Leicester Tigers have been crowned Customer Experience winners at TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2014.
The awards event was hosted during TheStadiumBusiness Summit 2014 – the world’s leading meeting of stadium sports businesses, teams, clubs and operators – and staged at the RAF Museum in London in front of an audience of more than 300 key industry executives.
TheStadiumBusiness recognise leadership, innovation and achievement in the operation and management of sports facilities globally.
The Tigers entry in the Customer Experience category, which focused on family-friendly activities on Welford Road matchday topped the judges’ voting ahead of football clubs including Premier League champions Manchester City, Scottish Premier League winners Celtic and French champions Paris St Germain.
Family-friendly attractions at Welford Road include:
• A free Junior Tigers Club where members enjoy a dedicated JTC VIP area with games and activities, the chance to meet Tigers mascot Welford and Tigers players. JTC members can also enter a free competition for their chance to become a matchday mascot.
• Junior Tigers Club Takeover Day where members take on senior matchday roles including announcer, interviewer, reporter and Mini Welfords.
• Tigers in the Park is a free family festival on the opening day of the season which includes live music, games and activities, and a market place, which this season attracted more than 5,000 visitors.
• Fireworks display.
• Christmas Market including Santa's Grotto and Christmas Wish List.
• 'Under-10s go free' season ticket offer and great-value family season tickets.
• The Junior Tigers Club now has more than 20,000 members.
• Young supporters are welcome in every area of the stadium, we don't believe in restricting family groups to one area.
• Tigers have welcomed a record 29,000 supporters on group bookings in 2013/14, many of them young supporters enjoying a first visit to a professional rugby stadium with youth groups, clubs and schools.
• Groups from across the Midlands, the UK and overseas, including France, Canada and USA, have been part of the famous Welford Road atmosphere this season and Group Days have proved so popular that the club has set up a Priority List for groups wanting to be part of a matchday next season.
Judging Panel comment: “Unique engagement workshops allowing young people to experience other non-sports activities such as dance, arts and crafts which are outside the remit of their core business...”
Ian Nuttall, founder of TheStadium Business Awards, said: “Congratulations to all of our finalists and especially to everyone who reached the podium. Our winners have showcased the very best of the global stadium sector, from great customer service and creative sponsorship through to crowd safety and visionary thinking.”
THE WINNERS
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AWARD: Leicester Tigers: ‘Family Friendly Extras’
Shortlisted nominees:
Birmingham City FC: ‘Individual Fan’s Needs’
Cardiff City FC: ‘Away End’
Celtic FC: ‘Improving the Matchday Experience’
Chelsea FC: ‘Game Makers Programme’
Leicester Tigers: ‘Family Friendly Extras’ (Winner)
Manchester City FC: ‘Playmakers Programme’
Paris Saint Germain: ‘Innovative Visitor Packages’
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD: Kunal Malik, Former CTO, San Francisco 49ers, USA
Shortlisted nominees:
Dana White, President, Ultimate Fighting Championships, USA
Edward Griffiths, CEO, Saracens, UK
Henk Markerink, Managing Director, Amsterdam ArenA, Netherlands
Jamey Rootes, President, Houston Texans, USA
Kunal Malik, Former CTO, San Francisco 49ers, USA (Winner)
Tim Leiweke, President & CEO, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada
GUEST EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games (Sochi), Russia
Shortlisted nominees:
‘We Day’ at Air Canada Center, Canada
‘Science World 2013’ at Emirates Old Trafford, UK
‘Eurovision Song Contest 2013’ at Malmö Arena, Sweden
‘Opening Ceremony of 2014 Winter Olympic Games’ (Sochi), Russia (Winner)
The Killers in concert at Wembley Stadium, UK
INDUSTRY SUPPLIER AWARD: IMG
Shortlisted nominees:
Barco
Green 4 Solutions
IMG (Winner)
Populous
Stechert
Terraplas
NEW VENUE AWARD: First Direct Arena (Leeds), UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Allianz Riviera (Nice), France
Arena Das Dunas (Natal), Brazil
First Direct Arena (Leeds), UK
Fischt Olympic Stadium (Sochi), Russia
Itapiava Arena Fonte Nova (Salvador), Brazil
The SSE Hydro (Glasgow)
Tele2 Arena (Stockholm), Sweden
PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARD: FAN360 Uphoria Engagement Platform by Sporting Innovations Inc.
