Two giants of British sports management - Ken Schofield (pictured) and Bernie Ecclestone - were honoured with gongs at a glittering black tie gala dinner in London on Wednesday to mark the 2nd SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards.
The individual Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sports Event Management was won by Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone for his pivotal role in creating one of the world’s most powerful sports properties developing its global presence and appeal by embracing events beyond its traditional heartlands.
Ken Schofield, former head of the PGA European Tour, was on hand to accept the Award for Lifetime Achievement for his critical contribution to the development of the Tour in more than 30 years at the helm.
In other categories, the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games dominated proceedings.
Nominations for the specialist projects which made Beijing the most spectacular and precisely managed Games in history earned three Gold and three Silver Awards in categories ranging from Ceremonies to Event Services and Technology.
The Beijing Olympic Games Organising Committee received a Gold Award for the spectacular Opening Ceremony which became the hallmark of unforgettable Games. There were also Golds for OBS, the broadcast organisation whose pictures kept the world spellbound, and UK company Creative Technology for its essential contribution to the Opening Ceremony.
Silver Awards were earned by Atos Origin in the Technology category, Losberger, for the provision of temporary (overlay) facilities and Morris Goding Accessibility Consulting for its work in ensuring the accessibility of facilities for Paralympic athletes.
It was also a night of triumph for the City Of Manchester which won the SportBusiness Sports City Award for its successful hosting of an impressive programme of world class events in 2007-2008.
And the ground-breaking FINA short-course World Swimming Championships staged in the City also earned Gold Awards for its organizers, World Swimming Championships Ltd.
The Indian Premier League, which has changed the way the world thinks about both cricket and India, also was also the subject of two Awards. IMG, the sports marketing company which powered the event, won Gold Award for Event Marketing and the Rushmans Award for Innovation which was accepted on behalf of its creator Lalit Modi.
This year’s SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards attracted 150 entries from individuals and organisations worldwide.
Nigel Rushman, Chairman of the Awards organisers Rushmans said: “We were delighted with the response and the quality of the wining entries which truly reflect the levels of dedication, skill and professionalism which shape the world’s major sports events.”
Phil Savage, Publishing Director of title sponsors SportBusiness Group said: “We were again delighted to be an integral part of an event which recognized the fantastic contribution and achievements of the unsung heroes of the sports world.
“Spectators at live events or on television may take excellent event organisation and presentation for granted. Yet in reality every event is the result of meticulous planning, technical innovation and a creative approach to solving problems which may, at first, appear insurmountable.”
AWARDS WINNERS IN FULL
Ceremonies
GOLD The Beijing Organising Committee for the Beijing 2008 Opening Ceremony
SILVER Auditoire for UEFA EURO 2008TM
Event Look
GOLD World Swimming Championships Ltd for the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships 25m 2008
SILVER IMG / Rugby World Cup for Rugby World Cup 2007
BRONZE Sports Logistics (&Minale Bryce Design) for ICC World Twenty20 2007
Event Marketing
GOLD IMG for the DLF Indian Premier League 2008
SILVER Manchester City Council for the Manchester World Sport 08 Campaign
BRONZE Network BBDO for ICC World Twenty20 2007
Event Overlay / Facilities
GOLD Nussli (Schweiz) AG for the Formula 1 Telefonica Grand Prix of Europe 2008
SILVER Losberger Shanghai Co Ltd for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
BRONZE AsiaPromote Ventures Sdn Bhd for the 2007 KL Grand Prix CSI 5*
Event Services
GOLD Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
SILVER Morris Goding Accessibility Consulting for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
BRONZE Infostrada Sports for Rugby World Cup 2007
Event Technology
GOLD Creative Technology for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
SILVER Atos Origin for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
BRONZE Hawk-Eye Innovations for the Wimbledon Championships 2008
Hospitality
GOLD Rugby Travel & Hospitality Ltd for Rugby World Cup 2007
SILVER Keith Prowse for the Wimbledon Championships 2008
BRONZE Mango Event Management for Coca Cola IHP & Ticketing Management for Euro 2008
Lifetime Achievement
Ken Schofield
Outstanding Contribution
Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One Management
Security
GOLD G4S Security Services (UK) Ltd for the Derby Festival & Wimbledon Championships 2008
SILVER Showsec for the 2008 UEFA Cup Final & Ricky Hatton Homecoming Fight
BRONZE Firewalker Events Security Ltd for Aston Villa FC
SportBusiness Sports City Award
GOLD Manchester
SILVER Melbourne
BRONZE Berlin
Rushmans Award For Sports Event Innovation
Lalit Modi for the Indian Premier League
