By Hannah Thompson

Sport media students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are balancing school, work and career-building opportunities as they try to break into an industry where early experience can often come without pay.

But new scholarship created by the Jays Care Foundation—the philanthropy wing of the Toronto Blue Jays—and named for Buck Martinez offers financial aid to a sport media student who shows exceptional passion for sport, storytelling and their surrounding community.

Buck Martinez, a former Blue Jays player, manager and commentator, announced his retirement from Sportsnet following the 2025-2026 season after 38 years of calling games. The scholarship was announced following his induction into the Blue Jays Hall of Excellence on Aug. 29.

Emily Bancroft, a 2026 sport media alumna, said many students face financial challenges while trying to gain experience in the industry.

“Sports are really expensive, and I think one of the hardest parts about our program, specifically, is that a lot of starting work is unpaid,” said Bancroft.

Bancroft said students with more financial support can often pursue more opportunities on top of their academics, which eventually leads to foundational industry connections.

“A lot of people that I knew who had access to more financial aid were able to go a lot further than other people who were working a lot more part-time jobs,” she said.

Sarah Yee, a second-year sport media student, said career opportunities also come with additional expenses.

“I think it can make a huge difference because sometimes our pains could come with costs like travel or equipment and taking time away from your part-time job or your full-time job… Having [financial] support can make it a lot easier for us as students to just say yes to opportunities that could really help our careers,” said Yee.

In addition to their education, sport media students balance other tasks while attempting to stand out in the fast-paced sports industry.

“We’re balancing school, as well as also trying to build our own portfolios and then making connections and getting real-life experience,” said Yee.

On top of this, Joseph Recupero, an associate professor in sport media, said the pressures students face extend beyond tuition and missed networking opportunities.

“There’s a high cost of going to university nowadays. Tuitions are high, rents are high in Toronto. We’re in one of the most expensive markets in the whole country…There’s a lot of things that are pressured on students to participate in: go to class, be in extracurriculars, do all these things that aren’t paid,” said Recupero.

Recupero also said scholarships can help alleviate some pressure, even if they do not cover every expense.

“It’s not completely taking it away. It’s not like a completely free ride for students, but any bit helps,” he said.

The Buck Martinez Scholarship is also part of a broader history and legacy for sport media students and those working in the industry.

“It’s fantastic to see our program recognized at such a high level on a network broadcast on Sportsnet,” said Recupero.

For Bancroft, the scholarship also represents an opportunity for students to have an iconic figurehead in Canadian sports media intertwined with their education.

“Buck is, I think he really is, the epitome of sport media excellence in Canada, and he’s such a recognizable name and voice for us,” said Bancroft.

Yee hopes this will give future students the freedom to pursue chances they might have often turned down.

“I’d hope it allows us as students to say yes to opportunities we’re genuinely excited about,” said Yee.

“Whether that’s working at a major sporting event or travelling for an opportunity. Or just getting ourselves out there and getting experience.”