Majority of BBC Sport managers agree to MediaCityUK move

Over half of the senior managers within the BBC Sport department have agreed to make the move to the broadcaster's new northern base at MediaCityUK, it has been announced.

55% of the managers, from the BBC grades eight and nine, will now make the move as part of the much vaunted multi-departmental relocation from London to Salford Quays in 2011.

When taken in tandem with the earlier announcement that 42% of senior managers (grades eight to 11) have agreed to the move, this now means that 45% of high level staff from Sport, Children’s, 5 Live, Learning and parts of Future Media and Technology will be heading North.

A figure of over 40% is said to be high for such a large scale relocation, irrespective of whether it is in the public or private sector.

Barbara Slater, the director of BBC Sport, said of the results: “I am very pleased with the response we have received and both the numbers and high skills base of those saying yes.

"The move to Salford represents a transformational change for the whole BBC and it is very exciting to know we can plan for our new future with a mixture of experience and the new talent we will need to attract.

"I also want to add that I fully appreciate what a major decision it is for people and that it has not been possible for all colleagues to say yes for a variety of personal and family reasons.”

The final round of staff decisions will now be made in the autumn.

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