Daniel Chan | Sports presenter: “Perseverance—the common spirit of sports and Hong Kong”
Daniel is a sports presenter in Hong Kong who works for multiple mass and online media as well as a commentator for different sports. He recently founded his own creative agency while maintaining his care for society and frequently speaking up for justice. He shares with us the reflections and meanings sports brought him in this interview.
“Sports puts the spirit of perseverance on the table, which can bring quite some inspiration and encouragement to Hong Kong. The situation in Hong Kong now is like Watford VS Liverpool in the recent Premier League football match, the relegation-threatened versus the European Champion. And guess what? The bottom feeder defeated the European Champion by 3-0!The only difference is that football matches are closely scheduled so that even if you mess up, you could always try harder next time; yet with us, this might actually be our last chance.”
Journalist: King Kenny
Photographer: I am Z
I am Daniel Chan, a sports commentator. However, being a sports commentator is actually not my first job. Since I was a kid, I've always longed to join the media industry, yet somehow I ended up studying geography in university. However, my dream for the media industry did not fade, which is why I became a program assistant in Commercial Radio Hong Kong (CRHK) through the Joint Institutions Job Information System (JIJIS). I helped with Mr Albert Cheng and Mr Chan Wing Luk's politics and financial programs. Eventually, I had the chance to host a sports program on CRHK, which marked the beginning of my career as a sports presenter and commentator.
Job as a sports commentator
Some of my friends would still joke about not knowing what I actually do, as they usually only see or hear me through different channels. Possibly driven by my personality, I really enjoy taking part in different things, and I don't really need to settle down in one particular place. I've worked in media outlets such as Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), ESPN Star Sports, Eurosport, TVB and ViuTV as well as working as a freelancer after I left CRHK three years since I started working there. Now I mainly work for FOX Sports and Now TV. Meanwhile, I have always had two sort-of careers in parallel. I joined an international sports PR company in 2003. Then in 2005, I went to a company under Li Ning the man himself to work in Shanghai as an athlete manager. Over the years, between 2006 and 2010, I came back to Hong Kong and made some investments in another local sports PR company. I've established my own marketing and creative companies lately, mainly focusing on planning strategies on digital media and content production for various brands.
Some might be curious about what sports commentators do. My day basically starts when you go to sleep. That's because Hong Kong's time zone is GMT+8, and most overseas sports matches happen at night after midnight HKT. Lately, I've covered events from all over the globe. Some people are curious about how I got into the business. See—we do it somewhat differently here in Hong Kong. Here, there isn't any set way for one to get into this business, nor are there any specified courses or qualifications required, unlike how 'Sports Broadcasting' is its own academic subject in other places. Neither can we start our career by commentating inter-school competitions, as such, social relationships are often required for one to stand a chance. Of course, you can always try your luck with some self-made commentating videos; like how a YouTuber does it. I had the opportunity to host sports programs in CRHK, and it was not long after I left CRHK did I receive RTHK's invitation to work as a football commentator there. After that, I joined ESPN Stars Sports under others' introduction and recommendation.
Nonetheless, sports commentating still remains an uncommon career in Hong Kong. Professional commentators only spend a small portion of their working hours commentating, where they spend most of the time on preparatory work behind the scenes. In football commentary, such preparations would include familiarising ourselves with the two teams' play style in the recent seasons, line-ups in the past games, news with the teams, and star players gossips etc. When these 'great battles' come up, professional commentators would turn towards tactic analysis, and for less-heated matches, we would probably focus more upon the stories behind the team and player.
My commentating work is not only limited to football and motorsport. I've also commentated on the NBA, NHL as well as commentating on the Olympic and Winter Olympic games. When dealing with an unfamiliar sport, I'd always take my time to learn the ruleset, tactics and details so that I can actually focus on commentating when I get to it. It's just as what the Rally racer Colin McRae said: "When in doubt, flat out." This is the faith I keep to face my life.
