Luton Town FC partnership scores a student experience to remember

Students from the University of Bedfordshire had the opportunity to attend Luton Town Football Club’s pre-match press conference and report live on a Premier League game from the Hatters’ press box, as part of the Education Partnership between the two institutions.

Ahead of Luton Town’s clash with Crystal Palace, the University welcomed first team manager Rob Edwards and goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski to its Luton campus to host their official pre-match press conference (Friday 24th November).

After taking questions from established media outlets including Sky Sports News and BBC Three Counties Radio, Edwards and Kaminski then turned their attention to students from courses including Sports Journalism and Radio & Audio, who quizzed the special guests on everything from injury updates to the importance of the University’s partnership with the Club.

The following day, students were able to witness Luton Town’s first-ever Premier League win at Kenilworth Road live from the press box as the Club beat Crystal Palace 2-1. The students then had to produce a professional-standard match report as part of on assessment, enhancing student learning through industry experience.

Sports Journalism student, Muhammad Usman, said: “What an exhilarating few days! It was truly heart-warming to witness Luton’s success live and up close while experiencing a sensational day at the game. This will definitely be one to remember.”

This exciting experience is just one of the educational and career development opportunities available for students through the University’s partnership with the Club. Other benefits include home match tickets for students on relevant courses to give them insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of a Premier League football club.

Jon Boyle, course co-ordinator for Sports Journalism at the University said: “It’s a really exciting time to study Sports Journalism at the University of Bedfordshire as our students are enjoying incredible opportunities to report on live Premier League football, thanks to our partnership with Luton Town. Two of our graduates are currently working within the Hatters’ media department and we hope that many more will follow in the future.”

Andrew Barringer, PR Manager at Luton Town Football Club, added: “There is nothing better than real-life experience to prepare you for the busy world of sports journalism, so we were delighted to welcome the students to our press conference and then for the win against Crystal Palace. The students were incredibly enthusiastic and were not afraid to ask some probing questions in front of seasoned journalists.”