Our first BA (Hons) Sports Journalism cohort joins us September 2025, so we spoke to Dr. Taylor Umland, Programme lead for the course to learn more about his background in journalism and discover what makes this exciting new programme so unique.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in sports journalism?
Sports Journalism has been a part of my life for a long time, it’s what I wanted to be as a kid. Not an athlete, but a reporter. I wanted to tell stories. I started working in live sports production at 16, running sideline cameras and replays and eventually working up to director and commentator.
My biggest gig came working as a ‘one-man-band’ reporter at KWQC-TV, a regional NBC affiliate. I covered news and sports, often switching from political coverage to sport throughout the week. I’ve hosted multiple radio shows, podcasts, presented TV shows, live commentary and also written articles – it’s all been a part of my working life.
What makes the Sports Journalism course at the University of Salford unique?
The unique selling point for the Sports Journalism course is the connections. Starting in year one you will have access to over 20 matches per week, covering matches during term time. From football to hockey, these opportunities offer you the same press passes as everyone else. You will also get access to all post-match press conferences, where you can watch or participate alongside reporters from national titles like Sky and TNT.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about studying Sports Journalism?
The only thing you are limited by is your effort and curiosity. This programme will provide you with the opportunity to cover sport across platforms throughout all three years of your education. It is up to you to take full advantage of these opportunities.
Sports Journalism allows you to stay connected to what is likely to be a lifelong passion. Therefore, this particular way allows you to have access to people you thought you would only ever see on television. You aren’t the one scrolling and looking at content – you are the one creating it.
What’s been the most exciting moment of your career so far?
In a former role, we streamed a Varsity rugby match in front of 9000 students, complete with a pre-match show. We also ran a 3-hour 5 live programme for the other events earlier in the day. Seeing those students perform in that environment was incredible.
Another moment was when I arranged a deal with England RFL before the World Cup, allowing students to cover a ‘behind closed doors’ warm-up match between England and Fiji. The students had the opportunity to interview international players and coaches. The Fijians were incredibly nice and were wowed by how professional the students were. They performed a Haka right in front of us, one of the coolest moments I’ve seen in person.
If you could cover any sporting event in the world, which one would it be and why?
Something like the international hockey championships, I love international competition and hearing different languages and culture communicate and compete. In my opinion, ice hockey is undeniably the best sport. I’ve never been to an international championship before, so I think It would be incredible. Either that or the Highland Games.
Find out more about BA (Hons) Sports Journalism and the rest of our Journalism degrees
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