David Mosse interview

A welcome addition to the World Soccer Talk Podcast this season has the recruitment of David “Statman” Mosse whose expert opinions and treasure trove of stats always adds a unique perspective.

We took a few minutes recently to sit down with David Mosse to learn more about the man as well as his career at FOX Sports as their soccer researcher.

Christopher Harris (CH): How did you become a soccer researcher for FOX Sports?

David Mosse (DM): I started working there 3 years ago when it was still Fox Soccer Channel, which was a smaller operation than people realize. I had worked as a soccer researcher before and was looking to move to Los Angeles from the East Coast. I reached out to FSC and it turns out they didn’t have a researcher at the time, but were looking to add one, so they essentially created a new position for me. The timing worked out really well and when I went there to meet with them about the job, one of the first people who greeted me was none other than Nick Webster, who I of course knew as the star of Fox Football Fone-in.

CH: Walk me through a typical matchday when you’re working as a researcher. And how does the process work of feeding research to the producers and/or talent?

DM: On the days leading up to a broadcast, I’m in the office putting together notes that I send out to the producers and talent. I exchange emails with the producers suggesting topics we should discuss on the shows and pointing out information that could make for good graphics. I also work with the talent on scripts for the shows. On the days when we have matches, I arrive at the studio early to check all the graphics and make sure the script is in order. And I wear a headset during the shows to communicate with talent, feeding them additional information I think might be useful and answering any questions they have.

CH: How did you become a soccer fan, and what team do you support?

DM: I was born and raised in Brazil so I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. My favorite team growing up was Fluminense, but I’ve found it difficult to maintain the same interest in Brazilian domestic soccer living here in the United States. I root very hard for the national team and for Brazilians to do well with their European clubs.

CH: What advice do you have for listeners or readers who are interested in becoming a researcher for a sports media company?

DM: There really isn’t a job you can have beforehand that sets you up to be a researcher, so you just have to sell people on the fact that you know your stuff and can provide information they don’t already have that will make them look smart. In terms of a skill set, you better be interested in stats because a lot of the job is just plowing through numbers. Know where to find reliable information on the Internet, and I think it helps to be familiar with the history of the game, so you can put things in proper context.

CH: Tell us about where you live and grew up, and more info about your personal life.

DM: I was born and raised in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro to be exact. I moved to New York with my family when I was 10 and lived on the East Coast until 3 years ago when I came out to Los Angeles. I currently reside in Santa Monica one block from the beach, which is pretty cool. And I’m still single, which probably has something to do with the 200 hours of soccer I watch per week.