The Difference Between Announcers Part 1

Though this may not be something that most people think about that is why I am here, to think about things you normally wouldn’t. Over the years many changes have developed in the wrestling business one many people like to pinpoint is the development of a creative team over just one booker. However, changes behind the camera aren’t the only changes that have took place over the years. Since the early 1990’s there has been somewhat of a movement toward the sports entertainment announcer or announcer with more of a radio voice.
In terms of the first sports entertainment announcer that comes to mind I would have to say that is Vince McMahon. Though I am unsure how Vince was when he first debuted as announcer in the WWWF I can say basing it off my earliest memories of Vince’s commentary that Vinnie Mac was never the type to commentate the moves, but to put over the feuds and things like that over the moves. Then when Vince took over the company in the mid-1980’s the company overall began to gravitate more to sports entertainment over pro-wrestling. This is when people like Michael Cole, Sean Mooney, Todd Grisham, Kevin Kelly, and a variety of others began coming into the company.
Now on the other-side of the track the first wrestling announcer that comes to mind I would have to say is Jim Ross. “Good Ole JR” has been called one of if not the greatest wrestling announcer in the history of pro-wrestling and for good reason. Not many other people can make situation sound more meaningful or a wrestler seem more important than JR can, but when styles clash the one with the more power comes out on top.
Below are some qualities that both types of announcer’s possess:
-  A wrestling announcer always knows the names of the moves and focuses on the moves over what happened previously in the show.
- A wrestling announcer always puts over what is happening in them moment rather than what will happen.
- A wrestling announcer’s job is make the talent seem like a million bucks.
- A sport’s entertainment announcer doesn’t think the names of the moves matter and just knowing what the finisher is called is important.
-  A sport’s entertainment announcer only focuses on what will happen or what has happened and not what is happening.
- A sport’s entertainment announcer doesn’t try to put the talent over as much to stay out of the limelight and they the talent get themselves over instead.