Three More Differences

Last week Ben Shelton posted a blog entry on his website One Dirt titled The Difference Between Being an Average or Great Announcer. I came across it when it was shared by a couple of announcers on Facebook, so not sure what exactly that means but that is beside the point. Ben truly is a great announcer and can definitely pen a column with this title and give this type of advice to other announcers.

Full disclosure, I am an old announcer. I haven't announced anywhere weekly since 1998 although I do work for the regional touring series the Sprint Invaders and I do fill in for friends from time to time when they cannot be on the job. All in all it equals about fifteen shows a year. Back in the day I considered myself to be a decent announcer as I seldom had any complaints and today due to the changes in how the internet has changed the sport, as I mentioned before I consider myself to be an "old announcer".

So rather than to offer my opinions as an announcer I will do this again as a general "fan in the stands" and these comments have been made before at one time or another on the Back Stretch so if you are a first time or infrequent visitor please feel free to read back through some of the stories here over the past nine years.

Announcing a dirt track race has changed over the past five or six years with more and more events either being shown live on pay per view or with highlights shown within hours after an event is completed on a website, either the track's own or another. My first extra "difference" though came well before that.

As Ben mentioned it is vitally important to have the sponsors for each driver as without their support we would have no racing. However, a Great Announcer needs to understand that there is a way to mention those sponsors in a manner where they will actually be recognized and perhaps remembered. If you are introducing the starting lineup for a heat race that has just come on to the track and will take the green next time you cannot sound like an auctioneer trying to get everybody's sponsor in as you do it.

"StartingonthepoleintheBlackDiamondChassisProPowernumber68sponsoredbyEddie'sBaitShopSimpsonRacingProductsCulver'sRestaurantsHighRidgeAmplifiersKurt'sUsedCasketsACDelcoandEverlastBatteriesfromPeculiarMissouriitsAceMcKinnon"

First of all, you have to read it off so fast that for those of us in the stands it is all just a blur anyway as we wait for the two bits of information that we really want to know, name and hometown, and second you will likely not even get past the second row before the green flag waves. A fan in the stands will always know who drives each car and where they are from when a Great Announcer is in action. Yes, all sponsors are important but unfortunately a Great Announcer will not be able to get each and every one mentioned every race night because if he does, none of them will truly be recognized.

Now on to the internet effect. Back in the day an announcer would either give the starting lineups before the cars were on the track or he would wait until the cars were on the back stretch so that he had the greatest chance of being heard by the fans in the stands. Today I see some of the best in the business totally forget about that. Why? Because it doesn't work well with the internet broadcast.

Lineups are not given until the cars hit the track and can have a camera on them and there is absolutely no consideration as to whether or not the fans in the stands can even hear them over the P.A. This is especially true during qualifying now and is the reason why most people in the stands have to have some App on their phone just so that they can get the qualifying times. And, since the announcer has kept everybody on the internet updated as to where each driver stands in the rundown he seldom if ever summarizes it to the fans in the stands when qualifying is over and all is now quiet. Some of our Great Announcers of today get that distinction from their online presence, for the fans in the stands not so much.

Finally, when there is a break in the action a Great Announcer will talk about the track's sponsors for the evening, he will preview upcoming events for the track and, or the series and as Ben mentioned he will interact with the fans in the stands to make coming out to the races just a little more special. All too often though the guy who has just spent $100 on gas, tickets and concessions for him, his wife and two kids to come and watch the races in person will hear the announcer give "shout outs" to someone who has tuned in from places near and far, or to a gathering of twenty or so fans who are at a bar where all are watching for the one low price of $24.95. A Great Announcer will remember that it is still the Fans In The Stands that make this sport go and if there is a need to welcome those who are watching online, turn the PA system off when doing so.

So there you have it, just a few more tips on how to be a Great Announcer in this day and age from an old guy who is more than happy to be a Fan in the Stands. Now we will see if a few good announcers share this link :)

See you tonight in Vinton!