It’s not just quarterbacks scrambling right now in College Football circles. Athletic Directors across the country are trying to figure out just when the season will start. There have been many ideas thrown around and whichever one becomes the “way to go” there’s likely to be some dissention in the ranks.
One of those possibilities is to have the FBS season start in January or February with the potential of a championship game being played sometime in May. It may be the best way to go for the schools. They have to focus on when their athletes can get back to campus and then think about when they could possibly play games with fans in the stands.
A season after the first of the year can create some issues in the broadcasting department. For the play-by-play announcers, many of which do both basketball and football this can create a pretty busy time. You’ve heard of March Madness? This situation could cause a January Jam or a February Frenzy unless these folks can think of a way to be in two places at one time.
I reached out to one of the busiest guys I know, Dave Eanet. He is not only the Sports Director of WGN Radio, he is also the play-by-play voice of both Northwestern football and basketball. His January and February could be more crazy than normal, but he welcomes that.
“I actually wouldn’t mind an overlap. At least it means both sports are playing and that’s a good thing.”
Eanet is really concerned about the two seasons overlapping. “They already do. Football goes later and basketball starts earlier than when I started,” he says. “Now it seems like the month of November is a blur with basketball squeezing in non-conference games, including those season-opening tournaments.”
While Eanet hasn’t perfected the being in two places at the same time thing, he came close a few years ago.
“In 2018, I went back and forth Chicago to LA twice the same week, coming home Friday to do football and flying back out Saturday night for a Sunday tournament game.”, said Eanet. “I would imagine the games would be slightly more spread out to accommodate the broadcast partners and the athletic department staffs. The key, I’ve found, is just working ahead, getting as much prep done ahead of time, as possible.”
The truth is that if the NCAA starts both football and basketball seasons in January, it’s going to create some opportunity for broadcasters. There is little chance that a school’s play-by-play announcer can be with the football team on the road and get back in time to do a home basketball game the same day. Think also about the people that do college football, the NBA, and the NFL. They could have “worlds colliding” in this scenario too.
Universities are going to have to come up with contingency plans on how to cover those situations. It’s low on their list right now but eventually they will have to make those decisions. It could be a great chance for a broadcaster to help out.
So what do you need to do if you want to be that broadcaster?
Let’s focus on the key words here. “Help out” means you would be looking to simply fill in. Chances are pretty good that the main play-by-play person has been in the position for a number of years. That person has great rapport with the fans and likely the staffs of the two sports and the Athletic Director.
You can’t go into this seeking to take a job away from someone. Your goal should be coming through in the clutch for the school willing to give you an opportunity and making a great impression by doing the best job possible and being professional.
That impression can go a long way. The sports community is tightly knit and if there was to be a full-time opportunity down the road, a recommendation from an AD is not a bad thing to have.
Update your resume and your demos. Make that resume sleek and simple highlighting the things you’ve done in your career to this point. Keep it fairly recent as far as your experience goes. Same thing with the demo. Schools aren’t going to want to hear what you sounded like 5 years ago, they want the “now” version of you and your abilities.
If you don’t have current materials for basketball or football, there is a simple fix. Even with no live sporting events taking place, there are plenty of rebroadcasts of classic games on television. Call one of those into your recorder. Advantage being, you probably already know the players, the situations and of course the outcome. With your DVR you can always record it and call it again if you didn’t like it the first time around. Use the down time to your advantage in that respect.
If you house your demo materials on your own personal website, make sure that is updated as well. Simple usually works best when you design a website. Clearly mark where someone can listen to your work and find your resume. It’s imperative that there be a place for someone to email you directly. Don’t make them fill out a contact form. Let them get to you with a simple click.
Hopefully you’ve been networking with people in the athletic departments of your local colleges and universities. They are likely to look for the help they need in a local talent pool. A quick email to the school’s Sports Information Director or Marketing Director isn’t a bad idea. Just “check in” to let them know you’re available if needed as a back-up. Get your name in front of them so when the time comes to make a decision, they already know who you are.
When you send out a resume and demo to a school, it’s probably not a bad idea to get as familiar with the team as you possibly can. The internet is your friend in these situations. Head to the school’s website or figure out who the beat reporter is for that school. They’ll be helpful tools in case you’re called upon in a pinch. The more ready you are, the more comfortable a school will feel about you when they need someone.
2021 might be an ideal time for you to think about your next move. Networking among your fellow broadcasters to find out about openings is a great way to start. The suspension of sports is leaving a lot of people with nothing to do, so reach out. It’s the best way to find out information about vacancies.
It’s such a crazy time, schools and teams may look to move in another direction once the season starts back up or starts anew. Resources like the job postings and the new member directory here at Barrett Sports Media are invaluable to those looking for a new job or a first job. Pay attention to the things you read here as well. The information from our columnists take you inside the situation and can make it clear whether or not you may be qualified to take the step you have in mind or what next step might be right for you.
These are uncharted times we’re living in right now. The situation with sports in general is evolving weekly, daily and even in some cases by the minute. We don’t know when things will get back to normal. That’s something for someone a lot smarter than me to figure out.
Do yourself a favor. Be ready. Be prepared. Be confident. The last thing you want is to not be ready to go when someone calls with an opportunity.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
