[BillyMac]

A online colleague recently sent this (below) to me. Anybody else see this? Can anybody cite its source?

The National Federation has issued new guidelines regarding game announcers.

While the game is in progress, announcers may give basic information such as who scores, who fouls and how many fouls that is on a player, who is shooting free throws and how many free throws, which team is awarded a time out and whether the time out is a full time out or a 30 second time out, which substitute is entering the game and which player is being replaced.

Announcers SHOULD NOT announce things such as "How much time there is left in a period" or "How many time outs a team has left." Also, announcements pertaining to raffles, 50-50 drawings, concession stands, future schedules, etc - in other words, all those things that are not directly related to the game should only be announced prior to the game, during time outs, intermissions between periods, and after the game.

What they want eliminated are the "carnival barkers" that tend to distract from the actual game and those announcements that would tend to give information that is the responsibility of the teams and coaches (ie: how much time is left or how many time outs a team has remaining.). There is no penalty involved. Announcers should be handled the same as scorekeepers and timers who are not in compliance with the spirit of the game.

This information should be covered with the announcer at the table prior to the game.