My first outing sounded more like a horse race, with my co-commentator and myself competing for the airtime in which we could describe the play that was going on before us. A goalless game lives long in the memory, not so much for being my first experience of live match commentary but because I managed to forget the score during the penalty shoot out that decided the winner!
As I made my way from the press box to the pitch, hoping the range of the wireless microphone would hold and we’d be able to speak with the triumphant Welton manger, I overheard a telephone conversation a supporter was having in the stand. I was highly surprised to hear that the person on the end of the line had already heard the result on the radio!
I’ve completed nearly a hundred full match commentaries, the vast majority of which have been online, because as a volunteer on a community station I have no more right to airtime than any other presenter. Broadcasting on FM, as we do every Tuesday for the Sport Show, is what radio is ultimately about, but I believe the online facility serves to compliment, rather than limit, our audience penetration.
Using the Spreaker app on my iPad and an iRig microphone, I’ve been able to broadcast full match commentaries from Poole to Portishead. Ironically, the most challenging stadiums to broadcast from have been my own in the Somer Valley! Welton, Radstock and Paulton all have connectivity issues, caused largely by indifferent 3G coverage on the local Vodaphone network. However, with the help of Grapevine Telecom, I’ve sourced a Mifi unit that provides wireless internet access for me at all the grounds I’ve visited this season. The beauty of this system is that anyone can use it, whether they have access to a community radio station or not.
I started using a portable handheld Tascam, recording the commentary as live and then editing the highlights. This was a great way to learn and I continue to use commentary highlights on the Sport Show. However, there is something about being apart of the moment that pre-recorded commentary will never achieve.
One of the features of the Spreaker system is that it gives you access to detailed statistics showing how many people have listened, as well as geolocation data showing where they are listening from. In the last six months I’ve had listeners in Australia, Germany, Canada not to mention Antigua & Barbuda!
Whilst its nice to know I’m providing a service for expat supporters, I strongly believe that the commentary recordings I’ve produced make all the teams I cover more accessible to football supporters on the internet, possibly helping them to ”find” Western League and Southern League football for the first time.
The role of the commentator can be an unforgiving one and I’ve had more than my fair share of Alan Partridge moments, but everyone has to start somewhere. If no-one is listening then that’s the perfect time to make mistakes. If I could pass on one piece of advice to any budding broadcaster it would be that you should always assume that there are plenty of people listening, because you never know when there will be!
Who would be interested in listening to the first round of the Somerset Cup? Most of the Clubs I cover aren’t interested in playing in it! The day Radstock Town played Yeovil Town, seven of the Yeovil Town side, at that time playing in the Championship, had played against QPR on the Saturday! The listener figures, delivered by Spreaker to me by email at the conclusion of the live broadcast, were by far and away the biggest I’ve ever achieved. I’m just glad I’d no idea how many were listening during the game! The experience with Yeovil is one which has spawned a friendship with the Press Office that has lasted to this day.
Outside of the National Leagues, live match commentary is still a rarity, but it needn’t be. The reason for writing this article is that Clubs are increasingly asking me how they can broadcast their own match coverage. Social media has become common place, but there is still something about live audio commentary that takes coverage to another level.
So many Clubs, supporters and sponsors can benefit from
audio content; commentaries, player interviews, manger interviews, etc. The
technology is accessible and not as expensive as you might think, so the key
challenge is finding the volunteers to make it happen. I understand that’s easier
said than done, but I hope the benefits I’ve outlined in this blog show that
this is a challenge well worth pursuing.
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