Sports commentators describe what's happening at sporting events to listeners and viewers and offer their opinions.
£13,000 Starter
to£80,000 Experienced
39 to 41 variable
evenings / weekends / bank holidays away from home
You can get into this job through:
There is no set entry route to become a sports commentator but it may be useful to get a degree in a relevant subject like:
You'll usually need:
You can work towards this role by starting with an advanced apprenticeship as a junior journalist.
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
You could get started by working as a broadcast assistant in a television or radio company.
You'll need to work your way up from commentating at a local level and applying for promotion when you've got more experience.
You'll need to show employers that you have the sports knowledge and commentating skills that they're looking for.
You'll need to have some practical experience and be able to show you have a real enthusiasm for sports commentating.
To get some work experience you could:
You can get a list of radio stations from:
Large broadcasters like BBC Careers, ITV and Channel 4 offer work experience placements, insight and talent days.
The Sports Journalists’ Association has more ideas about where to look for work experience.
You can apply directly to employers if you've got some of the relevant skills and knowledge needed for this job. You'll usually need a background in sport or journalism.
As a sports professional, you may start off as a co-commentator or summariser, offering a specialist opinion on the action and tactical insights, before progressing to lead commentator.
Competition for jobs is very strong and very few jobs are advertised. Building up a network of industry contacts can help you find out about vacancies.
You'll need to record examples of your commentating on CD, DVD or online so you can show your skills to potential employers.
You could join the Sports Journalists' Association for training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
You can find out more about careers in sports commentating from The Pips and BBC Academy.
You'll need:
Your duties may include:
You could work on a sports field, at a recording studio or at a sports arena.
Your working environment may be crowded, you'll travel often, outdoors some of the time and noisy.
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