First female voice of Match of the Day to give budding sports journalists tips on getting to the top

Trailblazing sports journalist Jaqui Oatley will be the first in a series of high-profile female sports broadcasters who will be visiting the University of Northampton in February.

Jacqui, who made history in 2007 as Match of the Day’s first female commentator, will be sharing the secrets of her success with Multimedia Journalism students as part of Changing Futures Week – a five-day University wide showcase of industry speakers.

Her appearance, on Monday 5 February, comes ahead of the University’s Changing Futures For Women In Sports Media conference, which features Sky Sports’ Hayley McQueen, sports writer Vikki Orvice, BBC commentator Robyn Cowen, broadcaster Lynsey Hooper and Women’s Super League journalist Kait Borsay.

Course Leader, Marc Webber, said: “Jacqui’s rise to be the trusted face and voice of primetime TV sport in the UK cannot be undersold. This university wants to open doors to the next generation of female sports journalists and I can think of no better person for my students to learn from than a professional who has fought hard to chip away at the glass ceiling that often surrounds this job. “

Following her Match of the Day commentating debut, Jacqui went on to present the BBC’s flagship football show in 2015, before anchoring the Euro 2016 tournament for ITV Sport. Currently fronting ITV’s darts coverage, Jacqui will head to Russia this summer, where she will anchor the channel’s World Cup coverage.

While Jacqui’s appearance is a closed-doors event for students from the University, the Changing Futures For Women In Sports Media conference on Thursday 8 February is open to female sports marketers and sports media practitioners – plus females aged 16 to 18 who are studying English or PE and want to be involved in sports media and marketing.

The day will have guest speakers and panels featuring local and national sports media professionals, plus research on the brand value of women’s football worldwide.

For more details and to register, visit the event page.