Commentary teams typically feature one professional
commentator describing the passage of play, and another, usually a former player,
coach, or
expert, providing supplementary input as the sports event progresses. Color commentators usually restrict their input to times that the ball or the puck is out of play, or there is no significant action on the field or the court. They usually defer to the main commentator when a shot on goal or another significant event occurs. That sometimes results in them being talked over or cut short by the primary commentator. Former players and managers also appear as
pundits and carry out a similar role to that of the co-commentator during the
pre-game show before a given contest and the
post-game show after it. In American motorsports coverage, there may be as many as two color commentators in the
booth for a given broadcast. In the 2010s, some sports broadcasters began to employ
rules analysts, a contributor—typically a former
referee—who provides analysis and opinions regarding calls being made by referees officiating the event. The practice was first popularized in the NFL, with Fox hiring former
officials Mike Pereira and
Dean Blandino. The practice has since been extended to other sports, with officials such as
Steve Javie (basketball),
Dave Jackson (hockey), and
Joe Machnik (soccer) having taken on similar roles for ESPN/ABC and Fox respectively. CBS similarly hired
Gene Steratore in 2018, serving as a rules analyst for both NFL and college basketball coverage. ==United Kingdom==