PA Announcer May 5, 2019 World Games 2014 0 Forum Questions Worked a game at a Passaic Cty. school last week. They have a PA announcer that does play-by-play announcing over the loud-speaker! Ex: "#23 Joe Schmoe gets the pass from Johnny Pepperoni... clears it up the side-line", etc... Besides being loud & annoying (plus kind of one-sided since he mostly did it for the home team as he was unfamiliar with the visiting team players), I told him to stop & that it was "against the rules". This obviously interferes with coaches communicating w/us or players, or us with them/our partners, but later I could not find anything within the NFHS Rule Book or the NJSIAA handbook about this specifically. I did find something prohibiting noisemakers like horns & cowbells, but nothing about how a game can be announced. Both he & the AD said they'd been doing it all season long to that point & nobody had said anything (if you can believe that!?!). Is there a policy against this anywhere? Question File Add new DuBan's Answer: Visual Text This is a new rule. Fans also cannot cheer. Players must also ask the opposing team if they can shoot before attempting a goal. ESPN was going to cover our state final, but thanks to you bringing this to our attention, we have canceled their full production. Glock penalized Columbia on Friday evening for having announcers. They did not play in the game, so the penalty will be carried over to next season. Kratz's Answer: Visual Text McCarrick's Answer: Visual Text Delbarton does it as well - but I must say when Zeldman asked me this questions I said I have no idea, nor did I care. AND yes this is a Zeldman question. Riti's Answer: Visual Text Tyma's Answer: Visual Text The only thing I could possibly add to Mr. DuBan's sardonics and Mr. Karns's excellent research is that the officials, after the game, could refer the matter to the Ethics and Professionalism chair, since he has the brief to handle officials' concerns about conduct of school personnel. But, in keeping with Dave's suggestions, there would have to be a solid reason, like actual observation of interference with coaches' and officials' communication and potential safety risks that result, or a complaint from the visiting coach, for us to consider this an issue of concern to the officials. Answer File Question Answered Yes No
