Why are many football commentaries done off tube rather than being at the stadium?
The answer is purely for reasons of cost; particularly when you are doing a foreign league it would be expensive for the company to pay for you to be at the stadium. Doing a match off-tube is a bit like driving abroad, essentially the same principles apply, but you have to use a different method.
When you are doing a match commentary off-tube you are totally reliant on what the match director is choosing to broadcast; as you are seeing exactly what the viewer is seeing. So if an incident occurs off-the-ball and out of picture, you have no idea what has happened, and it is only when the slow-motion replay starts that you can ascertain what has occured. If a number of players are going for the same ball in the penalty area; from a corner or free kick for example, and one of them scores, you have to be certain who has got the final touch if you are going to name the scorer. If the director then cuts to a shot of a player, you have to hope it is the player who scored, believe me it doesn't always happen!
You can always take your time in identifying the scorer if it is uncertain; you simply must not guess, as getting a goalscorers name wrong is unacceptable. Frequently a substitution will be made and the first you know of it when doing the match off-tube is that a new player gains possession. At a stadium you see the whole picture; and if it is your outside broadcast, you can ask the director for specific shots to illustrate the point that you or your co-commentator is making. Being at the stadium is always better.
