February 2015 | Leon Mann

February 28, 2015February 28, 2015 by Leon Mann

Diversity Guide Must Be Catalyst For Change In Sports Media

FINDING SOLUTIONS: Leon Mann, BCOMS founder, opens The D Word conference in 2014

There comes a point when things need to be said to be able to move on. For the Black Collective Of Media in Sport (BCOMS), a network of sports journalists from African and Caribbean backgrounds, that moment has arrived.

First the facts.

In 2014, not one national newspaper sent a black sports writer to the World Cup. While in TV land, across all of the major sporting events in the summer just one black presenter and one editor were involved. Speaking more broadly – the mainstream press have never had a black sports columnist, who hasn’t played sports at the highest level, and away from specialist newspapers such as The Voice and The Morning Star, there has never been a black sports editor in charge of the back pages.

What makes all of the above a bigger deal is the fact that our community is incredibly well represented on the pitch, track and in the ring. It is estimated that 30% of professional footballers are black, while there is also high levels of representation in sports including athletics and boxing.

BCOMS response was to hold a national conference looking for solutions to address a disturbing lack of diversity across the sports media. More than 150 delegates attended.

The day was a success and thanks to funding from FARE, European football’s anti-discrimination network, BCOMS were able to use the contributions from the day to develop a good practice guide to help the industry deliver greater diversity.

The response to the guide has been overwhelmingly positive so far. But my hope is that the guide is not filed away under ‘things to do’ or left with a red flag next to it in an inbox. The sports media must move with urgency to reflect our nation and the interest and participation our community has in sport.

Football’s Problem

A black man is racially abused and prevented from getting on Paris Metro by Chelsea fans

Football brings people together. We hear it all the time. I proudly say it on TV a lot – when reporting on the games good causes. But with the good, can also come the bad.

Football brought racist thugs together with a black man on the Paris Metro, who was subsequently abused. Therefore, for me, those running the sport must take responsibility for what happened and double their efforts to ensure that the customers coming to deposit money in football’s pockets behave themselves.

– This column first appeared in The Voice Newspaper

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February 18, 2015February 18, 2015 by Leon Mann

Guide Launched To Help Sports Media Tackle Diversity Issues

IT’S TIME FOR ACTION: Opening panel at D Word conference offer ideas to address lack of diversity in the sports media

The first ever guide to addressing the lack of diversity in the sports media has been launched by the Black Collective Of Media In Sport (BCOMS) – a network of sports journalists from African and Caribbean communities.

Funded by FARE, European football’s anti-discrimination and social inclusion network, the D Word guide offers the sports media ideas and action points to help tackle worryingly low levels of diversity across all areas of the industry.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE D WORD GUIDE HERE – The D Word Guide

It also highlights the black community’s experience in the sports media in 2014, where only one presenter and one editor were involved in coverage of the major sports events last summer across mainstream national television channels. Meanwhile in the written press – no black football writer from the national press went to the World Cup.

The guide – which covers all areas of diversity – also underlines the fact that there has never been a black sports editor at a newspaper, nor has there been a black sports columnist that has not been a professional athlete at the highest level.

The contributions to the guide are taken from a national conference held in London last year – where heads of sports channels, editors, producers, writers and representatives from across the sports media came together to debate and discuss how best to address the lack of diversity in the industry.

BCOMS founder and sports journalist, Leon Mann, said: “The black community continues to make a significant impact in sport on the field, track and in the ring, but away from the action the levels of diversity are dire. The same can be said for other groups who contributed to this guide.

“The sports media has got better at covering issues of under-representation, but it has needed to have a look at itself in the mirror for sometime. The D Word conference presented that opportunity. Now we hope the D Word guide can help to drive change. The situation as it is, is uncomfortable to say the least and must be addressed.”

Notes

For further information on BCOMS please click here
For more information on FARE please click here

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February 9, 2015 by Leon Mann

‘Sir Les’ Just The Man For The Job At QPR

FUTURE LEADERS?: Les Ferdinand alongside fellow On Board graduates in 2014

English football has it’s first black director of football in the shape of Les Ferdinand MBE at QPR – and I’m buzzing about it.

OK there aren’t, and haven’t been, an awful lot of directors of football in the game’s history – but I’m incredibly pleased to finally see the black community represented at this level in the sport’s structures.

