What’s the difference between a color commentator and a play-by-play announcer?

When two novice commentators take over the mic to call a game, both generally gravitate toward calling the action they see in front of them. What you end up with are two play-by-play announcers and little interesting commentary. 

A play-by-play announcer describes the game that’s going on as it happens. On the other hand, someone doing color commentary might offer some analysis, tell some stories, or share statistics of the players and teams. 

Here are a few resources to share with budding announcers to help them learn the difference between the two positions. 

• What is a Color Commentator
• The Sports Commentator: A Brief History and Job Description
• Types of Sports Commentators

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