Ling

On Monday, March 31st, I had the opportunity to attend the Swansea City U21 fixture against Burnley U21 at Swansea.com Stadium. It was a thrilling match, with a solid 2-0 win for the home team, Swansea City U21.

I arrived at Swansea.com Stadium at 6 pm. After collecting my press pass and meeting with Swansea City Media Executive Rachael Tucker—who kindly provided us with this opportunity—she gave us a quick tour of the stadium, showing us the press room and press box.

The match kicked off at 7 pm, and with the home crowd cheering them on, Morgan Bates opened the scoring early to put the Swans ahead. Just 16 minutes later, Jacob Cook doubled the lead, sending the hosts into halftime with a 2-0 advantage. Building on their strong first-half performance, the Swans held on to secure a 2-0 victory at full-time.

Before the match, while filming content in the stands, I met a student who studies Advanced Sports Performance Science at Swansea University and is currently doing a placement with Swansea City. He shared a lot of insights about being part of the team, from pre-game preparation to how they monitor and analyze player performance data. We had a great conversation throughout the match, and it was both interesting and valuable. Hearing from a professional gave me a deeper understanding of football and made my first match experience even more meaningful.

It was fascinating to see the media team in action before, during, and after the match. From setting up cameras to writing reports and selecting photos, every aspect was handled with precision. This experience gave me a clearer understanding of how a sports event is presented, requiring a high level of professionalism from everyone involved to ensure the smooth running of the match and its presentation to the audience, whether in the stadium or worldwide. It has reinforced my determination to pursue a career in the sports industry.

I’d like to express a big thank you to Rachael Tucker and my lecturer, Joe Cable, for setting up this opportunity and allowing me to gain valuable industry insight. I’ll always remember this amazing day!

Check out the vlog!

Sports with Ling