Jim Ross Talks Challenges In Calling Empty Arena Matches

Jim Ross remains one of the best announcers in wrestling. With the world going through this pandemic, pretty much all wrestling has reverted to empty arena matches.

Now, JR has discussed the challenges in calling matches with no crowd. Here is the quote from his interview with Forbes:

“It’s an adjustment but not insurmountable. I turn up my headset so I’ve got some volume and then I can get lost in the monitor, focusing in on the action where the audience isn’t noticeable. Blending into the show is what’s key.”

Ross also discussed how important it is to not only have commentary but good commentary.

“It’s a huge role because bad audio over good video automatically adversely impacts the video. Fans need a steady diet of what you’re thinking about the moment unfolding before you – but not everything that’s happening. Wrestlers are out there without a mic, doing largely extemporaneous work of a physical fight. They lay out a picture and tell us a physical story – and they depend on the broadcasters to narrate it all.

I would rather hear no announcing than bad announcing. As a broadcaster, lacking passion, being lackadaisical and simply telling the audience what they’re seeing just isn’t going to cut it. The game is being refined, social media has changed things and the audience is smarter than ever before. Broadcasters must remember their role. Sound-bites are king and you’ve got to complement what fans are seeing, laying those appropriate lyrics over the music.”

Ross recently commentated the AEW World Championship match between Jon Moxley and Jake Hager on Dynamite.

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