Jim Ross Discusses The Challenges Of Calling Empty Arena Wrestling, Importance Of Announcing
Jim Ross went solo on last Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, calling the AEW World Title bout between Jon Moxley and Jake Hager without a partner. The one-man act either allowed the match to breathe or made for an awkward viewing experience depending on who you ask.
Wednesday’s episode marked the first-time Ross was back on Dynamite after a few weeks off due to health risks related to the coronavirus pandemic. Ross called the match via tape, not in the arena.
Speaking to Forbes, Ross discussed the challenges of calling empty arena wrestling.
“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 has seen and done it all in his career and will go down as arguably the best to ever sit behind the booth in wrestling.
When discussing the importance of the announcer in wrestling, he said, “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.”
It is unknown when Ross will return to the booth for AEW. The promotion has already taped episodes of Dynamite up to AEW Double or Nothing.
AEW Double or Nothing is still scheduled for May 23, but will no longer air from Las Vegas. You can find more information about the changes to Double or Nothing by clicking here.
