Solent students broadcast Hampshire FA Cup history

Solent University students gave football fans the chance to watch a piece of football history being made in Hampshire last week.

Students on the MA Sports Broadcast Journalism, BA (Hons) TV Production and BSc (Hons) Live Event Technology degrees live streamed the Men’s and Women’s Senior Hampshire FA Cup Finals at Portsmouth FC’s Fratton Park. With footage captured by the students being used in an ITV Meridien bulletin later that evening. 

Basingstoke Town won a league and cup treble for the very first time, after a 95^th minute winner against AFC Bournemouth’s Academy team.

The Cherries’ Women’s team lifted the trophy in dramatic fashion where all eleven players had to take penalty kicks to be able to beat Southampton FC’s Academy.

David Reilly, Senior Lecturer in Sports Journalism, said: “The students had two big games to cover this week and they did the fans, the course and the University proud. Our students were the presenters, commentators, pitch-side reporters and social media producers for more than four hours of live sport this week and they did a brilliant job.

It was a brilliant experience for them, especially as the matches were played at Fratton Park, which is a former Premier League stadium with lots of history.

I thought their coverage was excellent and I think fans of all four teams will feel that they gave a good flavour of what the cup finals was like.”

This year, the students got to use a new Outside Broadcast truck with industry-standard equipment, including replays, live graphics and Technical Instructor Ian Williamson, who oversaw the production, said: “We are always looking for real-world scenarios for our students and they don't come more real than this. They got to operate the cameras, sound, vision mix, graphics, direct and manage a live sporting event at a Cup Final, which is a great experience for them, especially working with industry standard equipment to a high level of output.

I'm proud of the students and the level of production that we were able to offer and we're already looking forward to next year.”