Prompt Post #8 - Practicing My Skill

       During this past weekend I watched a lot of football.  Saturday and Sunday were basically nothing but me laying on my couch watching all of the games I possibly could.  While I was laying there I figured I should practice my broadcasting skills out.  I waited until the Sunday afternoon game of the New York Giants vs. the Dallas Cowboys to hone in on my skills.  I picked this game because the Cowboys are my favorite team and I figured what better practice then with my favorite team against a team I cannot stand.  I would have to be unbiased in my play-by-play calling.

       I decided to do the play-by-play announcing for only the first quarter.  I put the television on mute and began to act as if I were really play by play announcing to the world.  It felt pretty silly at first since it was just me in the room and silent but I got into it a little more and more as the time passed.  I found it actually very difficult to keep it interesting without a person beside me to keep a conversation with.  Every sporting event has at least two or three people casting a game.  I also found it very difficult to not root for the Cowboys when they did good or talk down on the Giants.  This is something I am going to definitely have to work on before I am allowed to do play-by-play for any Dallas team.  

       All in all I found it quite interesting and fun and it made me want to get into the career even faster.  Play-by-play announcing for any team is definitely something that I would be interested in as a long-term career if I am not able to land a job as an anchor on Sportscenter or a job with the Dallas Cowboys or Dallas Mavericks. 

Open Post #7

Here are a few images of play-by-play announcers.  This is one of the areas of sports broadcasting I am interested in.

Prompt Post #7 - Women In Sports Broadcasting

       For my prompt post this week I needed to find a controversy in my field.  It was hard to think of any controversies surrounding the field of sports broadcasting, however, it dawned on me that women do not get the credit that they deserve in the field.  Women have been discriminated in sports broadcasting and it continues even in today's time.
       For as long as sports broadcasting, as well as reporting news in general, has been a career, men have dominated the field.  Women have played a role in the beginning, however, a very minor one if any.  Many people might recognize the name Erin Andrews or Suzy Kolber, however, "(Mrs. Harry) Johnson, (Jane) Chastain, and (Lesley) Visser paved the way for females to enter the sports broadcasting field" (Gunther 73).  Even though these women paved the road, women were usually hired for their looks and not for their knowledge or credentials.  "Phyllis George was hired as a sportscaster in the mid 1970s.  Even though George was a hard worker, most viewers only saw this former Miss America as a sex symbol, not a reporter.  George was not hired for her knowledge at all; her job was to add femininity to the male-dominated broadcasts" (Gunther 73).  Even in today's sports broadcasting world women are usually reduced to a limited role.  Only a few women have a consistent on-air personality and even then it is somewhat limited.
       Women were not even allowed into the locker room after a game to interview the players.  They were forced to wait outside and wait for the male reporters to finish their interviews before they could even have a chance at talking to a player.  "It wasn’t until 1978 that it was ruled that male and female reporters had equal access to the locker rooms after Melissa Ludtke took Major League Baseball to court after not being permitted in the locker room upon completion of the 1977 World Series.  Even
after this court ruling women still had difficulty gaining access to locker rooms for some time" (Gunther 74).
      Even with new rules permitting equal opportunities for female and male reporters, the damage seems to have been done.  A lot of women do not even consider an on-air sports anchor as a realistic opportunity.  Most women see themselves as sideline reporters since that is their best chance and landing a job.
       With the changing views in our society and more of equal opportunities for both male and females, sports would be wise in following suit.  Women are just as knowledgeable and in some cases know even more than their male counterpart.  As a male pursuing this career I hope that I am not considered over a female who has better credentials.  I believe that everyone should have an opportunity and I want to earn my spot instead of receiving it just for being a male.





Gunther, Amanda, Daniel Kautz, and Allison Roth. "The Credibility of Female Sports Broadcasters: The Perception of Gender in a Male-Dominated Profession." Human Communication 14.2 (2011): 71-84. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.

Open Post #6

      I wanted to talk a little about the Ray Rice domestic abuse charges he is facing as it pertains to sports broadcasting.  When you are in a position where you in the public eye constantly you have to very careful in what you say or do.  Ray Rice was recently suspended by the National Football League for knocking his then fiancee (now wife) out.  What I want to talk about is a sportscaster who made comments on the incident. 
       Ted Robinson, a long time broadcaster for the San Francisco 49ers, was recently suspended for comments he made about the situation.  "The 57-year-old Robinson spoke to KNBR radio on Monday and said Rice's now-wife, Janay, was partly to blame for not speaking up" (Associated Press para. 2).  When dealing with a delicate situation such as domestic abuse Robinson should have been more careful with what he had to say publicly.  It does not matter if that is what he believes, his job is to present the facts as they are and not speculate and give his opinion on the matter for the simple fact that it could offend many people.  In this case that is exactly what happened.  People who have suffered through domestic abuse consider themselves to be victims of a vicious act and there was nothing that they could do to stop it.  Robinson has since apologized for his remarks.  
       I just wanted to bring this particular situation to light to show other potential and current sports broadcasters that what they say on air can affect their job.  Robinson was lucky he was only suspended because in some cases the person has been fired for their remarks.  Just be mindful of the situation at hand and think of the potential consequences of an action before acting.


