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SPORTS EVENT MANAGEMENT
AWARDS 2009
Awards presenter Charlotte Jackson - Action Images
THE GOLD STANDARD
The third SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards were presented at a glittering Gala Dinner in
London which attracted key figures from all sectors of the international sports community to celebrate
excellence among the individuals and organisations that make sports events happen.
THE INGENUITY, creativity and management
expertise of the international sports events
community was celebrated at the third
SportBusiness Sports Event Management
Awards which saw 29 organisations and
individuals recognised for their achievements
and contributions during the past 12 months.
The Awards were presented during a Black
Tie Gala Dinner at Lord’s Cricket Ground in
London, attended by many senior figures from
the sports events sector.
The evening proved a triumph for Olympic
Games director Gilbert Felli, the City of
Melbourne, leading agencies Fast Track and
Nova International and many other companies
recognised in 11 categories.
Nigel Rushman, chairman of event
organisers Rushmans praised the high quality of
the entries.
“This may not have been a year in which we
had a mega-event such as a FIFA World Cup or
Olympic Games but it was still a fascinating year
of sport which demonstrated the ability of the
sports events industry to continue to raise the
bar of the planning and staging of events of all
size,” he said.
“Our congratulation to all of the winners.
They thoroughly deserve their success. But our
thanks also go to those who entered but did not
make the cut. They will have another chance in
12 months time.”
Gilbert Felli, who won the Rushmans Award
for Outstanding Contribution to Sports Events
for his work with the International Olympic
Committee, was not able to be at the ceremony
but said, “It is a great honour for me to receive
the Rushmans Outstanding Contribution to
Sports Event Management award and I’d like to
thank Rushmans and Sport Business Group for
this accolade.
“It is very gratifying to have your work
recognised in this way and little did I think
when I first started out as a young volunteer
in event management almost 50 years ago,
that one day I would end-up looking after the
organisation of the Olympic Games.
“It just shows where volunteering in sports
events can take you and I hope that it may
inspire a few young volunteers out there to
keep giving their time and energy in the service
of sports. Of course, organising the world’s
foremost sporting event - the Olympic Games
- is undoubtedly a team effort, so I’d also like
to dedicate this award to all of the people who
have helped to stage inspirational and excellent
Games over the years. “It is their work and
dedication that has allowed the Games to
flourish and for the Olympic values to continue
to be appreciated the world over.
“I just hope that through my work, I have
been able to contribute to keeping the Games
and sport where they deserve to be, on the gold
medal step of the podium.”
The new Award for Brand Presentation
was won by MasterCard Europe for the 2009
Champions League Final. MasterCard Europe
vice president and head of sponsorship, Paul
Meulendijk was delighted. “Such a prestigious
industry award recognises our people and the
integrated approach we’re taking in activating
our sponsorship properties while helping
the consumers to further benefit from our
involvement,” he said.
“Sponsorships represent a critical component
of MasterCard’s global marketing approach.
It enables us to further deliver shareholder
value by creating exclusive business-building
opportunities for our customer financial
institutions and merchants, while also
offering Priceless Experiences to our
MasterCard cardholders.”
38 SportBusiness International • No. 152 • 12.09