Senior Evan Mick in the Radio Free Hillsdale studio.
Courtesy | Scot Bertram
Have you ever wondered how sports broadcasters engage an audience that can’t see the action? Junior Nathan Furness said broadcasters on the air need to keep their style conversational.
“What started as screaming at the TV with my brothers has turned into more thoughtful, intelligent conversations about the game we’re watching,” Furness said. “I’ve realized that the best way to broadcast a game is to tap into that same energy. I try to bring the feel of those living room debates to the booth — just with a live audience listening in.”
WRFH Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM currently broadcasts home football, basketball, and baseball games on its live radio feeds. After the game, the audio is uploaded to Spotify.
Furness, who played basketball in high school, said his experience as an athlete helps make his broadcasts better.
“It’s almost like you’re playing again,” Furness said.
Furness said his background in basketball allows him to capture the emotion of the basketball games when giving commentary.
“Because I’ve been on the court in those moments, I understand the little things, the communication on defense, the frustration from missing, or the confidence that builds after seeing a couple shots fall,” Furness said. “This allows me to let the emotion of the game translate into the way I broadcast.”
Before each game, sports broadcasters spend time looking up the opposing team’s roster and its best players so they can know who to look out for.
“You look at players’ names, obviously,” senior Evan Mick, sports director at the radio station, said. “You also look at some stats. You look at how they’re shooting the ball, how they played last game, and the last couple of games. You also look for anything out of the ordinary.”
Mick was named a finalist in the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Student Broadcast awards for his coverage of a Charger basketball game last February. MAB will announce the first, second, and third place awards March 26.
“Last year, he had all three finalist spots in the sports feature category,” Scot Bertram, general manager of WRFH 101.7 FM said in January. “This year, he only has two of the three finalist spots. As you can tell, it’s quite the disappointment.”
Every sports broadcast needs at least three people: one person runs the board at the radio station, while two students watch the game live and give commentary, according to Bertram.
“At least one is doing play-by-play and describing the action exactly as it’s happening out on the field,” Bertram said. “The other one is a color commentator to hopefully provide some insight and analysis of things that are happening. Those two work together at the game, and one back here at the studio to make sure the game is on the air.”
The student at the station who is not on air makes sure the audio equipment is working properly and manages the sound throughout the game.
Mick said sports broadcasting gives him a chance to watch exciting games and be a part of the action.
“I remember the men’s basketball game last year when Cole McWhinnie took a step back three and drained it to win the game,” Mick said. “That was the most exciting broadcast I’ve ever been a part of.”
Bertram said the station is currently exploring the possibility of expanding sports broadcasting to include home softball games and various other away games.
Senior and Radio Free Hillsdale Program Director Quinn Delamater said sports broadcasts are best when the two hosts are well-versed in the sport they’re covering.
“You can definitely tell when the person has knowledge about sports,” Delemater said. “That really adds color and contributes to it. Especially if the two people are friends and have a lot of chemistry with each other, that can make for a really phenomenal broadcast.”
Next time you listen to a sports broadcast, consider the work and technique it takes to bring these games to life.
