This archive report was first published on 20 April 2020.
Football Commentators Struggle Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic ¶
Published on April 20, 2020
Football matches are never complete without a commentator's creative flair. Talented commentators like Peter Drury and Bernard Otieno have been left without work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Drury, known for his witty commentary during the 2018 World Cup, still has his fans reminiscing about his iconic phrases like 'Spain on the plane.' However, the pandemic has brought a sudden halt to his work.
Back home in Kenya, renowned football commentators have also faced difficulties during this period. Bernard Otieno, a veteran commentator, shares his struggles in an interview.
'I have literally nothing to do in terms of my professional duty on the pitch. After the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) matches were cancelled, many of our activities were also cancelled,' Otieno says.
Despite having other avenues to earn a living, Otieno admits that this is the hardest time in his 2-decade-long journey behind the microphone. He discloses that the situation is even dire among some of his colleagues who are freelancing and do not have other means apart from the life in the commentary booth.
Other media companies have also been affected by the pandemic. Robin Toskin, a sports editor and commentator at the Standard Group, agrees that the situation is not good either.
'As much as I'm an employee, the suspension of KPL matches has brought some unforeseen challenges. There is slow activity on the desk, and we just hope things will return to normal,' Toskin says.
Some radio commentators have also been affected. Hassan Kauleni, a veteran football commentator with Standard Group's Radio Maisha, shares his struggles.
'Our fans believe that we have powers to return football. They think we can just end coronavirus and give them what they crave,' Kauleni says.
However, Kauleni admits that the coronavirus blow has hit the sports desk hard. 'Our work has been reduced drastically. The former days when we could report to work every day to feed our hungry fans with football is no more. This has translated to salary cuts,' he adds.
Some commentators have found alternative ways to keep their audience entertained. Stephen Mukangai, a colleague at Radio Maisha, introduces banter between rival fans to keep the conversation going.
'We have very little to offer in terms of sporting activities. So I have to improvise to keep the fans entertained. What I do is introduce a banter between rival fans, say Manchester United vs Arsenal fans on a topic like the race for top 4 in the EPL and see how they take the discussion,' Mukangai explains.
As the pandemic continues to affect the world of football, commentators like Drury and Otieno are finding ways to cope with the situation.
