A color commentator (or ''' Colour commentator'''), sometimes known as a '''color analyst''', is a member of the Broadcasting team for a Sporting event who assists the Play-by-playAnnouncer by filling in any time when play is not in progress. It is North American terminology. The color commentator provides expert analysis and background information, such as Statistics , strategy and injury reports, on the Team s and Athlete s, and occasionally light humor. Color commentators are often people who used to play and/or coach the sport that they broadcast.
In the United Kingdom the term is largely unknown: a play-by-play announcer is called a Commentator . The role of color commentator is not so clearly defined, but the term summariser is sometimes used and former players often appear as Pundits , filling a similar role. In Germany, most Football matches feature just a single play-by-play announcer, without a color commentator, the play-by-play announcer there provides background information and statistics by himself. In Spanish, the word '''comentarista''' is used, in opposition to '''relator''' who is the play-by-play announcer. In Brazil , the color commentator is usually referred as '''comentarista''', like in Spanish. For soccer broadcasts, Brazilian TV channels usually also use a specialized referee commentator in addition to the normal commentator (almost always a former player or coach). In Australia the term is not used; rather, those giving the analysis alongside the commentator are said to be giving '''special comments'''. In Sweden the term '''expertkommentator''' is used for a supposedly knowledgeable sidekick to the play-by-play announcer.
