Olly Hogben is an experienced multi-sport commentator who has been part of the worldwide commentary team for three Olympic Games, along with many other events all over the world. His voice has been heard in a diverse range of places, from channels like the BBC, NBC, BT Sport and Eurosport and of course on the IFF YouTube channel.
Olly Hogben has provided live commentary on almost 50 sports since he first worked for Eurosport in July 2014. Best-known for his work as the voice of numerous international gymnastics competitions. Olly has worked at over a dozen multi-sport games; but now he is very happy to be back with Floorball. He will be covering both upcoming WFC’s, Women’s in Uppsala and Men’s in Helsinki.
Even if Olly is a very experienced commentator there is normally a floorball person who teams up with Olly as a co-commentator. In this video below you can watch the documentary about Olly commentation and working together with co-commentator Jürg Kihm. The duo has already worked together in three WFCs. This documentary was just done one day after the miracle from Neuchatel during the bronze medal match between Team Finland and Team Czech Republic in 2019. The miracle of Neuchatel is it is known as – was when the Swiss Females scored 4 goals in less than one and a half minutes in the semifinal match against Czech Republic. They evened the score to 6-6 and then scored the golden goal on overtime.
This documentary gives various insights such as Olly’s routines for commentating, best thing he has ever said as well as his toughest situation. But there is also more to learn: why are not both watching the screen, how do they prepare and how did Olly get into floorball? Here we share one of the questions:
What has been the most memorbale feedback you have got?
— I think as a commentator you dream of being called the voice of any particular sport because that means to audiences the sound they get in their head when they think of a broadcast is your voice. And to be told by various people who really know the sport in a way which I never will be able to know to be considered the voice of floorball is a wonderful thing. I feel very lucky to be considered to be that and I take it very seriously because I am trusted with looking after new viewers to the sport and trusted with telling stories in the sports, replies Olly Hogben.
Watch the whole documentary from here:
Furthermore, during the World Gymnastic Championships in October 2021 we were able to have an online interview with Olly Hogben at the Kauko Studios.
Olly, how has Covid-19 affected your life?
— In the start it changed total my work as I planned to go to New Zealand and Japan for gymnastic events. So it kept me mainly doing some archive work where I was able to re-record some famous and historic Olympic moments for IOC. Gradually events restarted but most the times commenting was happening from the studio in London. And I was not overseas until the Olympics 2021 in Japan. On a personal site me and my whole family were very cautious and didn’t get affected by Covid-19.
Soon there will be two floorball events, WFC 2021 in Uppsala and WFC 2020 in Helsinki – what are your thoughts on this?
— I just can’t wait to get back into floorball. I missed it so much. I always said to people: my year is not complete if don’t finish off doing the World Floorball Championships. It is one of the most special events in my year. It just feels lovely in getting back. You know, on commentary, I always talked about the floorball family – even it seems to be a cliché but it is not – it is actually a real thing and is real (floorball) family feel.
Will the floorball community hear you during both events?
— I am afraid so (*laughter), yes you will. During the 4 days overlapping my colleague Clayton Lucas will do the start in Helsinki while I am finishing off in Uppsala. It’s gonna be a marathon and a sprint at the same time doing all those games. And usually I am really exhausted after the floorball events as the sport is pretty demanding for a commentator.
Did you have the chance to play floorball yourself?
— I am going to…
Hang on, Olly, the question was did you… and not will you be playing?
— I leave that up to your imagination how good I am in playing floorball. I managed conveniently to make up excuses when the staff matches are on during WFC. So no, I haven’t played floorball. But I am promising you that I will go in goal at some point as I was a football goalkeeper.
