At a sellout ceremony at Battersea Revolution in London, the winners of the Sport Industry Awards 2008 were unveiled to a packed house of industry ambassadors and sport and entertainment celebrities.
All the winners were in attendance to pick up their awards including Sir Bobby Charlton, who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to the England and Manchester United football legend by fellow knights, Sir Michael Parkinson and Sir Henry Cooper.
Following in the footsteps of last year’s winner David Beckham, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson was presented with the Virgin Atlantic Outstanding Contribution to British Sport for her outstanding work both on and off the track in the development of the Paralympic movement.
The recently retired Grey-Thompson – the greatest Paralympian of all time - received her award from her compatriot and hero, former Welsh fly half and arguably the greatest rugby player of all time, Gareth Edwards.
Elsewhere, UK Sport chair Sue Campbell CBE was presented with the inaugural Marsh Leadership in Sport Award for her ground-breaking and consistent endeavours to develop the sporting infrastructure in this country, while Setanta Sports’ substantial impact on the sports broadcasting sector in 2007 was crowned as the Sport Business Achievement of the Year.
SPORT INDUSTRY AWARDS 2008 - WINNERS LIST
- Best Integrated Sport Marketing Campaign
Sponsored by EA Sports
Winner: Samsung Electronics – Passionate about Football, Inspired by Style - Best Promotion of a Sport by a Governing Body
Sponsored by Match Point
Winner: The Football Association – Transforming Perceptions of Women’s and Girls Football in England - Best Sponsorship of a Sport Event or Competition
Sponsored by Icon
Winner: E.ON – The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON - Best Sponsorship of a Sport Team or Individual
Sponsored by Odgers Sports Practice
Winner: O2 – O2’s ‘Never Surrender’ Rugby World Cup Campaign - Best TV Sport Commercial
Sponsored by Sportingbet
Winner: adidas – Impossible is Nothing - Best Use of Digital Media in Sport
Sponsored by Sky Digital Media
Winner: Nike – Nike+ Supersonic - Best Use of PR in a Sport Campaign
Sponsored by Action Images
Winner: Transport for London – Le Grand Depart of Le Tour de France - The Community Programme Award
Winner: HBOS – Bank of Scotland Midnightleague - The Environmental Concern in Sport Award
Sponsored by SweetSpot
Winner: SSE and the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy – Scottish and Southern Energy – Powering the National Sailing Academy - Sport Coverage of the Year
Sponsored by UK Sport
Winner: The Guardian - Sport Brand of the Year
Sponsored by Clarke Willmott
Winner: Nike - The Lenovo Technological Innovation in Sport Award
Winner: Hawkeye innovations – Hawkeye - Sport Agency of the Year
Sponsored by Sport England
Winner: M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment - The Marsh Leadership in Sport Award
Winner: Sue Campbell CBE, Chair, UK Sport - The Sport Business Achievement of the Year
Sponsored by Vero Communications
Winner: Setanta Sports - The Virgin Atlantic Outstanding Contribution to British Sport
Winner: Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson - The Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by Kraken Opus
Winner: Sir Bobby Charlton
