I recently had a conversation with a minor league announcer whom I consider to be very talented.  The complete package actually.  Very good storyteller, technically sound and an easy listen.  He is currently broadcasting at the Class-A level, but talent-wise, he is as good as most major league announcers that I’ve heard.

Our conversation eventually turned to the subject of broadcasting at the major league level.  Unfortunately, regardless of level of talent, most times those that make hiring decisions for major league teams consider the level of baseball a broadcaster is working more-so that his or her’s actual talent.

Unfortunately, you can be the the most talented announcer around, but if you are broadcasting at the Class-A level, it will be difficult to convince a team or network to hire you for a major league job.  Does it make sense?  Not really.  If you have major league talent, that should earn you a shot at a major league job.

I’ve know announcers that have filled in for a game or two at the major league level with great success.  Yet, they have been told that they would not be considered for a future full-time opening because they are broadcasting in one of the lower levels of the minors.  Now, how does that make sense?  Here is a guy that you had enough confidence in to fill in on your major league broadcast, and by all accounts did a terrific job, yet he won’t be considered because he is in the low minors.

Unfortunately, most decision makers have zero broadcasting experience.  They haven’t sat in the chair.  They haven’t ridden the busses, let alone broadcasted a full professional baseball season.  They only see level of baseball, not level of talent.  In other words, an announcer broadcasting at the Triple-A level will be seen as more of a viable candidate the one at the Class-A level.  It may not be fair, but that is the way it is.

A minor league announcer once told me that he was told that a certain major league team could not take the chance of hiring him because he was in only A-ball, even though they thought enough of him to fill in on the team’s radio broadcast.  Makes no sense.  So, what does this all mean?  Unless you have network experience, getting to Triple-A is important.  For whatever reason, it seems to legitimize you in the eyes of those that do the hiring.  Is this an absolute rule?  No, not necessarily, but your odds increase considerably if you are working at the higher levels.