“Baseball is the most difficult sport to broadcast. I can't believe how tough it is to call a baseball game!”
I hear that all the time....and I couldn't disagree more.
I usually counter by saying, “Yes, but only if you don’t prepare.”
My belief is that, with rigorous and thorough preparation, baseball is the easiest and most enjoyable game to broadcast. Specifically on radio, calling a baseball game is roughly 10 percent action and 90 percent fill. No preparation, no fill. No fill and you are done.
For this reason I’ve always felt I am in complete control over how my baseball broadcast evolves. Sure I cannot control the action, but I can prepare myself to make the most of the subsequent downtime.
On the other end of the spectrum, hockey, basketball and football present a broadcaster with a much higher percentage of action, compared to down time. Not that I would advise just showing up and mailing it in, but with hockey or basketball you may, on occasion, be able to wing it. Baseball offers no such luxury.
I’ve always ranked the four major sports, in order of radio broadcasting difficulty, as hockey, basketball, football and baseball. They each require unique broadcasting competencies and skills. No two sports are the same.
How would you rank the most difficult sports to broadcast?
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