But Do You Actually Like Sport?

My Substack debut!

If you are reading this, my first thought is to say a huge thank you for making it this far. It means a lot that you’re showing any interest in my writing. 

I’m Molly McElwee and I write about sport. I did that for nearly six years at the Daily Telegraph, where I was lucky enough to travel to some of the biggest sporting events in the world. I also covered new ground, as one of the very first journalists dedicated to reporting on women’s sport at a UK national newspaper. 

I recently made the decision to go freelance and, to mark this new professional moment, I thought I’d set up this space to put virtual pen to paper. 

My interests are still very much the same as always: sport and how it intersects with wider culture, with a special focus on tennis and anything related to women and their place in sport. 

I’ll be giving my take on the stories I’m following and offering a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to be a reporter at live events. I’ll also share some recommendations into things I’ve been watching, listening to and reading. 

But Do You Actually Like Sport? will always include free content, but some of it will be behind a paywall for paid subscribers - I would love it if you would consider supporting my work via the button below.

Now, for why I settled on the name But Do You Actually Like Sport? Quite simply, I cannot count how many times I have been asked this question. As soon as I share with someone new that I’m a sports journalist, it almost always follows. 

It has come from well-meaning friends of friends, while chatting at the pub after a full day of work. I was asked it on a painfully awkward date once. Inquisitive taxi drivers have asked me the question, as well as people sat next to me on long train journeys. An unusually chatty US immigration officer at JFK Airport asked me too, while he forensically examined my visa documents. 

“Yes, I do like sport,” is always my reply, and - as strange as I find the question - it mostly sparks fun conversations. Genuinely interested follow-ups about what the job is like. Once I got a “good for you, love” and a 15 minute chat with a taxi driver about his newfound interest in Manchester United’s women’s team (“The men are shite at the minute, so the women have given me something to cheer for!”). 

Other times though there have been less positive responses, bemused smirks or quizzical expressions. Sometimes I’ve had patronising questions like, “who’s the England manager then?”. Once I was asked whether I was just feigning an interest in sport because it would make me more attractive to men. Another time, when I shared that I report mainly on women’s sport, I had a, “Well, that’s not really the same thing is it”. Charming.

Photo by Aleksandar Kyng on Unsplash

Whether the question is innocently asked or not, I know it is only asked because I’m a woman. I’m yet to find a male colleague who has ever been questioned about their interest in sport. It might sound ridiculous, but people are still surprised in 2024 to find a woman dedicating her working life to following sport.

I’m obviously not alone. I’m lucky to have had incredible mentors who led the way and there are thankfully many women that present, produce and report on sport - either on television, radio, podcasts, online or for newspapers. Women are still in the minority, but there are more and more every day. And women are finally getting mainstream attention on the sporting field too. I’ve seen this shift happen first-hand from the press box and it’s been a complete joy to witness. 

But the fact that I’m still asked about whether I actually like sport, considering it is a pretty obvious prerequisite for doing the job, is a regular reminder that there’s more work to be done. It’s worth it to be involved in sport at all though, as I get to see greatness up close and feel a part of the action in even the tiniest way. 

So the main aim with But Do You Actually Like Sport? is to bring you into that space, sharing what it’s like to report on the thrilling, often bonkers world of sport. This will be the first of a weekly post from me, which I hope you’ll enjoy reading!

Thanks for joining me!

Molly

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