Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster and writer in the Greater Toronto Area. McNamara contributes to Sportsnet and has done commentary for a myriad of events. On this BTB episode, McNamara came on to discuss storytelling devices that work across all sports commentary, interviewer methodology/ techniques, and more!
Bowks Talking Bouts
Jim Ross and Joe Bowen were Andy’s broadcast idols early on. This has lead McNamara down the path of doing some pro wrestling play by play. He has done some commentary gigs for Chinlock Wrestling but was affiliated with the promoters long before the organization bore that name.
He said, “With the Chinlock shows, I actually know Jan Murphy and CJ Felony going back about a decade. It was a previous incarnation of indie wrestling called OCW, Ontario Championship Wrestling. At the time I was doing some Rogers TV stuff up in the Durham region area. A couple of the producers there were hooked up with some of the Cogeco guys in Kingston. They were like ‘hey, man. We know you’re a wrestling fan. We know you do play by play. Do you want to come down and do wrestling?’ Actually I’m looking right now, OCW season one. We got a whole season out of it. It was like twelve shows. It was really cool. Then there was a long lull in between and now Chinlock is here.”
The Importance of Telling a Story
The fascination with JR went beyond the catchphrases. It wasn’t all about the bloviating and the normative histrionics of pro wrestling. It was the story unfurling underneath and the role the announcer plays in that. McNamara said, “What I admire the most about Jim Ross is the storytelling. That’s what I feel is missing a lot from today’s wrestling commentary. Remember back to some of the classic moments, right? Cactus Jack comes out. JR sold it. To have that power, to have that ability to tell the story it’s so cool.”
Having done commentary for multiple different events at this juncture, McNamara sees unifying factors in terms of effective storytelling. Andy McNamara quipped, “What story are we trying to tell? It’s not that much different from whether I’m doing a CFL game. Whether I’m doing a National Lacrosse League game. You’re in it, you’re describing it, and also you’re building to the next thing. Especially for the indie show. People at home don’t know a lot of these people. In this case, a lot of the time you don’t know them.”
Andy McNamara
For a broadcaster to grow and develop, it’s important to analyze their own work. To comb-over past efforts of theirs and see what lessons can be taken from each broadcast that can make the next one even better. McNamara stated, “I want to make sure I’m not being repetitive with the same word usage. Am I saying things differently? Am I making it interesting? How’s my inflection?”
Broadcasting wasn’t always the immediate path for McNamara necessarily. While Andy always had a passion and fascination with it, there was a fairly different career path he tried out for a time.
He said, “I started in 2005, I went to Durham College for Accounting and Business Administration. I always had the interest in broadcasting. Went and worked in a law firm in downtown Toronto. Hated it. Picture whatever the stereotype, boring, awful, accounting law firm. The boringest, stuffiest…It was that. Took night courses and all that while doing the 9 to 5 commute. Turns out Durham College had just opened a radio/ internet station the year after I graduated. So I got the demo together which was very raw and contacted the station manager. Did a tryout, they loved it, and still real good friends with the old program manager there to this day.”
MMA and Boxing
Pro wrestling and Baseball were described as loves early on but McNamara has an affinity for several sports. He had Ring Magazine as a youth but saw Boxing phase-out of mainstream culture in real-time though. Conversely, as Boxing seemed on a decline, there was very much a rise in mainstream attentiveness to mixed-martial arts, then known as no holds barred.
Andy McNamara quipped, “I’ve been a UFC fan since UFC 1. My dad has UFC 1. We got the VHS tapes. I bet you I was probably 12. So probably too young to be watching the first one. Finding out through Chris who’s the station manager at Durham College…Knew Brad DaSilva who was running this MMA show a couple years ago and was like ‘hey, man. You want to do ring announcing?’ I’d never done ring announcing before at all. That was a ton of fun and I’d never actually been to a live mixed-martial arts show like truly in a cage. The one I did was more kickboxing-ish. It was fascinating. It was awesome.”
Interviews and Lacrosse
McNamara also has a Twitch show where he has interviewed heavyweights across several industries. He has met and interviewed guys like Riddick Bowe, George Chuvalo, Kane, Mick Foley, The Miz, and Eric Bischoff to name a few. Though he has made some big moves, there’s no indication of resting on any perceived laurels. Andy always seems like he’s looking out for whatever that next great interview is, where the next great opportunity is, and how he can further refine his craft.
Lacrosse would be the top sport he would want to call if he had to pick just one. The play by play work McNamara does for the Toronto Rock is something that he is clearly passionate about and shouted out the NLL towards the end of our talk. Encouraging people who’d never watched a game to try it out and immerse themselves in the Lacrosse experience. You can follow along with McNamara on his social media.
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