What tools do play-by-play sports announcers have to help them identify players on the field when it’s sometimes so hard to see even on a giant screen?
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Let’s take an announcer from, say, a European soccer league – which one would say is the hardest to memorize players names because there are tons of them that all play international and domestic leagues as well as the frequent acquisition and selling/trading/loaning of players.
For one, if it’s your day job to talk about sports, watch sports, interview coaches and players; you start to remember who they are very quickly. I had only been watching MLS for about two years and I basically know the names and faces and numbers of the starting roster of my team as well as the subs and some of the rotation players. And that’s from just watching the games. Commentators are connected to every facet of the game and are literally paid to study and know it, and were usually former players themselves and can offer the quality insight fans crave. No player comes out of nowhere. For soccer, one can be bombarded by news of youth academy rising stars, transfer and injury news, etc. Players are usually a known quantity by the time they step on the field. Here in the states, we have local high school games broadcasts, college, and professional coverage. So again, it’s not like these guys come from nowhere. Their careers are followed the entirety of the time, basically. You’ll know players names, jersey number, position, and even their faces if you watch them continuously – which is what they do because it’s their job. They also have rosters, starting lineup information, and I’m willing to bet they study a bit before a broadcast.
Even then, more focus is on the bigger stars. I couldn’t tell you the name of a single NFL lineman, but we all know the names of good quarterbacks, running backs, center backs, wide receivers, half backs, etc. Basketball is a bit easier since there’s only 10 people playing at a time. Hockey is the real headache as they sub in and out so quickly and the game is so fast paced, but again. If it’s your literal occupation to watch and talk sports, you’re going to pick up on it much easier than you or I would, as I only really watch when my team plays (except the world cup. I’ll watch every match I can)
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