From working on shoots with the Chelsea Women’s team and Sebastian Haller to becoming one of the voices behind VERSUS. Keep reading to learn about Tyler’s experience working at VERSUS and how he got the role.
10 Mins Read
Can you give our readers a bit of background on yourself and when you knew you wanted to work in the sports industry?
Hey, I’m Tyler. I’m 24, born and raised in East London and originally from Ghana. I’ve always loved football, but my first love was basketball. I used to watch one of my dad’s Michael Jordan VHS documentaries religiously alongside Toy Story 2 and Lion King, but my whole family were massive football fans. My dad is a Man Utd fan, and being born two weeks before the Champions League final in 1999, I guess I was always destined to become one, too. I grew up loving the “streets won’t forget” ballers: Luis Nani, Hatem Ben Arfa and of course, the father of them all, Ronaldinho – I used to spend hours in the arena on FIFA on my PSP practising 5* skills and the muscle memory remains till this day. So naturally, as soon as I learnt how to use editing software in my spare time at university, I used my newly acquired skills to celebrate the ‘skill-ers’ I grew up watching by making football compilations and posting them on my social media. They were well received, and I realised that if I could somehow, some way, turn making football content into my job, that would be unreal. So, I set off on trying to make that a reality.
What has your journey into the sports industry looked like?
I completed my last year of university during the infamous lockdown year, 2020, which meant I struggled with motivation to finish strong despite everything that was going on. However, after completing my Management degree, I was offered an opportunity to work at ViacomCBS, provided I got a decent grade. So I buckled down, finished my dissertation, graduated with a grade I was proud of, and started my role as a Junior Project Coordinator. I valued the experience of working in such a huge company fresh out of university, but I never felt it was where I wanted to stay long term, so I carried on working on my football videos in my spare time. Eventually, I was offered a production assistant and graphic designer job for a football YouTube channel.
Although the channel had 300,000+ subscribers, the team behind the scenes was tiny, so I had about five different jobs in one, from helping run live streams and designing thumbnails to writing articles for their website. However, none of the roles involved my main passion of making videos, so I left to seek something closer to what I envisioned for myself. That search ended up being way more challenging than I could have imagined, so when #MerkyFC came to be, I was first in line to register my interest because it felt like the opportunity I’d been waiting for. Once accepted into the programme, I applied for roles at Sky Sports, GOAL and VERSUS. Thankfully, two of the three offered me a job, and I ended up choosing VERSUS because I felt the role would allow me to express myself in any way I could think of, and luckily, I was right about that. I’ve been at VERSUS for over a year, and it has been the most rewarding job, so I’m very grateful my decision paid off.
You were recently promoted from Junior Creative to Videographer and Video Editor! Can you tell us more about your role and how it has developed over time?
What my role entailed was the question I had in my first week. Junior Creative was quite broad and open-ended and thus required me to find a lane where I could fit in and add value. Initially, I helped make TikTok videos on trending topics in the colliding worlds of football, fashion, and music. Over time, we realised that video editing was a skill I could use to elevate existing VERSUS content, so I started making clips as a visual aid to the VERSUS’ Future of Football’ podcast. Eventually, I made my first appearance on the podcast in an episode where we discussed the Premier League Hall of Fame and my NBA fandom and how the two relate to each other. The clip I made from that podcast was the first time my voice appeared on the VERSUS socials. It has since appeared many more times through narration videos, which I edit, either shining light on a lesser-known football story or taking people with me to one of the many amazing places I’ve been able to go, such as my trip to play at Old Trafford with Stormzy and the other #MerkyFC alumni.
I’ve also played at Stamford Bridge and had the opportunity to meet and work with footballers and people I’d only ever seen on TV, like Rafael Leāo, Declan Rice, Ghetts and Yaya Toure. As time passed, I wanted to build on my interest in videography, so I asked if I could tag along to shoots to capture behind-the-scenes footage. The first shoot was with one of my favourite UK rappers, AntsLive, and the video performed really well. That was when I started filming more in-real-life content for VERSUS, such as vox pops, photoshoots, and brand activations, which led to my promotion. My new camera will be arriving soon, and I’m gassed!
