Are you a sports fan? Do you possess good communication skills?
Unlike a slew of other career options which the aspirants chase so earnestly for their lives, the profession of sports commentator thrives on most of the parameters. The job requires flawless, unparalleled, and innovative language along with engaging beauty of the personality. The term 'sports commentator' spontaneously evokes before us the image of a person who works as a narrator of sporting events of various sports.
The primary job of a sports commentator is to describe events in a sporting event live. These professionals describe the events on the radio or comment on televisions to give a vivid picture of what is happening on the playground. Talking with the players and coaches, taking their interviews, giving feedback in between the game are all part and parcel of the job as a sports commentator.
Roles and responsibilities of a sports commentator:
Sports commentators may work for radio or TV and speak on anything from local football and cricket fixtures to athletics and gymnastics competitions at large events such as the Olympic games. During a typical day, commentators will generally:
Work with the production team to plan the event
Work with the on-site production team, such as sound engineers.
Interview other sports professionals such as coaches, players and managers.
Commentate on events before, during and after the match
Work for the expert analysis and statistics in between periods of play
Update website, blog and social media feed
Skills required:
Here are the skills required in a career as a sports commentator:
Speaking, writing, listening, interpersonal skills and research ability
Knowledge of media production, communication and dissension techniques and methods
Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, and operation of telecommunication systems
Quick thinking skills
And this leads us to the most important question:
In pic: Harsha Bhogle, one of the finest cricket commentator in India
How to become a sports commentator?
Let's take a look at the steps you'll need to take to become a sports commentator:
Acquire a bachelor's degree: sports commentators should have a good educational background. And should complete a 4-years bachelor's degree in Journalism, broadcast journalism or communications.
Master's degree (if interested): students who want to pursue post-graduation courses can go for them. But for that, they must have passed their graduation in the concerned subjects like journalism and communication with at least 50% marks.
Join a professional organisation: after studies, students should look to join large organisations and kick-start their career in sports commentary.
Top colleges offering courses for sports commentary in India:
Here we will look at the best colleges for sports commentary in India, along with its location, fee structure and the average salary that it offers:
Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Management and Technology
Location: Faridabad
Fees: 36.00 thousand
Average package: 2-3 LPA
MIT Jansanwad College
Location: Latur
Fees: 2.88 lakhs
Average package: 2.5-3.5 LPA
MIT International School of Broadcasting and Journalism
Location: Pune
Fees: 4.06 lakhs
Average package: 2-3 LPA
Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication
Location: New Delhi
Fees: 2.5 lakhs
Average package: 2-4 LPA
R K Films and Media Academy
Location: New Delhi
Fees: 1.76 lakhs
Average package: 2-3 LPA
Career prospects
Sports commentators can join radio stations as the entry point to their career.
They are also employed by newspapers and TV stations to comment on the match.
They can also land jobs on renowned channels like Star Sports, ESPN, Ten Sports, Zee Sports and DD Sports.
They can also write commentaries and blogs for newspapers, magazines and websites.
What are the salary prospects?
The salary structure and pay package of the sports commentator is the matter of personal experience, game and brand of the broadcasting company that he works for. It also may depend on the place and country. In India, the entry-level remuneration of a sports commentator is Rs. 5,000-10,000 per day. While a well-reputed and experienced commentator even fetches as high as Rs. 25,000 per day. Their annual income depends on the number of days that they work for. TV commentators earn more than radio commentators.
Sports Commentary future in India:
For a sports-loving nation like India, sports commentators also have the satisfaction of becoming widely known in the public and achieve a celebrity status. They also have the benefit of doing what they love for a living, watching sports and talking about it. Big cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bangalore have the majority of sports commentators in India. And with many sporting events at different levels in the country, the demand will only go up.
