From Screen to Stadium: Kate Tencza’s Journey into Football Media

Posted on: 14 April 2026 by Kate Tencza in Where are they now?

Kate Tencza shares how she transitioned from Emmy-nominated TV production into football through the Football Industries MBA at the University of Liverpool, and how she’s now using storytelling to connect clubs and supporters in an evolving game.

You’ve described discovering the FIMBA programme at the University of Liverpool as “love at first sight.” What motivated you to take this significant step in your academic and professional journey?

I had been working in television production and post-production for many years. When I first started out, I worked in person with large crews and teams. During the pandemic, however, most of my work moved online. Suddenly I was editing TV shows from my apartment with people in other cities that I would never meet in real life, which felt very disconnected.

I discovered football and how deeply rooted it is in community during this time that I was craving more connection, so I started considering a career pivot into sports. On top of that, the TV industry started to contract after actors’ and writers’ strikes in 2023, when streamers stopped commissioning as many series. I thought that going to grad school and learning new business skills would be beneficial no matter what new role I pivoted into. When I found a postgraduate programme that combined both an MBA and insight into the football industry specifically, it was a perfect fit. There was no hesitation about applying; it just felt right.

Looking back on your time in the FIMBA programme, what moments, experiences, or modules stand out as particular highlights for you?

Our international study trips to Madrid and Switzerland were immersive experiences that I will never forget. They bonded the cohort against a backdrop of site visits and talks that helped us understand how what we were learning in class applied directly to the professional world. 

I also enjoyed modules like 'International Football Industry' and 'Becoming a Football Executive', because we were thrown into pressure-cooker situations, working with small groups to develop presentations and make decisions on the fly. 

Finally, I enjoyed our friendly football match against the MSc Sports Business programme. It was a competitive game on a beautiful day at Prenton Park – a unique experience of which I think we should all be proud.

Now that you’ve graduated, what are the next steps in your career, and how has the programme helped shape your direction?

Right now I am staying in the UK, currently working a short-term job in traditional TV production while searching for a full-time media role in the football industry. The role I picture would be a hands-on creative role within a professional club, but I am keeping an open mind about working for agencies, partners, and broadcasters. I also have an interest in supporter-facing roles, since fans are the lifeblood of any football club. 

The programme has helped shape my direction primarily through the research I did for my dissertation, which concerned fan-owned football clubs, as well as through discussion of supporter journeys in our Sports Operations module. Being in Liverpool for the programme likewise assisted me by allowing me to network with local football clubs and organisations. The extracurricular experiences I’ve had have been vital for building my portfolio and understanding grassroots football in the UK.

You’re currently producing sports content for football clubs. Could you tell us more about some of the projects you’ve been working on and what you’ve enjoyed most about them?

I’ve been volunteering for the past year, primarily as a photographer for local non-league side Bootle FC. Getting regular practice has been essential for my development as a visual creative in the football space – plus, there is something so authentic and special about the non-league matchday experience. I have also made short-form video content of Liverpool Feds women’s football club and for Future Global Sports, an agency owned by another FIMBA alum. I enjoyed being able to witness a player transfer from non-league to League One and to capture the day for them. 

Last spring, I also volunteered as a photographer for the Women in Football Be Inspired Conference. Being in the room with so many like-minded women in the industry (including the women from my FIMBA cohort), getting to photograph the incredible Emma Hayes and so many other changemakers within the game, was a phenomenal experience.

From your experience and aspirations, what do you feel you can contribute to the football industry, especially as it continues to evolve?

Football has evolved over the past several decades to be an increasingly commercial enterprise. Traditional supporters often feel that their experience of the game they love is being commodified at every turn, while international supporters long to feel a part of an experience they’ve only ever seen through a screen.

Additionally, in the age of AI and deepfake videos, sport is one of the few things that still feels real. I have spent over a decade crafting authentic stories about real people for television – studying human nature, then figuring out how to portray it in ways that are emotional, comedic, or strictly without comment or judgement. I think I can apply that skill set to telling stories within football that make supporters continue to feel seen, valued, and connected to the clubs and game that form such an important part of their lives.