Can you tell us about one project you have worked on that you are proud of?
One piece of work I am particularly proud of is a narration video I made about the career of Laurie Cunningham, a football legend and a pioneer for black footballers in Europe. The video was created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush’s arrival in Britain, which allowed me to research and tell the story of a Black British icon who is not spoken about enough for all he achieved. You can watch the video here.
What has been your favourite thing about working at VERSUS?
My favourite thing about my role is the unpredictable nature of it, where exciting opportunities can pop up at any moment. For example, earlier this season, I was invited to the Diamond Lounge at the Emirates Stadium to attend the Arsenal Women’s season opener against Liverpool. At the time, this match held the WSL’s all-time attendance record with a crowd of 54,000+. Additionally, I got to shoot behind-the-scenes footage at two VERSUS photoshoots; one with the Chelsea Women’s team (who were sadly the most likeable team I’ve ever met) and the other with AntsLive, one of my favourite up-and-coming rappers Most recently, I travelled to Germany to shoot an interview with Sebastian Haller about his inspiring comeback from his cancer diagnosis and experience winning AFCON early this year. You can watch the Chelsea Women’s video here. The team and working environment are the best I’ve ever experienced. Everyone is so supportive and encouraging, and they give me the trust and freedom to create to the best of my ability, which I don’t take for granted.
One of the biggest challenges for young people who want to work in sports is the lack of knowledge about available opportunities. How did you get this opportunity to work at VERSUS?
First, I applied to the #MerkyFC programme because they offered me opportunities to work in football, which I had struggled to access previously. I interviewed Tobi from #MerkyFC and spoke about my desire to work in football. I was accepted onto the programme and given access to a job board, where I applied for roles at multiple football companies. I was invited to conduct interviews directly with the companies, and after two interviews with VERSUS, I was offered the role.
Would you recommend #MERKYFC to others looking to break into the industry?
I couldn’t recommend #MerkyFC more and have actively been encouraging younger members of my family and those who have reached out to me to apply. Not only did they give me access to roles I would not have been able to find outside of #MerkyFC, but they also offered support through the process itself: putting on seminars for interview preparation, general advice, and always being available to answer any questions we had about the process. Of the three jobs I applied for, VERSUS was actually the last one brought to my attention, and that was due to them joining the programme later than some of the other companies. Once they did join, Tobi called me, encouraging me to apply as he felt the role aligned with the job I was looking for. That level of personal attention was extremely helpful in helping me land the role I have now. #MerkyFC and Adidas are doing a fantastic thing for young people from underrepresented backgrounds like myself.
Did you face any challenges trying to get into the industry? If so, how were you able to overcome them?
The main challenge I faced was a lack of access. I knew my skill set could be valuable to multiple football companies, but I struggled to get a foot in the door to showcase that to them. Outside of #MerkyFC helping me get through those doors, I would say the main thing I learnt during my job search was persistence and self-belief. There were many times when I felt like I could have given up and looked for a job more aligned with my time at Viacom working in management. Still, I was determined to make my dream of working in football a reality, so I stuck with that plan until #MerkyFC gave me that helping hand.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a young person who is struggling to enter the sports industry?
I would tell that person always to back themselves and not to let self-doubt creep in. In more practical terms, social media is a powerful tool; reach out to people in the industry on Linkedin and talk to them about how to secure a role. Additionally, build your personal pages and a portfolio to get yourself out there and to have something to send people that shows examples of your work when the time comes. Look for junior roles at sports companies and work your way up the ladder. Also, enroll in programmes that try to help more young people get into the industry, like BCOMS and #MerkyFC, and don’t let setbacks stop you from looking for your dream job.
If you were to choose one person to shine a light on in the industry, who would it be and why?
For me, it would 100% be Tobi Ogundipe. He was the primary recruiter I spoke to at #MerkyFC, and he has made it his personal mission to get people like myself roles in inclusive companies. He has supported and encouraged me along my journey and even recommended I speak on a panel about my experience playing at Old Trafford (where he also scored a brace). I think the industry needs more people like him, and he’s an inspiration of mine.
Want to connect with Tyler? Head over to our Networks page to find out more.