The meaning of sports
I've always thought that the principles which we draw from sports can not only be used on the tracks but also be applied upon our lives. The former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, said: "sports have the power to change the world." It's just like how we Hongkongers say one's actions when playing mahjong reflects their personality. To me, such principle, as a universal principle, applies to everything and everywhere, across the boundaries which time and rivers have set. World-class athletes' attitudes are what makes them truly world-class, setting them apart from those who have only flair and skill. Taking Hong Kong national track cyclist Sarah Lee as an example: the national team's coach once told her to give up, yet her persistence eventually made her a world champion and probably soon an Olympics gold medalist. What Sarah Lee and other Hong Kong athletes had been through is essentially Hongkongers' spirits on display. No matter how adverse the environment is, how scarce the resources are, they still try hard to strive for their best. How about Hongkongers? Hongkongers are those who do not care about how sturdy and tall the walls are. Those who do not give up are those who do not surrender. We might dip our head into work, but no one can ever lower our heads.
The social status of Hong Kong athletes and the degree of attention given have improved by far in the last decade. Other than Sarah Lee, Mr So Wa-wai, a para-athlete who competed in the Paralympics 4 times, is amongst the athletes I admire dearly. Despite winning six Paralympics golds plus many more in countless competitions as well as being a multiple world record holder, he never brags nor looks down upon others, while constantly training to obtain a breakthrough. It's not just So Wa-wai—most Hong Kong athletes bear the same spirit, never giving up no matter what is to be faced, "meeting with Triumph and disaster, and treat these two imposters just the same." So has Asian Games medallist Daniel Lee got something for us to learn from? He might not be the best in the world in triathlon, but under the limited time, space and supplies, he had done the best he could. So is the same with Stephanie Au, a fourth time Olympian at Tokyo 2020. I have learnt so much from them. So I always ask: what can I give back?
Sports and Hong Kong
The former chief executive of Hong Kong, CY Leung, once said that sports make no economic contribution to Hong Kong*[1]. This, in some ways, reflects what the sports' situation in Hong Kong is like. It's not that we are incapable of organising sports events, such as the Hong Kong Marathon, Rugby 7, etc. However, the sports industry relies too much on government funds, while lacking a long term strategy, which is why the industry chain is still not built. A strategy has to take all the technical, political, and financial aspects into account, or else it wouldn't be sustainable. Despite our sports organisations having a lot of executive power, they lack aspirations. Sports should be able to boost the economy if planted in the right soil, yet Hong Kong is not that soil, at least not yet.
What happened in Hong Kong this year surely did leave me a mark in my soul, yet I am almost happy to see how many people still remain professional, giving selflessly in their posts. Since I'm from the sports industry, I've always been thinking of ways to give more in my professional post. While facing a camera, I have to focus on sports, but I am a firm believer that sports have a deeper meaning to it. Sports puts the spirit of perseverance on the table, which can bring quite some inspiration and encouragement to Hong Kong. The situation in Hong Kong now is like Watford VS Liverpool in the recent Premier League football match, the relegation-threatened versus the European Champion. And guess what? The bottom feeder defeated the European Champion by 3-0! The only difference is that football matches are closely scheduled so that even if you mess up, you could always try harder next time; yet with us, this might actually be our last chance.
What I'm trying to say is that when you don't know how it will end; neither do you know who will win, nor whether we'll get anything out of it, where do you position yourself?
So I look towards the Hong Kong sportsmen whom I know. They all make great models. Even when they know that the effort they put in probably won't yield directly proportional results, and despite knowing that it's almost impossible to become the best in the world, they would still give everything into their training, striving for the best. Their stories encourage us Hongkongers to never give up, and maybe that's what the Lion Rock spirit is these days.
“I’m Daniel Chan, I am a HKer.”
*[1] Former Chief Executive CY Leung, while elaborating on the controversial Chief Executive election plan in Hong Kong, said sectors such as sports and religion that ‘have no economic contribution to Hong Kong’ could also take part in the nomination process.
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