On The Air at Any Cost

I wrote yesterday about how I was taking a stab at seeing if I could get some sponsors for game broadcasts on WGCH.

If you don't know, WGCH doesn't run on good will. They -- we -- operate as a business, needing to pay for the usual operations.

A tweet just a few minutes after I published what I wrote last night seemed to refer to what I wrote and took an opposite view without mentioning the post.

It raised a few eyebrows.

So, let's climb into this.

WGCH, as I said, is a business. To an extent, as much as I don't want it to be, so is Robcasting.

However, do you know exactly how many things I've done "for love of the game?"

A lot. I just don't really boast about it. In some circles, people get mad at "free labor" but I have my reasons. So, let me give you a few a few examples...

Remember that Bottom of the 9th tournament I did at Dutchess Stadium last week? It earned me a hot dog, a bottle of water, and a bag of chips.

The work with Mahopac baseball? I got a (great) sweatshirt (and have made friends who want me to be their lead broadcaster for the school district).

The Babe Ruth tourneys? A program and a t-shirt. Maybe a sandwich and a drink. Then, families brought me a t-shirt from Maine and a hat from Norwalk and Rhode Island. I got Del's lemonade from Rhode Island also. Plus a sign that says "KEENE" from New Hampshire.

The Babe Ruth tourney in Stamford? I almost got heat stroke from it. That's about it.

The two girls state hockey championships Mick and I called? We barely got a "thank you" but it was about giving the girls the play-by-play coverage they deserved, and I stand firm on that.

Or TEN (the Trumbull Eagles Network)? I helped Jeff Alterman build it and he bought me dinner and had me join him at the THS football banquet.

Mahopac vs. Carmel hockey brought me a sweatshirt and a hat. Plus, again, friends and relationships, which evolved into helping out with working for them as a public address announcer.

I did boys basketball at Fairfield Ludlowe, where my friend John Dailey would have me call every game. He gave me a gift card.

Greens Farms Academy basketball? King School football and basketball?

Remember the Greenwich Winter Classic games on WGCH? Or a lot of other (non-football) WGCH broadcasts? Or the Greenwich Town Party? Or the Greenwich St. Pat's Parade? Or Doubleheader?

It's an honor to just be there, I guess.

But people remember. I'll get the occasional message, asking me to cover something.

I've built a friendship with former Waterford, CT coach Dave Laffey because of it.

Same with Mike Buswell in Trumbull, who gave me a hat.

I'm no hero. No statues or Halls of Fame are necessary. I love calling game. It's my happy place.

So don't be fooled. Not everything I do is that way. There are bills to pay. Child support. A car. And more.

I had an arrangement with the Greenwich Cannons and then just started doing games for fun, because the team and their fans deserved it.

And I love what I had with Fairfield American Little League Baseball. In fact, they (and the league) wanted more this year and they took great care of me.

There are reasons for all of this. While I certainly want my value, I also realize I'm building those friendships and business relationships. Personally, I get to keep myself fresh. I get to use new equipment and try different things.

I often get to spend time with friends (Jake Zimmer, Dan Gardella, Shawn Sailer, AJ, Kato, etc). They've been a huge part of these broadcasts. Not everyone wants to do it for free, and I completely get that, but many do because of the experiences and the fun of what we do.

And, perhaps most of all, I'm able to get out of the house. Sometimes, it's the closest I have to a social life.

That, however, doesn't mean I shouldn't be compensated. I'm not a kid. That would have been all fine and dandy in my teens when I would have happily interned and kept practicing to get better. Those opportunities weren't as rich as they are now. I love seeing what New Canaan and Darien have done. I want Greenwich, Brunswick, Greenwich Country Day, and more to do it and would love to be the leader of one.

I want people to say, "Wow. That's good. Really good. You shouldn't do this for free," and, in some cases, that's worked.

But things have paid off in helping to build Robcasting and getting WGCH whatever prominence I can get them. And I try to do the same for every group I'm involved in -- from TEN to Local Live to the Renegades. I have a reputation as a play-by-play announcer and sports journalist that I'm proud of.

Sadly, even in the middle of a pandemic, things must go on for WGCH. Personally, nobody will take much pity on me.

Thus, the post last night.

But, I appreciate the wonderful feedback I did get (and all that I got personally was positive). There could be things happening (Fairfield/Trumbull/Greenwich/elsewhere) but we know the virus is boss. So, we could once again be looking at some grass roots ideas.

I guess we all just have to stay tuned.

Love of the game, the craft, or otherwise.