Associated Press, . "San Francisco 49ers radio broadcaster suspended for comments about Ray Rice's fiancee." Fox News. FOX News Network, LLC, 11 Sept. 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014. <http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2014/09/11/san-francisco-4ers-radio-broadcaster-suspended-over-comments-about-ray-rice/>.

Prompt Post #6 - 2014 FIFA World Cup Coverage

      "(ESPN) ha(s) reminded us all once again why when it comes to conveying sports on television – the drama, the power, the emotion and passion – no one can touch them" (Clapp para. 1).  I was able to find a very cool and unique video that highlighted all of the exciting moments of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.  Not only does it highlight these great moments, it shows what sports broadcasting means to the sport of soccer, as well as any sport.  Below is the link to the video.

2014 FIFA World Cup Recap

     This video shows that sports broadcasters bring another element to just watching a sporting event.  Some people watch sports just because they like the specific sport while others are fanatics about the team playing.  Either way, a sportscaster is able to draw you in emotionally with what he or she says.  Whether it be by his excited play by play of a spectacular play or the sorrow in his voice when a team is defeated, one can not help but be emotionally invested into the game.  The camera view is just as important to succeed in setting a mood.  Listening to the heartbreak in the announcers voice accompanied by a shot of a weeping player affects the viewer on an emotional level.  Just from watching this clip and not knowing some of the background history of some of the teams, I was emotionally invested in what was being portrayed.  

       For some people sports is life.  They wait all year for one event (four years in the case of the Olympics or World Cup) so having these sportscasters make an emotional connection with them is critical.  No one wants to watch the sporting event and hear dry, bland commentating that makes the game boring.  "It's essential for a sportscaster to be liked, believed, and trusted.  It's a matter of making emotional contact" (Decker 9).  I believe this video shows how critical it is for sportscasters to be apart of the viewing experience.  They draw the viewers in on a more direct and emotional level to make the game that much more exciting and fun to watch,

   


Clapp, Brian. "Why ESPN Still Stands Alone in Sports Broadcasting." Work In Sports. World Press, 15 July 2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2014. <http://www.workinsports.com/blog/why-espn-still-stands-alone-in-sports-broadcasting/#ooid=Jub212bjok4ka156rEoLUaopCPhyXOYf>.

Decker, Bert. You've Got to Be Believed to Be Heard: Reach the First Brain to Communicate in Business and in Life. N.p.: n.p., 1993. 9. Print.

Open Post #5 - Salary

       I was thinking about the debt I am going to be in once I conclude my time here at Michigan State University and it made me want to find out how much I was going to make in the sports broadcasting field.  I was hoping that the average annual salary was at least $50,000.  "The average annual salary for a sports broadcaster was $59,000 as of 2013, according to the job website Simply Hired" (Suttle para. 2).  I found this quite reassuring in my pursuance of this career.  This number seems like a reasonable amount to live comfortably and still be able to pay off my student debt.  Even more relaxing was finding out that working as a sports broadcaster in Dallas I would be making the national average of about $59,000 per year.  "Expect to earn salaries closer to the industry average in Dallas or Cincinnati -- $60,000 or $59,000 per year, respectively" (Suttle para. 3).  I want to be able to live on my own and not have to move back in with my parents (like some people do after graduating) .  The key is being able to find a job right out of college.  However, hopefully in my time here at Michigan State I am able to establish connections and acquire an internship that helps me achieve this goal.  


Suttle, Rick. "What Is the Average Yearly Income for a Sport's Broadcaster?." Global Post. GlobalPost, 2014. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. <http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/average-yearly-income-sports-broadcaster-7895.html>.

Prompt Post #5 - FLISE

       An organization that I am apart of on campus is the Future Leaders In Sports and Entertainment, or better known as FLISE.  FLISE gives students a chance to be introduced to people already successful in the field of sports and entertainment.  We meet every other Tuesday at IM West which is on campus at Michigan State.  A meeting usually consists of a short overview of current events that we can volunteer to be apart of followed by a guest speaker.  This past Tuesday, September 30, 2014, our guest speaker was MSU Athletic Director Marc Hollis.  He was able to give us really helpful insight to what it takes to do his job.  We also volunteer at sporting events helping pass out flyers or items for the first 500 students or something of that nature.  Not only do we volunteer at sporting events but we give back to the community as well.  We are also involved with the Nike Reuse a Show program.  The program is where people donate old shows that they no longer wear so that Nike can recycle them into making tracks or outdoor basketball courts.   I believe that the community really appreciates what FLISE does and supports our efforts.