Mike Minay’s Match of the Day debut is an LGBTQ ‘lightbulb moment’
February 2026 represented a career high for commentator Mike Minay, all capped off by a DM that provided an important link between the football media industry and LGBT+ History Month…
Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle proved to be the end of Thomas Frank’s managerial tenure in north London, but high up in the stadium, Mike Minay was marking a debut.
It was the broadcaster’s first assignment for Match of the Day, almost exactly 13 years since he started as a commentator (Dover 3-2 Welling, for BBC Radio Kent). In what was a busy week, he also called Burnley’s 3-2 win at Crystal Palace 24 hours later for TNT while celebrating his 34th birthday.
Mike has worked so hard to move on up in football media, which nowadays means having to show off your social media skills as well. One measure of his impact can be found in a post he made on X late last week, in which he shared a DM from a follower.
Alongside updates from his commentary adventures, Mike will occasionally share the odd photo with his boyfriend Paul, from a holiday, event or just walkies with their dog, Rex. In the bio of his social accounts, he has a Pride rainbow flag emoji.
In their DM, the user explained they are a budding sports broadcaster who is also gay. “I never thought being open about my sexuality would be an option,” they wrote. Now they felt they didn’t have to hide part of who they are. A little visibility from Mike had gone a long way.
February was LGBT+ History Month, and also the annual Month of Action for the Football v Homophobia campaign, which I help to deliver through Sports Media LGBT+. We’re now in the fifth year of a partnership with the FWA, with the aim of promoting inclusion and breaking down barriers.
It might surprise you that any such barriers still exist in our industry, so I reached out to Mike to get his perspective.
“In all honesty, I’ve never seen myself as a role model, but at the same time, I’m aware that there aren’t many out gay men in the commentary box,” he said.
Even when there’s a lot of representation elsewhere, such as in the women’s game, you can end up feeling like ‘the only one’ in your workplace. That plays on your mind, and over time, can affect how you interact with the world.
Mike put it very well. “I don’t want to be necessarily known as “the gay commentator” – I want to be known for my ability, but at the same time, I don’t hide my sexuality.
“If it helps to influence a conversation or, equally as important, if it inspires others, then I’m really proud of that.”
When Mike gets to step away from the mic on matchdays, he gives back to the community as well. He’s twice hosted the FvH Awards when held in Manchester, and has shared his story on podcasts, including one recorded at an edition of our annual Football Pride event.
But he appreciates that for most people, those ‘extra-curricular’ moments probably go unseen. “My role is just to call games live, and that doesn’t provide much visibility – I’m a faceless voice most of the time.
“I do talk about being LGBT+ at public events on occasion, and on social media, and I carry the rainbow flag emoji on my social pages. I feel it’s important to do that.
“Receiving the message as I did really opened my eyes to how I’m viewed and how, by me being in the position I am, there’s a case of ‘see it, be it’ – and that gives me pride too.”
Out gay and bi men in media push football forward
I’m particularly conscious that this very positive story is only really made possible by social media, and it comes at a time when abuse appears to be rampant on the most popular platforms, not least X.
In February, there were plenty of posts about the Premier League’s new ‘With Pride’ initiative (an evolution of Rainbow Laces) while EFL clubs shared content linked to the Rainbow Ball activation. Usually, there are hateful comments and replies, too.
Add in ‘ragebait’ and engagement farming, and it means inclusion campaigns can end up feeling like an exercise in defiance, due to the discrimination on open display.
At the same time, we have had ongoing examples of abhorrent racist DMs sent to male professional footballers, while in the WSL, Leicester’s Hannah Cain has recently spoken about how “really ugly” abuse affects women players.
It’s not isolated to social media either. Already in 2025/26, Kick It Out has received more reports of homophobia than ever before in a season, while reports of transphobia are rising too. Football broadcasting is by no means immune to this – just watch Lianne Sanderson’s reel from November.
It would be easy to just shrug in despair, or allow the various awareness weeks to simply wash over you. However, that DM sent to Mike reminds us that there is always someone out there who is waiting to stand up and surf the wave.
They all hit differently, after all, depending on our mood and where we are in our lives. The story of a gay or bisexual man working on Match of the Day or someone out as LGBT+ elsewhere in the media, particularly when there isn’t that representation out on the pitch or in the dugout, pushes football forward.
“We’ve come very far in recent years, and that’s only a good thing,” adds Mike. “So many people do much more visible and progressive work than I do and, if anything, they help to shape my path.
“The broadcasters I work with have been nothing but brilliant, and to be fair, my sexuality hasn’t been an issue and rarely crops up. But when it does, they are supportive and want to learn.
“Representation is getting better. I know I never had that role model to look up to necessarily, just to know you could be LGBT+ and work in football or be a commentator.
“But that’s changing for younger people now, whether behind a mic or in front of a camera.”
Another of Mike’s commentary matches in February was Grimsby v Wolves in the FA Cup, which required him to undertake “the scariest gantry walk” of his career to date.
“I don’t like ladders! I was putting on a brave face,” he admitted, when sharing a video of himself on top of the Blundell Park roof, in the wind and rain.
A lot of football fans will tell you that being a commentator sounds like a simple job, although this reel proves it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Being yourself requires a little courage, too. In turn, it invites empathy and helps others build confidence. So be sure to celebrate all those media milestones, TV and radio debuts, and career achievements.
Your visibility could even result in someone discovering their authentic voice for the first time, giving them the lightbulb moment that illuminates their own path.
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