Bundesliga: cult football commentator talks about reasons for career end

Bundesliga

Football commentators are often viewed critically by fans. Attention is paid to the choice of words or to the fact that all players are recognized, named and pronounced correctly. If viewers find even a small mistake, a hate comment on Twitter or Instagram is quickly written.

Frank Buschmann will no longer be in this focus from the new season. For many years he has been working for the pay-TV broadcaster Sky in football. He also comments on the “Ninja Warrior” show for RTL and other shows such as “RTL Tower Jumping”.

Buschmann gives reasons for the end of football

In an interview with “sportjournalist.de”, the 58-year-old spoke openly about why he will stop commenting on football games in the summer.

“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 the people in the shop who claim they’re doing it all out of pure love for the sport and for the fans. That’s a lie,” Buschmann clarifies.

Buschmann also criticizes the fact that there are dependencies in football, for example between the Bundesliga clubs and media representatives. “The mere fact that the spokesman determines which players appear for the interview is a joke,” complains the sports journalist.

Buschmann also lists that the reporters on streaming services or on TV are “often incredibly softened” for him. He adds: “There’s an incredible fear of what the DFL, the club, the coach or the players think. But that’s not what you’re a reporter for. This effort not to step on anyone’s toes kills all passion.”

Buschmann also accuses his colleagues of saying that “full-blooded reporters” are dying out. “And with it those who have a feeling for what makes great sport; the ones who don’t make a record, whether somewhere at a club or on social networks, someone is upset because maybe they didn’t quite hit the right note.”