Overview

Sports Presenter

Who is a Sports Commentator?

Sports commentators are experts in reporting live matches on TV or radio in real-time. They are passionate about the sport they report and also have excellent oratory/communication skills. In the field of television and radio, sport commenting is regarded as a popular type of journalism.

What does a Sports Commentator do?

The major task of any sports commentator is to keep on relaying the activities, which take place on the field so that their audience gets a fair idea about the status of the game in real-time. Sports commentators are primarily employed by TV channels, radio stations, or newspapers to comment on matches.

What are the skills required?

On the outset, it is important to understand that there are no tailor-made courses for becoming a sports commentator in India. However, a graduate degree in journalism and Mass Communication is usually regarded as an entry-level requirement to become a sports commentator. Additionally, one should undergo a voice or speech training for developing an alluring voice.

The following is some of the other major skills or attributes required to become a successful sports commentators India:

Excellent speaking skills and pleasing personality
Excellent communication skills and language fluency
Dedication and passion
In-depth knowledge of a specific sport, its regulations, and rules
Strong concentration
Audible and clear voice
The candidate should have a good memory so that they can remember all the relevant statistics of that game, details, and names of all team members
Should have the ability to work under pressure and stress and should be emotionally stable

Top colleges offering courses on Sports Commentary

Here are some of the top colleges/institutes offering a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication in India. As mentioned earlier, there is no particular course for becoming a sports commentator in the country.

Indian Institute Of Journalism And New Media, Bengaluru
Symbiosis Institute Of Media And Communication, Pune
Lady Shri Ram College For Women, New Delhi
Christ College, Bengaluru
School Of Communication, Manipal
Delhi College Of Arts And Commerce, New Delhi
Madras Christian College
Kama Nehru College, New Delhi
Kishinchand Chellaram College, Mumbai
Indraprastha College For Women, New Delhi

Career scope

Today the sky's the limit for aspiring sports commentators in the country. Let us see what career prospects one has if they want to make a career as a sports commentator.

They can get employment in all major TV sports and news channels or radio stations
These days, there are specialized sports websites that relay commentaries play-by-play
Sports commentators can also get jobs in sports networks and organizations for covering live matches.
Some sports commentators can be in other roles in the media/broadcasting industry. They can get a job as a broadcast reporter or can become column writers.
Sports commentators also go to the ground and interact with the players and get their reactions and feedback live.
They also write columns and articles for publications such as magazines and newspapers. These people write columns or commentaries for

How much does a Sports Commentator make?

Sports commentary can be an extremely rewarding career but entry-level jobs are highly competitive in nature in the country. Initially, the pay can be low but with time and the correct type of experience, the pay packages can be quite lucrative. The salary may also vary depending on the company and the quality of a commentator.

Typically, TV commentators earn higher salaries than their radio counterparts. According to nationalskillindiamission.in, the average salary of a sports commentator in India is between INR 5,000 and 10,000 each day. However, established sports commentators can earn as much as INR 25,000 each day. How much will be the annual salary of a commentator will thus depend on the number of days he/she worked.
Meanwhile, salary expert com has stated that a sports analyst at an entry-level i.e. with 1 to 3 years of experience gets an average salary of INR 7,16,359. However, a sports analyst at a senior level i.e. with an experience of 8 years or more receives a salary of INR 12,68,445 on average.

What are the Books and study material available?

Some of the interesting books that aspiring, as well as, experienced sports commentators can go through are as follows:

To get into a good journalism college, the preparation starts way back. If you have a knack for journalism and good observation skills, then it is the right career for you. Some key points are

Read newspapers thoroughly and regularly
Keep notes of important world and national events
Use flashcards and other suitable methods to improve your vocabulary. Try to learn a new word every day and use them in sentences.
Read about one personality every day who is in the news
Watch news programs on channels such as BBC and others
If there is a time constraint then you can use guides and question banks available in the market. Make sure you buy it from renowned publications
Keep yourself updated on the current affairs and general information