Stepping Stones: Senior broadcast venue manager at HBS Elizaveta Vorontsova talks learning on the job

Elizaverta Vorontsova checking the pitch for the centre camera shot for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Indonesia 2023

Elizaveta Vorontsova, HBS senior broadcast venue manager, has been working in sports broadcasting since 2018 when she was able to work on the FIFA World Cup in Russia. Her story is part of our Stepping Stones series, showcasing young female talent in sports broadcasting.

What is your job role today and what do you love about it?

I’m senior broadcast venue manager at HBS. I love that my job allows me to visit different places and meet and communicate with so many different people; it also makes me solve challenges of all kinds, which keeps me constantly curious about what life will bring next.

What does your current job entail on a day-to-day basis?

I’m writing this while I’m on the site inspection tour for another big project HBS is preparing for, so currently, it’s a lot of walking around the stadiums and taking pictures. But usually I would sit in the office trying to figure out how to set up and allocate all the infrastructure my colleagues from the production and engineering departments in Paris planned to send to some stadium somewhere on the other side of the world, and to also make sure that operationally all broadcast spaces will work in the way they have to.

Most of the time, a bit of the scheduling for installations and operations is also involved in my to-do list, but sometimes with this part, a bit of flexibility is required!

This all might sound easy, but it requires a lot of coordination (and communication!) between many different parties, making it quite complex and challenging.

HBS’ Elizaverta Vorontsova inspecting the then future 974 stadium for the Qatar World cup 2022

Can you talk us through your relevant education that helped you break into the sports broadcasting industry?

There is no school where you can learn how to be a broadcast venue manager, so I learned most things with experience and from the senior people I have worked with, and I keep learning every day. However, I have a degree in sports management, which obviously helps when you work in the sports events industry.

How did you get your first job in sports broadcasting, what was the role, and when?

It was the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. I got a junior position in the Local Organising Committee (LOC) broadcast department. That’s how it all started.

What happened next to get you where you are today?

HBS offered me a broadcast venue manager position almost right after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Since then, it just never stopped.

Where job would you like to be in in five or 10 years time? What are your career goals?

Half a year ago, I would have said that I wanted to lead the team on its way to preparing and delivering our next big projects. However, there have been so many exciting changes in HBS and the industry itself recently, so it would take me a bit of time now to see what will happen in the next five to 10 years and what I want to do with it.

Can you give us some top tips that really helped you get where you are today? 

Well, it may sound a bit cliché, but I worked hard on each project I was involved in, and I always tried to do things as best I could. Your networking is also vital.

It’s not easy to say what makes you a good broadcast venue manager, so I’ll mention just a few things that I believe are very important: stay flexible, open-minded, and ready to adapt to any circumstances; be very patient, polite, and attentive to details, never ignore any opinions or thoughts as some of them might bring you to the new solutions; take responsibility for your actions, accept mistakes and learn from it; try to think three to five steps ahead; and perhaps most crucially, keep your sense of humour!

Can you give us some tips on things not to do or to avoid when trying to get a role you really want?

Thinking that you can be in control of everything that is going on or that you know everything by delivering one to two projects; it’s a constant learning curve!

Elizaverta Vorontsova from HBS checking cable cam safety in the build up for the Arab Cup 2021

What would you say are the barriers to getting a job in the broadcast industry?

Being a woman is still the one for me. It’s not a secret that the broadcast industry is a male-dominated world, it’s not always easy to cope. It’s also a pretty closed environment; it’s only easy to make it inside if you know someone who can recommend you.

What would you recommend to other people thinking of working in the broadcast industry?

Think carefully about making that choice! It’s a fascinating world, always on the move. It’s addictive and very fast-paced; it takes a special type of personality to thrive. Once you are in, it can be a challenge to find the right balance with your personal life. It’s something to be vigilant about, and to take care of your mental health.