From UCFB to Centre Court: Students working at Wimbledon!

Stepping into a live broadcasting environment watched by millions globally is a massive achievement. For two UCFB BA (Hons) Sports Business and Sports Broadcasting students, it became a reality for a second consecutive summer at Wimbledon. 

UCFB Wembley’s Tyler Cottingham and UCFB Manchester’s Lucy Younger secured Broadcast Assistant roles within the tournament’s elite media hub, continuing a proud legacy of UCFB students retaining these positions during their degree studies.

Front row seats to global production

On the ground, the students gained front-row seats to the complex logistics of a major global event, managing production desks and helping foreign networks coordinate live feeds. Returning for a second year allowed them to take on more responsibility, directly sharpening skills crucial for their future career goals.

Lucy worked closely with international rights holders, ensuring global television crews captured elite footage while maintaining strict site regulations.

“My job,” she said, “was to go around with the camera crews from all of the broadcasters we have at Wimbledon like WOWOW and ESPN.”

“I would take them around the grounds for courtside filming or getting GVs. I ensured crews got the footage they wanted while maintaining safety on site, finding alternative ways to get the shots if they weren’t allowed.”

The role directly feeds into her goal of becoming a live sports producer. “Just meeting and networking with broadcasters from around the world is great,” Lucy added.

“I have already been offered opportunities from the people I met at Wimbledon last year, which led to me working for BBC Sport on the Winter Olympics in February.

“This all works perfectly alongside my studies at UCFB to see what global networks produce. Meeting producers, camera ops, and directors who give great advice has been invaluable. I want to work on live sporting events as a producer, so learning from what they do at Wimbledon is fantastic.”

Alongside floor-production responsibilities, Tyler focused on collaborating with the host broadcast team to manage international media networks.

“I have been lucky enough to have worked as a broadcast assistant at the past two Wimbledon Championships,” Tyler said. “Being part of the host broadcast team at the most prestigious tournament in tennis has been an incredible opportunity. I have been able to collaborate with broadcasters from around the world, building my network, and deepening my understanding of live sports production at the highest level.”

Linking classroom and professional practice

But Lucy and Tyler were not the only familiar UCFB faces on site at Wimbledon. Guy McCrea, Senior Lecturer in Sports Media and Communications, worked for Wimbledon Broadcasting Services’ international television productions during the fortnight.

Guy, who mixes his teaching responsibilities at UCFB with professional sports broadcasting work throughout the year, crossed paths regularly with Lucy and Tyler. It reinforced UCFB’s primary approach of academic staff remaining active in the industry to bring real-world insights back into the classroom.

“From all my years here, I am fully aware of how working at Wimbledon provides such a rich test of your versatility, communication skills and technical know-how,” Guy said.

“So it was fantastic to catch up with Lucy and Tyler and get to see them thriving and impressing so many professional colleagues. The knowledge that they bring back to UCFB will elevate the learning experience for everyone.”

With more elite sports industry experience now added to their CVs, both Lucy and Tyler will return to UCFB this autumn with a distinct competitive edge as they continue to develop their careers in sports media.

UCFB students gain plenty of opportunities, from work experience to guest speaker sessions and industry insight days, thanks to our dedicated Employability and Career Planning Team. Find out more about them and what they offer our students.

Do you want to follow in Lucy and Tyler’s footsteps? Apply to UCFB through Clearing now and take the first step towards your dream career in sport as early as this September.