Sports Broadcasters and Announcers
Overview
Introduction
Sports broadcasters, or sportscasters, for radio and television stations select, write, and deliver footage of current sports news for the sports segment of radio and television news broadcasts or for specific sports events, channels, or shows. They may provide pre- and postgame coverage of sports events, including interviews with coaches and athletes, as well as play-by-play coverage during the game or event.
Sports announcers are the official voices of the teams. At home games it is the sports announcer wh...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Salaries in sportscasting vary, depending on the medium (radio or television), the market (large or small, commercial or public), and whether the sportscaster is a former athlete or recognized sports celebrity, as opposed to a newcomer trying to carve out a niche.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary of radio and television announcers was $51,040 in May 2019. The...
Work Environment
Sportscasters usually work in clean, well-lit booths or sets in radio or television studios. They also work in special soundproof media rooms at the sports facility that hosts sports events.
Time constraints and deadlines can create havoc and add stress to an already stressful job; often a sportscaster has to race back to the studio to make the final evening broadcast. Sportscasters who ...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor's predicts that employment for sports announcers will decline by 5 percent through 2028. Few new radio and television stations are expected to enter the market, and most job openings will come as sportscasters leave the market to retire, relocate, or enter other professions. In general, employment in this field is not affected by economic recessions or declines; in ...
