Becoming the Top British Basketball Commentator – With Dan Routledge – Ep. 46

In the latest episode of the Hoopsfix podcast we sit down with British basketball commentator Dan Routledge, one of the foremost experts on the domestic game.

Routledge has been a commentator for over two decades, covering the BBL, GB and other international basketball for Sky Sports, Eurosport, ITV, Channel 4, ESPN, NBA TV, and many more.

He has closely covered the entire evolution of the British Basketball League, and is arguably the most knowledgable person around the domestic pro league.

A stats man, he has a spreadsheet tracking system which gives him unique insight into player and team milestones and statistical nuggets that he regularly shares on his Twitter, @dan_routledge.

In this 1 hour and 40 minute episode, hear from Dan on:

• How he first ended up as a PA announcer as a teenager
• His first broadcast gig on radio
• Making the transition into TV
• The prep that goes into commentating a game
• The worst game he’s ever had to cover
• Doing the play by play versus doing the color
• The keys to being good at play-by-play
• Whether or not BBL franchises have taken seriously enough the hiring of their commentators
• The importance of reviewing his performances
• His favourite call of his career
• The funding debate and how basketball/sport is funded in the UK
• the drop out rate of players when they finish school at 18
• The importance of facilities to help basketball grow
• How difficult it is to sell game tickets in the British basketball market
• Whether he thinks domestic league success is more important than National Team success for the growth of basketball
• The challenge non-traditional british sports have in cutting through the media
• The missed opportunity of the London 2012 Olympics
• Why he thinks it’s good for British basketball that a lot of our top talent plays abroad
• The impact having British stars in the league this season has had
• What BBL teams need to do to become more commercially viable
• How he covers the BBL so closely
• Whether he thinks basketball in the UK can ever reach its mystical potential
• The political in-fighting of the sport
• His spreadsheets and stat-tracking, and how the backend works
• His favourite ever BBL player
• The best player to ever play in the BBL
• The one game he would show to a potential fan to sell them on the BBL
• And much more!

As always, I’d love to get your feedback, come back after you’ve listened and lets get some discussion going in the comments.

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