- Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Sattwik Biswal
There has been a conscious attempt in the recent years to make football diverse in every aspect, and it gathered steam during last season in the sport’s fight against racism.
But curiously, the commentary box lacks diversity and according to a report by Sportsmail, which has found out that of 37 commentators employed by the four Premier League rights holders this season – only two are from BAME communities.
Mark Scott and Seb Hutchinson are the two freelancers working across multiple channels.
Mark Scott made history as the first BAME commentator on Match of the Day when covering a goalless draw between Bournemouth and Crystal Palace in 2015. Earlier this month he achieved another career first by commentating a live game for the BBC.
Scott, who has a Trinidadian mother and English father says visibility can play a huge role like it did in the case of female commentators such as Vicki Sparks and Robyn Cowen since Jacqui Oatley made her Match of the Day debut in 2007.
“It’s become a cliche that ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’ but it applies in this case. Jacqui really inspired girls and young women to get into commentary, but we’re rarely on screen and not noticed. When you see the names Mark Scott and Seb Hutchinson appear on the TV they don’t scream out that we’re from ethnic minority backgrounds,” Scott said.
Hutchinson, who was the first black commentator to work for BT Sport and ITV, says there are other structural problems in the industry.
“There’s an anomaly in football, which is a meritocracy on the pitch but not off it,” he said.
“Outside of ex-players there are hardly any black people working in TV at all. I’ve been at outside broadcasts with hundreds of people as the only black face.
“At the bottom it’s not very well paid so it’s more difficult for those from working-class backgrounds to take the risk. And those who do tend to have contacts within the industry, which increases the likelihood of favouritism,” he added.
