The Events Operations team at Leicester Tigers have been crowned the Operations Team of the Year at the Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2019.
Hosted by Stadium Experience, the 14th edition of the annual awards evening was held at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium on Thursday, June 20.
Stadium Experience represents some of the best sporting conference, meeting and event facilities in the UK & Ireland.
A collaboration of over 50 football and rugby clubs, Stadium Experience aims to help improve and promote the prestigious sporting conference, meeting and event facilities available in the UK & Ireland.
The Operations Team of the Year award recognises the "unseen behind the scenes efforts of the teams that make stadium events run smoothly" and judges were on the lookout for "teams going above and beyond the call of duty to provide the very best service to customers" at their venues.
Speaking about the award, Head of Commercial Operations at Welford Road Sarah Roberts said: "I'm very proud of the whole team, it is worthwhile recognition for their hard work.
"There are a lot of people that come together to make one event, let alone the hundreds we host a year at Welford Road and this award is on the back of each and every one of their efforts throughout the year.
"As well as those in the office, we have staff who work on the floor looking after guests, in the kitchens and bar offering quality service and many, many others."
Welford Road hosts in excess of 250 events a year, as well as matchdays in Premiership and domestic cup rugby and European fixtures with the highest crowd average across the continent.
Speaking about the evening, Roberts added: "We were asked to make submissions that showed when and how the team had gone above and beyond the already high standards we set ourselves at Leicester Tigers.
"As just a few examples we offered, an extremely successful and worthwhile fundraising dinner for one of the club's official charities - Dementia UK, the recent half-time wedding held on the pitch in partnership with TV show 'Don't Tell The Bride' and an annual, week-long event where Leicester School children have the opportunity to work and engage with a highly inspirational author.
"It was hard to pin point just three, if I am being honest, but those three in particular show the diversity of the events we offer and the varying challenges our fantastic team of staff are presented with each and every day."
