NICK KELLER ON THE CHANGING FACE OF THE FEVO SPORT INDUSTRY AWARDS

Following the launch of a new awards season, SIG Chairperson, Nick Keller, describes how the changing landscape of the UK sport industry has been reflected in the categories and criteria of the upcoming FEVO Sport Industry Awards 2024.

I was delighted to see the FEVO Sport Industry Awards re-open last week, kicking off the countdown to what is the biggest night in the sport industry calendar.

It may not be apparent to everyone, but as soon as the dust has settled and the last reveller leaves the dance floor, we almost immediately start work on next year’s awards. Lists are compiled, feedback is taken, timings are tweaked.  

It’s this constant striving for improvement that makes the awards such a special experience. Of course, many of the changes we make go unnoticed, but without doubt add to the overall experience on the night.

Others are more obvious and implemented following a summer of reflection on the changes within the industry over the past 12 months. And, for anyone who has already had a chance to review the categories for 2024, you’ll have noticed that there are some significant changes afoot.

Three new categories

Team of the Year is a new category for 2024 and I’m excited to see how it is received. It’s an addition born of the realisation that teams are starting to behave like a blend of a brand and an agency.

As such, for many teams, content creation has moved in house and there’s more to digest than ever before. But it doesn’t end there. From crisis management to community outreach and charitable arms, the headcount of professional clubs up and down the country is swelling.

Agency of the Year has always been one of the most hotly contest categories, however, we’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t necessarily allow the efforts of smaller agencies to shine. As such, the Specialist Agency of the Year category has been introduced to hopefully capture some of the tremendous work that tightknit teams up and down the country deliver for brands and rightsholders.

From content production and communications, to branding and event management, specialist agencies or departments within larger organisations are invited to enter the new category, leaving true full-service agencies that opportunity to battle it out on an even playing field for the Agency of the Year award, which remains unchanged.

Elsewhere, Professional Services Team of the Year has been created as a way of celebrating the invaluable expertise provided to the sport organisations. They are often the boiler room for big changes in our industry and we hope to hear from a diverse range of businesses including architects, law firms, insurance companies, management consultants among many others.

A further focus on sustainability

Across the board we had some tough decisions to make this year. Namely, do we make the awards easier to enter with a series of softball questions, or do we try to steer the industry to behave responsibly in all aspects of their operation

The awards are a celebration of the very best of the UK sport industry. But to be judged the best and to receive a coveted FEVO Sport Industry Award on the night, a business must excel in all aspects of its operation. From diversity to data protection, it all counts. That’s why this year we’ve expanded the judging criteria and are asking tough questions of the entrants.

A perfect example of this approach in action is our stance on sustainability. We sign posted this last year in an attempt to warm up the industry to our expectations. And this year, for the first time, sustainability questions will count towards the judging criteria and serve as one of the deciding factors.

It’s certainly not the only factor. Creativity, operational delivery and results remain crucial, however, if two equally fabulous pieces of work were to enter and only one has detailed its sustainability credentials, the winner would be pretty clear.

It’s been a traumatic year for the planet and, as an industry, we have obligation to lead. As games and events get cancelled through floods, players complain that someone will die from heatwaves and smoke from fires bring a city and season to a halt – we all have a lot to gain and lot to lose by not leading the charge.

Help for entry organisations

We know that by adding to the list of entry requirements we are asking a lot of the organisations who enter the awards. That’s why we’re including handy tips throughout the entry form to try and explain what the judges will be looking for and we’re constantly reiterating the need for entry organisations to be transparent on their results, ROI and impact.

Finally, to further aide the entry process we’ll be hosting two ‘Meet the Categories’ events in October to explain the various categories, tips and tricks and new judging criteria in more detail. The first will take place at the SIG offices in London while the second, in an attempt to recognise the outstanding work that takes place outside of the capital, will be hosted in Manchester.

This is the one to win, we are told. So good luck, and if you’re wrestling with your word count, just remember that a results-driven entry written in plain English will always triumph over smoke and mirrors.