Tosin Gbaja
Where Sport Meets Culture
Exploring how sport connects people, shapes culture, and creates experiences.
Sport. Culture. Experiences. People.
Sport
Operations · Events · Governance · Strategy · Leadership
Culture
Fans · Media · Fashion · Music · Travel · Trends
Experiences
Fan experience · Student experience · Events · Hospitality · Participation
People
Careers · Mentorship · Leadership · Partnerships · Professional development
The Story
The throughline
I build moments where people feel they belong in sport, and I use my platforms to explain why those moments matter. From working at West Ham during Premier League and European matchdays and to educational settings on university campuses and summer schools, means designing the experience to fit the diversity of students.
Through Sport Shifts, it means building community and events around sport.
Through writing, speaking and documentary work, it means exploring the culture, identity and stories that shape how sport is experienced.
Different formats, same throughline: build it, or explore it; sometimes both.
Portfolio
Everything, in one place
Work experience, selected projects, writing, podcast and speaking, the full picture of what "where sport meets culture" looks like in practice.
On The Pitch
Selected work
Sport Shifts: Founder
4 years building and running a sports community and events platform, including a cricket hospitality day at The Oval with ACE, plus panels, grassroots workshops and networking, sustained through funding and partnerships, closed on its own terms.
Documentary contributions
Featured in Throw In The Kitchen Sink, Jogo Bonito: Black Joy, the Unity Cup documentary, and Blue Is The Colour (screened at the Saatchi Gallery).
Work Experience
Sport-first, roles across 9+ years
Education & Qualifications
Oct 2025 – Present
MSc Sport Management
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck Women in Sport Scholarship recipient, 2025/26.
2:1
BA (Hons) Business & Sports Management
University of Winchester
Athletics team member.
13th Cohort
Certificate in Player Care
The Player Care Group
The Public Voice
Writing, Podcast & Speaking
Writing
Thiiird Magazine, SEASON zine & Substack
Interviews and essays on fandom, culture and the stories behind sport, including a Swim Dem Crew feature and an ongoing Substack.
Podcast
Guest appearances
Above the Knee, Offside Outlet and others, on football culture, career journeys and building Sport Shifts.
A solo show is in planning.
Speaking
Panels & workshops
Adidas, Arsenal in the Community, Chance to Shine, Fair Game UK, Birkbeck, Manchester City's Sports Business School, momentum.on, and Different Pathways at Charlton Athletic — on sport, culture and career pathways.