Shortlisted nominees:
Agile Bi Analysis Tool by Verteda Limited
Ribbon Board Installation at Wembley Stadium by Daktronics
Commercial Litter/Recycling Systems by Fan Cans
Modular Stadium Technology (MST) Horns by Funktion-One
Pedestrian Dynamics by InControl Simulation Solutions, Netherlands
Miami Marlins’ Ballpark-wide WiFi Installation by Meru Networks
Stadium Grass Grow System by SeeGrow Development Ltd
FAN360 Uphoria Engagement Platform by Sporting Innovations, USA (Winner)
PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Pavilion Renovation at Emirates Old Trafford, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
The Pavilion Renovation at Emirates Old Trafford, UK (Winner)
The Family Park at Liverpool FC’s Anfield, UK
New Scoreboards at Melbourne Cricket Club, Australia
Executive Hospitality Lounges Upgrade at Nottingham Forest FC, UK
China National Games installation in Dalian, China by Polytan GmbH
Indoor/Outdoor Arena Stadium Hybrid Design at Tele2 Arena, Sweden
RISING STAR AWARD: Lorenzo Santoni, Head of B Futura Project, Lega Serie B, Italy
Shortlisted nominees:
Ben Biffen, Sales & Marketing Executive, Allianz Park, UK
Deno Anagnost, Director of Sales, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, USA
James Kerr, Marketing Executive, Cardiff City, FC UK
Lorenzo Santoni, Head of B Futura Project, Lega Serie B, Italy (Winner)
Natalie Valentine, Venue Manager/Coordinator, City of Greater Geelong, Australia
Sean Marshall, IT Technical Support Technician, Fabulous Fan Fayre, UK
SAFETY & SECURITY AWARD: Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s Safety & Security Team, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Alan Roberts, Stadium Manager/Safety Officer, Shrewsbury Town FC, UK
Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s ‘Safety & Security Team’, UK (Winner)
Bulent Perut, Security Co-ordinator, Turkish Football Federation, Turkey
StaffPoint Oy at ‘Honka Vs. Lech Poznan’, Finland
FC Twente’s ‘Stadium Access Project Upgrade’, Netherlands
Secure Events & Assets Pty Ltd’s ‘Staff & Management’, Australia
SMALL VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARD: The Arena at Stadium mk, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Adler-Arena Skating Center, Sochi, Russia
Brisbane Road, Leyton Orient FC, UK
NV Arena (SKN St Pölten FC), Austria
Palace of Water Sports, Kazan, Russia
The Arena at Stadium mk, UK (Winner)
Vara?din Arena, Vara?din, Croatia
SPONSORSHIP, SALES & MARKETING AWARD: Global Stadium Sponsorship & Naming Rights Strategy by Allianz, Germany
Shortlisted nominees:
Global Stadium Sponsorship & Naming Rights Strategy by Allianz, Germany (Winner)
Lancashire County Cricket Club’s ‘Emirates Scoreboard Competition’, UK
Manchester City FC & EA Sports, Live Experiential Interaction’ Partnership, UK
Portsmouth FC’s ‘QuikServe System’, UK
Texas A&M University, ‘12th Man Foundation’, USA
SPORTS EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships, Ericsson Globe, Sweden
Shortlisted nominees:
The Championships 2014, Wimbledon, UK
British F1 Grand Prix, Silverstone, UK
IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships, Ericsson Globe, Sweden (Winner)
NFL International Series at Wembley Stadium, UK
Superbowl XLVII, Mercedez-Benz Superdome, USA
Australia regain the Ashes – (3rd Test of Commonwealth Bank Ashes Series) at WACA (Perth), Australia
Third Investec Ashes Test, Emirates Old Trafford, UK
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD: Allianz Park: ‘Sustainability Focus’, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Allianz Park: ‘Sustainability Focus’, UK (Winner)
Green Sports Alliance: ‘Sustainable Team, Venue & Event Management’, USA
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment: ‘Taking Environmentalism to Heart’, Canada
M&T Bank Stadium: ‘LEED Gold Certification’, USA
The Scarlets for UK’s Largest Stadium Installation of Solar PVs, UK
United States Tennis Association: ‘Decreasing the Environmental Footprint’, USA
UNSUNG HERO AWARD: Cathy Cubbin, Retail Manager, Liverpool FC, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
AT&T Center’s ‘Conversion Crew’, USA
Cathy Cubbin, Retail Manager, Liverpool FC, UK (Winner)
Fred Woolven, Volunteer, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, UK
Everton FC’s ‘IT Department’, UK
Liz Cooper, Marketing Director, Arena Coventry Ltd (Ricoh Arena), UK
Mick Beddingham, Volunteer, Chesterfield FC, UK
Nils Grundqvist, Finance Manager, Tele2 Arena, Sweden
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Richard Peddie, former President, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Julian Jenkins, former Commercial Director, Cardiff City FC (now CEO, Geneve Sports, Switzerland)
THE NETWORKER AWARD: Liz Cooper, Marketing Director, Arena Coventry Ltd (Ricoh Arena), UK
VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARD: TELE2 Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
Shortlisted nominees:
CenturyLink Field (Seattle Sounders FC), USA
Fischt Olympic Stadium (Sochi), Russia
Allianz Arena (Munich), Germany
TELE2 Arena (Stockholm), Sweden (Winner)
Goodison Park, Everton FC, UK
Madison Square Garden (New York,) USA
Wembley Stadium (London), UK
JUDGING PANEL
Jamie Barkley, CEO, Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia
Tery Howard, VP Information Technology, Miami Dolphins, USA
Alain Belsoeur, Head Stadia Strategic Committee, LFP Ligue de Football Professionnel, France
Adrian Dishington, COO, Centerplate, UK
Gerry Toms, Former GM, Millennium Stadium, UK
Michele Uva, Director General, CONI Servizi, Italy
Donna-Maria Cullen, Executive Director, Tottenham Hotspur FC, UK
Ian Nuttall, Founder of TheStadiumBusiness / Xperiology, UK
The awards event was hosted during TheStadiumBusiness Summit 2014 – the world’s leading meeting of stadium sports businesses, teams, clubs and operators – and staged at the RAF Museum in London in front of an audience of more than 300 key industry executives.
