Fans don’t like sports announcers anymore. But it’s not really the announcer’s fault.
Announcers can’t root for your team, curse, gamble, drink. They can’t interact with you, explore stats, share their screen, tell jokes or speak Spanish. They are your game companions but they have no personality.
Announcing today is a 1920’s, one-size-fits-all product designed for absolutely no one. But consumers are accustomed to customized content. With limited choice, fans either settle for what they’re given or complain on social media.
The national announcer has to cater to an audience with millions of viewers. So they can’t deviate to address niches of their audience and dive deep on any topic.
In the case of the NFL, you’ve never watched a game on television where the announcer was even rooting for the same team as you (or any team for that matter).
While Al Michaels might be the best play-by-play announcer in the world, fans might be better served by a variety of flavors to entertain them in more tailored ways : a diehard fan; a fantasy sports expert; a comedian; a former player.
People don’t truly hate Joe Buck. They hate linear distribution. They hate uniformity. Given multiple options, Joe Buck may still be the favorite, just like Taylor Swift is America’s favorite artist but still a small percentage of overall music consumption.
Our solution is creator-driven altcasts. Swap the traditional announcers with fans.
