for local or national networks. They work in pairs, with a play-by-play commentator and a color commentator, and may have field correspondents and hosts. No educational requirements, but knowledge of football rules and familiarity with players and coaches are valued. A degree in journalism or communications can be an advantage.
A football announcer provides viewers or listeners with information about an ongoing football game. He might work for a local radio or television station or announce games for a national or international network. Your coverage may include professional, collegiate, or high school games. His job may require him to report game action himself or he may have one or more commentators, hosts or correspondents to assist him.
Football announcers often work in pairs and receive supplemental information and support from other broadcast professionals during the course of the game. The two main announcers are commonly referred to as the piece commentator and the color commentator; the two typically observe the game from a booth on the floor or in the stands. The supplementary staff usually includes one or more field correspondents, as well as hosts who commentate on the sport and players during halftime.
A play football announcer is often considered the most important member of the broadcast team. Usually, he must report in detail all actions in the game, which usually requires him to know all the rules, jargon, players and penalties. These details are particularly important if he is reporting on the radio and needs to create a picture of the game in his words for the listening audience.
To add lightness and interest to the sporting event, a football announcer called a color commentator often works alongside the play-by-play broadcaster. It typically provides anecdotal information about players and coaches, as well as little-known stats and trivia about teams. If comical collisions between players occur or fans in the stands behave in amusing ways, the color commentator will usually comment on these incidents.
A field correspondent is usually on the sidelines during a football game. If a player is injured, this football announcer will usually communicate the details of the accident to the announcers in the booth. He also often tries to get a comment from the coach or players if there are interruptions to the game that provide that opportunity.
Announcers often referred to as hosts are traditionally located in a remote location. Two or more of these broadcasters, who are usually retired coaches and players, talk during halftime about games and players and make personal predictions about the outcome of the game. They are typically perceived as performers engaging the audience while waiting for the game to continue after halftime.
There are no educational requirements for this job. Most soccer broadcasters receive on-the-job training in the use of broadcast equipment and in presenting themselves professionally to television and radio audiences. Excellent knowledge of football rules and familiarity with players and coaches are highly valued attributes for aspiring football advertisers. Being comfortable speaking publicly without a script is considered an advantage for candidates for this position. A bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications can give an aspiring candidate an edge over less qualified applicants.
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