Experience yes, knowledge no.
Obviously you have to learn more about the game after that
Have you ever strapped on a helmet and pads?![]()

So a play by play announcer needs the experience of having played football to call a football game? I mean, feel free to google some of the leading play-by-play guys on television and let me know what you find as far as their playing careers.
Do you know what a play-by-play announcer does? Do you notice how there's always an ex-player or coach in the booth with them? That other person is there to give commentary based on experience. The play-by-play announcer is there to do exactly what the title implies, verbalize what's going on on the field. When CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, etc. are looking for a play-by-play announcer, they're looking for someone with a strong and lengthy career in broadcast journalism/radio and a distinctive voice. They're not looking up a candidates JV football stats.



