Broadcasters & Connected TV, Club Media

What Makes Great Sports Commentary with Football Commentator Rich Wolfenden

In this on-demand webinar, football commentator Rich Wolfenden reveals how he uniquely prepares for matchdays – how he uncovers storylines and milestones before games, the tools he relies upon during live games and how his unique style of sports commentary is shaped by Opta data and metrics.

We also take a look inside his *famous commentary notebook* – seen by millions of sports fans around the world through this ongoing series on TikTok and Instagram.

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By: Zaid Khan

Meet Rich Wolfenden – an increasingly recognisable voice in football broadcasting whose commentary you might recognise from Women’s Super League matches on Sky Sports, BBC’s Match of the Day and Final Score and DAZN’s coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Rich talks us through how his sports commentary career started, his commentary inspiration, ethos and his most memorable moments to date.

We also dive deep into his commentary preparation process and the tools he relies upon to ensure his commentary is informative, accurate and elevates the sports viewing experience.

You’ll enjoy this interview if:

You’re a commentator, producer, analyst, work in broadcast teams or club and league sports media roles.
You’re interested in how informative, impactful sports commentary is prepared, crafted and delivered.
You want to learn more about the sports data and technology toolkit used by professional sports commentators covering men and women’s sport.

In a world where accuracy, detail and speed are essential to delivering compelling match analysis, Rich offers a rare look behind the commentary mic.

To watch the full conversation with Rich, fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

How does Richard Wolfenden Prepare to Commentate on Matches?

Rich’s methodical and intensive pre-game preparation process typically spans several hours. It’s increasingly supported by Opta data empowering Rich to repeatedly deliver engaging, insightful commentary packed with relevant facts and stats, ensuring viewers have the best possible viewing experience.

For sports commentators like Rich, access to reliable (and increasingly detailed) team and player information has become a key part of pre-game preparation.

Rich opens his match-day notebook to us and walks us through his game preparation routine, showing the detail he looks out for, including:

Rich notes, form and talking points for every player
Key tactical points and set-ups
Potential storylines and broken records
Non-stats driven information that add colour and depth (like a team who lost football boots on their way to a game)

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Richard’s Live Game Workflow and Set-up

Rich reveals the setup and tools he uses while commentating on a match, explaining how it supports and helps validate how he interprets what he is seeing with his own eyes.

He explains how Stats Perform’s Opta Live platform is an important tool for him and his supporting producers because it automatically reveals air-worthy talking points that help him describe the on-field action in a way that encourages viewers deeper into the game.

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How is Advanced Metrics Changing Sports Commentary?

Advanced metrics and new types of sports data have opened up new storytelling angles that simply weren’t possible a few short years ago. Revealing new insights into on-the-ball and off-the-ball events that traditional stats can’t capture or measure.

Rich uses a variety of Opta’s advanced metrics to enrich his commentary with new perspectives and give viewers a deeper understanding of what’s happening on the pitch.

He reveals an example where an advanced Opta stat helped explain to viewers how successful a Premier League’s attacking set-up was – backing what viewers could visually see with hard, statistical evidence.

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How Preparing to Commentate on Women’s Football Matches used to be a Nightmare Task

Providing commentatary for the women’s football competitions, such as the Women’s Super League used to be difficult for commentators with limited data, stats and information on the players and team’s. Rapid advancements in the sports data and analytics that’s collected and available through providers like Stats Perform is solving this problem.

Rich explains why Opta has become his go-to resource for accurate, reliable stats and detail on the growing women’s game. This depth of data ensures fans of the women’s game receive as insightful, vibrant commentary as the men’s game.

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