Annual Salary
£0 to £0
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Swap to Data & network or Software & systems or go back to all job sectors
Sports commentators describe the action and give insights at sporting events for TV, radio and online audiences.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
0.5% more Sports commentator jobs in 2027.
As a sports commentator, you could:
You could work at a recording studio, at a sports arena or on a sports field.
Your working environment may be noisy, crowded, outdoors some of the time and you'll travel often.
You can get into this job through:
There is no set entry route to become a sports commentator but it can be useful to study for a degree in a related subject like:
You'll usually need:
You may be able to apply for a place on an apprenticeship to get into this job, for example:
You could start 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 by applying for promotion as you get more experience.
You'll also need to show employers that you have the sports knowledge and commentating skills that they're looking for.
For most jobs, you'll need some practical experience and be able to show you have a real enthusiasm for sports commentating.
To get work experience you could:
You can get a list of radio stations from:
Look out for work experience placements, insight and talent days with broadcasters like:
The Sports Journalists' Association has more advice 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.
If you're a current or ex-sports professional, you might start as a co-commentator or summariser, offering a specialist opinion, before progressing to lead commentator.
Competition for jobs is 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 to 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 radio sports presenting from The Pips.
You could move from short-term, freelance contract work to full-time permanent work with regional, national or international broadcasters.
With experience, you could become a studio-based presenter, move into programme making and producing, management, or written sports reporting.
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: