Color commentator
A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The person may also be referred to as a summarizer or analyst. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the main commentator is not describing the action. The color commentator provides expert analysis and background information, such as statistics, strategy, and injury reports on the teams and athletes, and occasionally anecdotes or light humor. Color commentators are often former athletes, coaches, or experts of the sport being broadcast.
The term color refers to levity and insight provided by a secondary announcer. A sports color commentator customarily works alongside the play-by-play broadcaster.
United States and Canada
Commentary teams typically feature one professional commentator describing the passage of play, and another, usually a former player, coach, or expert, providing supplementary input as the sports event progresses. Color commentators usually restrict their input to times that the ball or the puck is out of play, or there is no significant action on the field or the court. They usually defer to the main commentator when a shot on goal or another significant event occurs. That sometimes results in them being talked over or cut short by the primary commentator. Former players and managers also appear as pundits and carry out a similar role to that of the co-commentator during the pre-game show before a given contest and the post-game show after it.In American motorsports coverage, there may be as many as two color commentators in the booth for a given broadcast.
In the 2010s, some sports broadcasters began to employ rules analysts, a contributor—typically a former referee—who provides analysis and opinions of calls made by referees officiating the sports event. The practice was first popularized in the NFL, with Fox hiring former officials Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino. The practice has since been extended to other sports, with officials such as Steve Javie, Dave Jackson, and Joe Machnik having taken on similar roles for ESPN/ABC and Fox respectively. CBS similarly hired Gene Steratore in 2018; consistent with his background, he has been employed for both NFL and college basketball coverage.