I am going to broadcast boxing: tips needed

Ok, so I am going to call a fight for a satellite TV. First I will do the fight next weekend between Ricky Burns and Jose Gonzalez, then, if I don't fuck up, Froch - Kessler two weeks later.

The problem is that I am going to be the lone guy in the booth, which is pretty rare these days. So I'd like to hear your opinions of what kind of broadcaster you would prefer. Should you:

- call the punches and other things happening and increase the drama that way
- pick up technical and other nuances that regular viewer doesn't necessarily see
- tell background information about the fighters, such as their favorite punches and what has happened in their previous fights
- just shut the fuck up most of the time and let the picture speak.

Also, do you think the commentators should sound neutral, since everybody can see what happens anyway, or use their voice to increase excitement.

Thanks

 

listen to colonel bob sheridan. he has manned many a booth, solo, and done a bang up job.

 

Let the listeners know of their past bouts. Let them know what kind of style of fighter they are and when the fights happening describe what you see is happening and how you see it unfolding.

 

Sounds like a pretty cool opportunity.

Focus on telling a story. Forget picking up nuance... call the important punches, and try to capture the drama (or lack of)

Tell the background before the fight. The fight itself should be about the fight itself... unless say someone is getting tired and he has a history of that, obviously you would point out the history.

Don't try to do to much. A sports broadcaster should always lean towards saying nothing over saying too much.

Don't try to be too smart. It's sport. Have fun.

 

And personally, I always prefer an excited sounding broadcaster when the action is exciting. But that comes down to personal taste.

It's also a talent. You have to be legitimately excited. Never fake anything. Be yourself over everything.

 

Being you're alone i think you have to do a bit of everything.

I'd probably call the action when there is action, and use the lulls to be more analytical or bring up other statistics. Things i'd avoid would be opinionated statements as there is nobody there with your to either disagree or confirm what you're seeing. It will come off like you're telling people what's happening/will happen rather than letting fight speak for itself.

 

Agreed completely. Some people have it and some don't.

 

Yep. You have to be genuine. You can get lost quickly when you're playing a character.

 

1st of All, CONGRATULATIONS, Bro!!!...

It's Always COOL Seeing Fightbeat Brethren Spreading their Wings within the Boxing World...Best of Luck w/That...

2nd, Listen to Some Don Dunphy & Howard Cosell Broadcasts...2 LEGENDARY Broadcasters who Primarily Called Fights SOLO...That'd Be a Good Place to Start...Keep the Good, Disregard the Bad & Formulate your Own Style From There...Dunphy was Never Scared to Go Silent for a Moment or 2...

Don't Try to Call EVERY Punch, but Obviously Vocalize the IMPORTANT Shots...Technical Nuances are a DEFINITE Plus, but Explain it in Layman's Terms (ex., Instead of just Saying "He's Fighting Southpaw", Illustrate WHAT that Means)....Pretend the Viewers have NEVER Seen a Boxing Match Before...Background Info is Another Plus, Especially if the Bout ISN'T Terribly Exciting...

In Terms of Rooting for a PARTICULAR Fighter, try to Remain as NEUTRAL as Possible, but if Something Transpires that GENUINELY Excites You, Don't Be Shy about CONVEYING It...REED Looooooooves a Broadcaster that's a FAN of the Sport he's Talking about...




REED:mj:

 

Great advice guys, thank you all! I have listened some of Cosell but Dunphy could be useful too, as Cosell's style is perhaps a bit too polemic to my taste (he was very good in creating a story the way Stevedave suggested however).

I have prepared for about a week now, digging up background information and also practicing with a mic. One thing I noticed quickly was that one must think what to say and try to keep sentences short, since creating coherent speech while watching a fight is more difficult than you would guess. Also, since situations can change so quick in boxing, you shouldn't be in middle of mumbling about statistics while one of the fighters lands a fight-ending combination

 

Cosell Definitely WASN'T Everybody's Cup of Tea, but REED Has YET to Meet Anybody that DISliked Don Dunphy...



REED:kidcool:

 

Also remember controversy sells.

Be sure to make many racist comments even if it has nothing to do with boxing.

 

:bears:

If all else fails please don't forget to be yourself. If you're natural, you'll be fine.

 

And also talk about how 911 was an inside job.

 

Lots of great advice in this thread and I don't think I can offer much over and above that which has already been given; let the fight speak for itself where possible, be enthusiastic (without going OTT), use your knowledge to add to the fight rather than overdoing it and prepare as best you can; listen to different styles of commentary and see if you can adopt the better bits.

Good luck!

MTF

 

And this.

 

When a Particular Fighter LOSES, Tell the Listeners he "Probably has a MOTHERFUCKIN FLIP PHONE"....




REED:hail 1:

 

If someone gets too cocky after the fight, demand to know 'WHO HAVE HE BEAT'?

MTF

 

1. Don't shout or try to hijack the broadcast. Don't try to become a part of the action and don't try to leave the fans remembering you as much as they do the action. There is a broadcaster in England called Jonathan Pierse and he is always screaming. Other journalists like Andy Gray and that Guy Mowbray dude have also hijacked the action by screaming during big moments, hoping to be remembered as much as the athlete{s} or the moment{s} in question themselves. Avoid that.

2. Introduce the event like you were speaking to creatures from Mars who knew fuck all. Call the fight like your audience knew nothing but don't partronize them.

3. Get very very familiar with your subject matter and their foibles/nuances etc. It will allow you call the fight in a smoother fashion with less of a stop-start style of commentary.

 

And also, WHO NESH!!!

 

I want you to be the Finnish Don Dunphy... cool, impartial, agenda-less, tell the people about the fighters, describe the action objectively...

If you can't do that, I'd prefer you do ridiculous things like yell "YAHTZEE!" when a good punch is landed and "NICE TRY HAHAHA!" when a punch misses the mark

 

:bears::bears: THIS^

 

YES! :rock1:

 

I think that's the big thing. Don't wing it. Be prepared. While all of us can talk boxing, announcing is not that.

 

Start the broadcast with a boring, too cool to be there, voice, and if the fight is a bit entertainning, gradually increase the excitement in your voice.

 

is that actually possible? I much prefer Larry Merchant over Max Kellerman.

 

Yeah, but it's tough at first. You have to be comfortable in front of the microphone.

I was nervous when I first started (probably because it was something I always wanted to do) but now that the nerves are long gone I can be myself.

 

Thanks to everybody for the advice. Apparently the producer was happy with my performance in Burns vs Gonzalez and I get to do Froch vs Kessler as well.

 

WOW!!!...Congrats Bro!!!...

What Approach Did U Adopt???...@ What Point Do You Feel You Settled Into the Assignment???...You have a Link that We Coul Listen To???...




REED:shadow: