Frank Buschmann turns his back on football. After almost 30 years, he is retiring as a football commentator after this Bundesliga season, but remains true to his other sports as a commentator. In an interview with "sportjournalist.de" he calculates the changes in the industry: "I now find the trappings difficult to unbearable. The moment I'm at the microphone in the Sky conference, I love my job. But outside of the 90 minutes, I got sick of people in the shop saying they're doing it for the love of the sport and for the fans. That's a lie."
Buschmann also criticizes how, in his experience, sports journalism is now being restricted: "How often have I heard: 'We have to be a bit careful, we want to get the rights back.' Or: 'We want a good relationship with them.' "Of course there are dependencies. And if we're honest, everyone knows that. Just the fact that the spokesman decides which players appear for the interview is a joke." Buschmann also makes fun of his colleagues: “Reporters on streaming services or on TV are often incredibly soft-lipped because they don’t want to hurt anyone. There is an incredible fear of what the DFL, the club, the coach or the players do think. But that's not what you're a reporter for. This effort not to step on anyone's toes kills any passion."
In his eyes, there is also a problem that the youngsters no longer get enough freedom and support from the sports broadcasters. "The broadcasters want reporters who polarize. But you have to develop them and let them gain experience. As an employer, you have to put up with it when Bayern or Dortmund complain - maybe even rightly so. Broadcasters have to have the backbone , to say: Of course he will continue to comment on you." Buschmann's conclusion is, on the one hand, that thoroughbred reporters are dying out and, on the other hand, that football commentator is "no longer a dream job" for young sports journalists. With Buschmann goes a football commentator who polarizes. If his analysis of the industry is correct, more football fans will probably miss him than they think.
Source: Interview on "Sportjournalist.de", Interview on "DWDL.de".
