As one of BBC Sport’s most popular and ever present faces, Mark Chapman is regularly seen and heard fronting all manner of different sports.
From Match of the Day Two to The NFL Show, and from rugby league to Five Live radio – even finding time to present the occasional FA Cup draw – ‘Chappers’ must have an encyclopaedic knowledge of sport, right?
While he doesn’t deny the hard work he puts in, Chapman is rather modest when asked this by UCFB. “I’m not there to be an expert,” he says. “I’m there to get the best out of my pundits, the journalists and my guests. That’s my task, to make them sell their sport.”
On a visit to UCFB Etihad Campus as part of Guillem Balague’s Masterclass series, the presenter explained to eager students that solid preparation is key in order to cope with such a busy and varied work schedule. He said: “There are two things to presenting across a variety of sports. First is listen, read and watch a lot and take it in. The second thing is managing time."
Chapman’s love of sport is evidenced in the shows he presents. His jovial-but-informed style has won him fans across a number of sports. That love is also one key components that he says makes for a good sports journalist.
When asked what key traits students should possess in search of a successful sports media career, he said: “A love of sport is important; I think if you really want to nail it you need to really love every single sport. There is the odd sport that I’m not a massive fan of, but ultimately you have to be enthused about it and have a love for it.”
He added: “The others are being a good communicator – sometimes it’s not natural, but you can learn – and you’ve got to be interested in people. That’s the key to it.”