Let’s face it, away from our 25 per cent of black players on the pitch we have little or no representation.

This position is far more powerful than sitting in the dugout every Saturday as the manager. It offers genuine power and influence.

It offers an opportunity to create a culture and structure that sees both the team and club (business) flourish and grow. It also offers far more time in the role to make an impact.

And ‘Sir Les’ is just the man for the job. Not because he’s a QPR legend – although that will make it a popular move with the fans – but because he has an understanding of the boardroom and tremendous experience of all aspects of professional football at shop floor level.

Just last year Les graduated from a corporate governance course set up by former Premier League footballers – Jason Roberts MBE, Michael Johnson, Darren Moore, David Barnett – Managing Director of the Governance Forum, Professor Karl George MBE and myself.

Sport On Board, funded by the Professional Footballers’ Association, was designed to offer the industry board candidates who had played the game and were from diverse backgrounds.

On both counts the course had an open goal to aim, as football’s boards are not very diverse. Actually, scrap that – sport’s boards are not very diverse, at all.

A study last year revealed only 14 BAME people across 449 boardroom positions. Meanwhile, there are very few former pros on football’s boards.

However, it would be misleading to suggest Sport On Board got Les the QPR role – it didn’t – but it is worth considering the following?

Did the course offer him added confidence about taking on the position? Maybe.

Did it teach him a set of skills that will help him in the role? Almost certainly.

Did it give him a firm understanding of good governance and decision-making? Absolutely.

Good luck to Les, hopefully he is the first of many Sport On Board graduates to be given an opportunity.

– This column first appeared in The Voice Newspaper

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February 4, 2015 by Leon Mann

Feltham Prison Visit

Google ‘Feltham prison’ and you are likely to be sat in front of your computer screen trawling through endless horror stories. And based on this, you may feel that young offenders serving time should remain locked up – forever.

So I wanted to write this blog to share some positivity I found on a visit to Feltham, with an initiative working with young offenders at the prison. I felt it was important to offer a different experience, and some balance, to the majority of stories you will read.

But first let me tell you about what I knew about Feltham before the visit. You see, I am from Haringey in north London – and was well aware of the prison long before Google existed. The word Feltham got thrown around a lot in my youth. But interestingly, it was used by many as some kind of badge of honour. To some, having been in Feltham made them untouchable on the streets. It secured their status as people not to mess with. The F word was feared – but for all the wrong reasons. You weren’t a proper ‘bad bwoy’ if you hadn’t been…

Despite all of this, as soon as I was asked to take part in a Dragon’s Den event at the prison I jumped at the chance. Why? Curiosity – yes. But mainly because I believe young people deserve a second chance. And I recognise that without the support my parents offered me maybe I would have ended up in trouble, too. Life deals everyone a different hand.

Organised by Principles In Finance – a non profit, training organisation that aims to re-integrate the principles of personal financial management into the community – the Dragon’s Den event brought panellists, who had enjoyed successful careers, into the prison to listen to 14 young offenders business ideas. The winner would be given a cash prize to help get their business started while working with Principles In Finance.

The event was a real eye opener. The young people presented their ideas in front of 60 fellow young offenders at the prison and delivered their pitches incredibly professionally. They had clearly put a lot of hard work into the initiative. Many of the ideas were themed around creating work for ex-offenders, so the young people could support their families and be more likely to avoid reoffending. They weren’t just thinking about their bank accounts – they wanted to lead a movement.

Our panel of Dragon’s held their work in such high regard that instead of rewarding one winner – two fellow panellists kindly donated additional funds so three of the young people had the opportunity to develop their business ideas.

As I walked away from the prison I reflected on what I had experienced. These guys wanted to better themselves. These guys weren’t just talking, they were proactively preparing for the next phase of their lives. These guys were committed to change.

I did not get the feeling that these young people will treat their time in Feltham as a badge of honour. Instead, I believe and hope – with support and an opportunity – they will put the F word behind them, and use their skills to help others to do so too.

I am no expert in working with young offenders, but I saw just how valuable and important Principles In Finance work was in Feltham that day, and am proud to have played a small part in the success of this event.

For further information on Principles In Finance please go to – www.principlesinfinance.com

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