How to Act Professional Around Athletes as a Sports Broadcaster

Video Transcript

I'm Jamal Spencer for Expert Village, here at ABC 3 here in Lansing, and we're going to talk about how to be a successful sports broadcaster. This clip is called "How to Act". This is one of the greatest businesses. I wouldn't trade this job for anything in the world, but you've got to know how to act around these athletes, college athletes, high school athletes, any athlete. You have to be professional. If you go to a game, you can't stand up and cheer. As a matter of fact there is a strict rule: no cheering allowed in the press box. They will come get you and escort you out of the press box. It's a very serious thing. So in high school, college and the pros there is no -well maybe in high school they let it fly- there is no cheering allowed in the press box. I'll give you an example. A friend of mine was taken, I was short a photo and decided I would ask one of my friends, "would you come with me to the Pistons / Lakers game?" Well, he's a big fan of Kobe Bryant. I told him "you have to behave yourself. I know that this is your idol, but we are professionals here, so just restrict yourself. Don't yell "Kobe". Just be professional if you see him. You can shake his hand, you can say you appreciate him, but you have to keep going. This is a business. They're here to talk to us, we're not here to be their best friends." We get in the locker room and my friend goes a little hectic, walks up to him, hands me the mic after we're done interviewing him and goes, "Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, I just want to say you're great. I want to know if I can take my picture with you and I just think you're awesome." Me and some of the other reporters are looking at each other like, "Who is this guy?" I'm like, "I don't know. He's not with me." So, my main point is you have to be professional in this environment. You can't just stand there and talk to the players like they're your best buddies. You can't laugh, you can't be loud. You can't afford to be a fan in this business. You have to be professional, you have a job to do. The quicker you learn that, the more of a professional you'll be, the better your work will be. After awhile, truth be told, it gets old. You go to the Palace and you'll walk by Rasheed Wallace, and it's no longer "Hey, that's Rasheed Wallace," it's "How are you doing Mr. Wallace?" After awhile you kind of get used to being in positions that you run into people that you used to look up to and are still pretty great athletes, but they know this is your job. Just like their job is to shoot, pass and run, your job is to write about them shooting, passing and running. The quicker you learn that, the quicker you'll be. So, be professional, act accordingly. Don't cheer in press boxes, don't cheer in front of your players, don't ask them for their autographs, that's a big no-no. Don't accept gifts from these guys. Just remember you have to act professional and they'll treat you professional.

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