How to Become a Sports Announcer

Gain experience through your high school. Just as you should start your education as early as possible, you should also start your work experience as early as possible. Many high schools have student newspapers. Some even have small TV programs or morning announcers. Try to get involved in as many of these activities as possible.

• Ideally, approach these activities from a sports angle. Offer to cover games for your school's newspaper or do the Monday morning sports recap during over the P.A. system.
• If you cannot do these activities from a sports angle, however, you should still take part as able. The skills you will learn as a reporter or broadcaster can still benefit you.
• You should also look for chances to call the action at youth sporting events, whether those events are through your school system or simply within the community.

Gain experience through your college. While only a few high schools will provide you with the opportunity to do sports announcing on TV or radio, most substantial colleges do offer those opportunities.

• A college or university with a large communications department may have a mock television studio and a radio station. If you are part of that department, your chances of being accepted to work through that studio or station are already better than those of an unrelated student. Note, however, that you will likely have competition. You will need to demonstrate a consistent level of skill within the classroom if you want your professors and advisers to recommend you for work at the university station or studio.
• Student newspaper is also a good avenue for gaining experience.

Complete an internship. While you're still in college or broadcasting skill, search out internships with local television studios, radio stations, and newspapers.

• This sort of experience can be even more valuable than experience gained at a college studio since you will be able to see how a professional station operates.
• Find out if your college or broadcasting school has a department focused on student career services. That department might be able to help you find an appropriate internship.
• Internships are also a good chance to begin networking. Even if you are unable to do much actual announcing work, you will be able to meet professional contacts within the field of sports entertainment. Staying on good terms with these contacts can help you break into the industry after graduation.

Run your own podcast or blog. In the current age of the Internet, you can get yourself noticed using less traditional methods of experience. Internships and formal work experience are still preferable and should be obtained if at all possible. If you have time and dedication enough, however, try supplementing these experiences by running your own sports show.

• Put out the best quality you are able to put out. If you do not have a good microphone but have a little web designing skill and impressive writing skills, start up a sports blog. If you have an adequate microphone but are unable to put a set together, run an audio-only podcast. If you have the resources to run your own moderately impressive video show, however, aim to do that.
• Focus your sports show or blog on the aspect of the field you are most interested in. If play-by-play announcements are your thing, do play-by-play recaps. If commentary is more your style, however, include plenty of that.
• Take your digital presence into the real world. Offer to cover local community sporting events on your blog or podcast, or even offer to call plays in person when applicable. Interview community athletes and those involved in local athletic programs.

Create a demo tape. As you gain experience, compile a demo tap of your most impressive audio and video clips. These clips should show you doing your best work at sports announcing and broadcasting in general.

• If possible, take your demo tape to an academic adviser or broadcasting professional you have already networked with. Ask that individual for an honest critique.
• Refine your demo tape as much as possible. When you think it is presentable, you can begin sending it out with your resume as you apply for work within the field.

Do a little of everything. As a general rule, you should gain roughly 10,000 hours of experience before you head out into the real world for your first official job. Gain experience in different aspects so that you can be sure of which niche to sink into.^[4]

• Try being a play-by-play announcer as well as an anchor and reporter.
• Do on-air work as well as behind the scenes work. Learn to edit and set up the lighting.
• Work with a variety of sports, including everything from men's football to women's lacrosse.

Go local. A big, national station will not notice you right away. Your better option is to turn to a smaller, local station or studio. Local TV news programs and local radio station that cover sports are usually your best options.

• A station you worked for as an intern can be a good place to start, especially if your supervisors gave you nothing but positive reviews.
• Don't be surprised if you do not have an on-air role for your first job or so after graduation. If you have enough experience before you graduate, you might be able to land an on-air role immediately. Chances are, though, you will need to assist with behind the scenes work for a few years before you can advance, even at a local station.

Network. Within the field of sports announcing and broadcasting, who you know is just as important as what you know. If you want to land your dream job, you will need to know people within the industry who can help guide you there.^[5]

• The best way to make contacts is simply to be involved and energetic at every job opportunity you have in the field of sports broadcasting. Do your job well, and do it in a way that makes people see how eager you are to advance. A positive attitude will catch the attention of your higher ups more than a dull or negative attitude will.
• Once you make a contact, keep that contact. That individual's current position may not make him or her especially valuable in terms of career advancement, but you have no way of knowing where that person might be in five years and how he or she could help you then.
• You should also attend conferences and similar events geared toward sports announcers or broadcast professionals.