5 Tips To Improve Your Commentary
Commentary is never as easy as it looks.
There are so many incredible lines that come to mind the moment I think about commentary. They live with us.
Clive Tyldesley’s magical ‘…and Solksjaer has won it!’ in 1999. Any ‘Bah Gawd’ moment from Jim Ross in 1990s. Al Michaels’ ‘Do You Believe In Miracles.’ In the modern age, Peter Drury’s tremendous narration of Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United in 2021.
They’re all iconic, but the most important part is that they make it sound so easy. After all, commentary is supposed to be easy to listen to. But it’s far from that.
February 20th marked ten years since my very first outing in the booth as I like to call it. It was on two hours’ notice in Liverpool. Listening back, it wasn’t pretty. I had an idea about it, but it’s a different beast when there’s a live microphone in your hand and action to call. It doesn’t matter if it’s on YouTube for ten people or live streaming for a thousand. It’s intimidating.
So across ten years of calling combat sports in a variety of roles for ESPN, BBC and more around the UK, here are my top tips on how to improve your commentary.
Know Your Role
When you look back at the great duos in commentary, each partner knows where they stand and what their job is. You have a lead commentator and a colour commentator. The lead does exactly that; they lead the show. The other guy is there to add life, flavour, and a little expertise where necessary.
Many times nowadays you can listen to a team of commentators and get lost in the fold. Who is who, and what is what?! There are no strict roles, and it works better for everyone when you acknowledge and establish these positions. It separates the rookies from the pros.
In my experience, communication is key. Find your colleague’s strengths and bounce off of them. Know your own strengths, too. More importantly, listen to your colleague. Keep the airwaves clear as much as possible and find the flow. Know your role and stick to it. That’s the key to a great night’s work.
Come Prepared
It’s very important if you’re leading commentary to have your ducks in a row. Know the score, have the research, and have tidbits to drop when the air is dead. Oftentimes there are moments between the moments that just need a little something for the fans to chew on for a moment. That’s where your research wins.
As colour, it’s just as important to know what you’re talking about. Having knowledge of an athlete, their style of play, and their attitude increases your chance in having a more impressive call. Especially if the ball gets chucked to you to offer insight (which is a huge part of the job), so always do your research! It’ll always be clear to the listener if you haven’t.
It’s Not About The Soundbites
Commentary is about much more than having some snazzy one-liner ready to be spit out. You’re narrating an event, and you’re the trusted guide to take the fans and listeners throughout the experience. Gosh, how many people do you see moaning on social media about poor commentators these days?
But there’s a fine line between being poor and being organic. If all you have to bring to the table is one-liners you’ve been thinking up for a week, then it’s going to come across just like that. You need to be organic and react in the moment. If you’re going in thinking of the soundbites, you might want to rethink your approach, because more often than not, things don’t plan out as expected.
Be The First You
Study the greats. Learn from their work. Pick up on their habits. But don’t try and be them.
Nobody wants to hear someone attempting to be Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, Gary Neville or anyone else. They’ve found their voice. You need to find yours. It’s not something that comes easily, and it takes a lot of reps to find your feet and time things right.
Until then, study the greats, but put your own twist on things.
You’re the Storyteller. Tell the Story.
Once you understand the art of storytelling, you’ll understand the art of commentary. There’s much more to it than just saying things for the sake of it. Anyone can do that!
The greatest example is to look at radio commentary. For my money, it’s the toughest gig. In today’s age, you’re mostly providing a narrative of what’s seen before us on a screen with a moment to pause.
On radio, you’re painting an entire picture. You’re quickly and accurately in charge of describing what’s happening on a football pitch, in a boxing ring or whatever venue you find yourself at. You’re breaking down who has the ball, where on the pitch they have it, or you’re describing every punch thrown every step of the way.
So the onus is to tell the story. Use your research to set up a compelling narrative. Explain why things are happening.
Bonus: ENJOY THE RIDE.
Once you’ve found your feet, commentary can be an exhilarating experience. It’s a trusted position and something that should be treated honourably. We are all chasing that perfect call. Whether it is attainable or not doesn’t matter. Just keep going!