Sports commentator

A sports commentator also sports announcer, sports broadcaster, sportscaster, or sports presenter is a type of journalist on radio and/or television who specializes in reporting or commentating on sporting events. Sports casting is often done live, in real-time.

In British English the terms sportscaster and sports announcer are not used; the usual terms are sports commentator, presenter, or broadcaster. Sportscaster is also a primarily American English term for sports newsreader someone who reads the sports news.

Sportscasters can be defined into two narrow categories. The latter most often have gained their experience in the sport as a player and/or coach, while the former is more likely to be a professional broadcast journalist than a participant in the sport, although there are numerous exceptions to these general trends.

Play-by-play announcers are the primary speakers, valued for their articulateness and ability to describe the events of an often fast-moving event. Color commentators are valued for experience and insight into the game, and are often asked questions by the play-by-play announcer to give them a topic for analysis.