Exeter students launch national sport website

Tom, a third-year Exercise and Sport Science Student, and Matt, (BSc Exercise and Sport Sciences 2010) and a current Sport Science Masters student, gained funding through the Smart Solutions Award – a scheme to help start up student businesses. They launched the site in November 2010.

Tom said: “I have been involved with student sport throughout my time at Exeter, representing the University at both rugby union and cricket.  I was always surprised at the lack of media coverage there was within student sport and had a few ideas about ways to improve university level sport. 

“I quickly realized that online magazines are the future and through my further research into the student sport market I found that not only was there potential to create an online magazine but also potential to  create a platform to really drive the awareness of student sport. After approaching Matt, my now business partner, we co-founded UniSportOnline.”

UniSportOnline is increasing the media coverage of student sport across the UK, allowing students to share their sporting experiences online and making student sport a more connected place.

The website, www.unisportonline.co.uk, provides all the latest news, match reports and articles from student sport across the UK, and offers Alumni the opportunity to keep up to date with how their old sport teams are doing in the leagues. UniSportOnline is providing a platform for student athletes to raise their profiles, as well as promoting young journalists.  The site is read by a growing number of students across the UK.

Matt said: “The idea has developed rapidly over this academic year and we have had some great help from a number of people at the University and The Innovation Centre, with Joe Pearce (Business Support Manager), being an amazing mentor for us from the start. I am really looking forward to developing UniSportOnline further with the aim of giving University sport the profile it deserves.”

If you would like to know more about UniSportOnline or get involved with the development of the project please contact the Alumni Relations department alumni@exeter.ac.uk