Sports broadcasters are “armed with being good storytellers, delivering the facts, doing peoples’ athletic performances justice, and having fun,” according to NBC broadcaster Leigh Diffey. With over 25 years of international broadcast experience across many different sports, Leigh Diffey is a master storyteller on this week’s guest on If I’m Honest with Julia Landauer. Discussing how broadcasting fell into his lap while in university, Leigh shares the moment he realized his natural enthusiasm for sports and competition organically translated to his announcing, keeping the audience engaged. Leigh explains the importance of having self-belief, the Aussie “Have A Go” mentality, as well as capitalizing on networking and nurturing relationships. Leigh describes how he lives for “the moment” of victory or failure in sports, and how that crescendo varies by sport. Julia and Leigh discuss the similarities between broadcasters and athletes, the technical elements of delivering a broadcast, and the delicate nature of needing to comment on controversies and tragedies, which both require empathy. Leigh closes out by sharing his pre-broadcast rituals, his distinction between being “on edge” and being “nervous,” and the one sport he hasn’t yet commented on that he’d like to.

Follow Leigh on Instagram and X at @leighdiffey

Learn more about Julia Landauer at https://julialandauer.com/