Discover
Career Prospects in Sports Broadcasting
Career prospects in Sports Broadcasting
The ultimate guide for graduates in choosing your ideal career in sports broadcasting.
Sport on television has exploded in the 21st century. The likes of BT Sport and Sky Sports have changed how we watch sport forever. No longer are we consigned to the television, but we can now watch all sports on our mobile devices on a train, plane, in a coffee shop or in the bath.
The red button, Super HD, even virtual reality is now playing its part in the coverage of live sport. But it’s not just the presenters like Gary Lineker or Gabby Logan who make the sports broadcasting giants tick. There is a whole host of roles behind the scenes that make Sky’s Super Sunday the success that it, and its rivals, is…
Your Career
Matchday Commentator
Martin Tyler, John Motson, Jon Champion… the list of great commentators just rolls off the tongue. Every iconic moment in modern football history is accompanied by poetic words from wonderful voices. In the 21st century commentary even stretches to e-sports, with EA Sports FIFA game now seeing the advance of e-commentators.
The best commentators are constantly researching and full of knowledge – a 0-0 bore draw can be worth watching if the commentator knows the teams inside out. Students at UCFB have the advantage of learning from best in the business, with exclusive match day commentary classes headed by the pros taking place throughout the academic year which includes attending live matches to practice newly learnt skills.
Your Pathway
Matchday Commentator degree courses
- BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism
- BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting
- BA (Hons) Football Business and Media
- MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing
Your Career
Radio Host
Those who claim radio broadcasting is a dying art clearly don’t listen to the likes of BBC Five Live and talkSPORT. Whether it’s match commentary, live event coverage, news reports, interviews or the consistently fun fan phone-ins, radio covers a huge range of journalistic skills.
Much like a TV presenter, a radio host will be expected to know how to package a story, source the best quotes and challenge interviewees live on air under immense pressure. UCFB students have previously gained work experience at the likes of BBC Five Live and TalkSport to further expand their knowledge.
Your Pathway
Radio Host degree courses
Your Career
Floor Manager
The floor manager role is one of the most popular in television production. While the sound and video teams capture the production, the floor manager and their team are responsible for the set looking great. They must make sure the props – chairs, desk, sponsor boards etc. – are in the correct position and used appropriately.
You’ll be the direct link between the producer or director and the team on camera, ensuring everyone is working from the same page and the correct messages are relayed – this is especially important in a live production. On a live production, every second counts and everyone involved, public-facing or not, must know their place and what time they should be there – this is also your responsibility. Impeccable organisational skills are absolute demanded in this role.
Your Pathway
Floor Manager degree courses
- BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism
- BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting
- BA (Hons) Football Business and Media
- MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing
Will Hobson
UCFB Graduate
Assistant Producer at BBC Sport
Your Career
Sound Technician
Setting up microphones, checking levels, ensuring the location of the recording suits the required needs may not sound overly exciting, but a sound technician is one of the most important members of the broadcasting team… after all, the viewers need to be able to hear what’s going on!
The sound tech will be able to hear everything to an acute level and have immense knowledge of their specialist field, not to mention be a superb problem solver. Whether as a live broadcast or as part of a recorded show, the sound tech will be responsible for mixing the sound, which could range from multiple microphones to overdubbing external audio such as a theme tune. If you’re not studio based, expect to travel from location to location e.g. stadiums for sports broadcasting.
Your Pathway
Sound Technician degree courses
- BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism
- BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting
- BA (Hons) Football Business and Media
- MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing
Your Career
Video Producer
Video content is now more prominent than ever, with the likes of YouTube and short social media videos playing a hugely important role in how we consume our video content. Leading football and other sports clubs and organisations are increasingly employing their own in-house videos team to create fun, engaging and informative videos for all audiences. This is on top of the household name broadcasters snapping up the best talent available to expand their growing sporting portfolios.
A video producer is at the front of the action, wherever it might be, and is responsible for bringing the sports industry into the homes of millions. UCFB graduate Taylor Wood now works at West Ham United as a junior video producer, a role he gained while still studying at UCFB.
Your Pathway
Video Producer degree courses
Your Career
Researcher
How many times have you watched Monday Night Football or the Olympic Games and thought, ‘That’s an amazing fact. How did the presenter know that?’. The chances are the team of researchers behind the scenes brought it forward, along with numerous other nuggets of information.
Away from fact-finding, a researcher will be full of ideas on how to develop a programme and report it to the producer. Does the show need to interview three academy players from the Premier League? The researcher will use their book of contacts to find the right people. Does it need clips from the archive of a classic Six Nations match? The researcher will find the best ones.
Your Pathway
Researcher degree courses
- BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism
- BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting
- BA (Hons) Football Business and Media
- BA (Hons) Sport Psychology
- MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing
Working with