TheStadiumBusiness recognise leadership, innovation and achievement in the operation and management of sports facilities globally.
The Tigers entry in the Customer Experience category, which focused on family-friendly activities on Welford Road matchday topped the judges’ voting ahead of football clubs including Premier League champions Manchester City, Scottish Premier League winners Celtic and French champions Paris St Germain.
Family-friendly attractions at Welford Road include:
• A free Junior Tigers Club where members enjoy a dedicated JTC VIP area with games and activities, the chance to meet Tigers mascot Welford and Tigers players. JTC members can also enter a free competition for their chance to become a matchday mascot.
• Junior Tigers Club Takeover Day where members take on senior matchday roles including announcer, interviewer, reporter and Mini Welfords.
• Tigers in the Park is a free family festival on the opening day of the season which includes live music, games and activities, and a market place, which this season attracted more than 5,000 visitors.
• Fireworks display.
• Christmas Market including Santa's Grotto and Christmas Wish List.
• 'Under-10s go free' season ticket offer and great-value family season tickets.
• The Junior Tigers Club now has more than 20,000 members.
• Young supporters are welcome in every area of the stadium, we don't believe in restricting family groups to one area.
• Tigers have welcomed a record 29,000 supporters on group bookings in 2013/14, many of them young supporters enjoying a first visit to a professional rugby stadium with youth groups, clubs and schools.
• Groups from across the Midlands, the UK and overseas, including France, Canada and USA, have been part of the famous Welford Road atmosphere this season and Group Days have proved so popular that the club has set up a Priority List for groups wanting to be part of a matchday next season.
Judging Panel comment: “Unique engagement workshops allowing young people to experience other non-sports activities such as dance, arts and crafts which are outside the remit of their core business...”
Ian Nuttall, founder of TheStadium Business Awards, said: “Congratulations to all of our finalists and especially to everyone who reached the podium. Our winners have showcased the very best of the global stadium sector, from great customer service and creative sponsorship through to crowd safety and visionary thinking.”
THE WINNERS
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AWARD: Leicester Tigers: ‘Family Friendly Extras’
Shortlisted nominees:
Birmingham City FC: ‘Individual Fan’s Needs’
Cardiff City FC: ‘Away End’
Celtic FC: ‘Improving the Matchday Experience’
Chelsea FC: ‘Game Makers Programme’
Leicester Tigers: ‘Family Friendly Extras’ (Winner)
Manchester City FC: ‘Playmakers Programme’
Paris Saint Germain: ‘Innovative Visitor Packages’
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD: Kunal Malik, Former CTO, San Francisco 49ers, USA
Shortlisted nominees:
Dana White, President, Ultimate Fighting Championships, USA
Edward Griffiths, CEO, Saracens, UK
Henk Markerink, Managing Director, Amsterdam ArenA, Netherlands
Jamey Rootes, President, Houston Texans, USA
Kunal Malik, Former CTO, San Francisco 49ers, USA (Winner)
Tim Leiweke, President & CEO, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada
GUEST EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games (Sochi), Russia
Shortlisted nominees:
‘We Day’ at Air Canada Center, Canada
‘Science World 2013’ at Emirates Old Trafford, UK
‘Eurovision Song Contest 2013’ at Malmö Arena, Sweden
‘Opening Ceremony of 2014 Winter Olympic Games’ (Sochi), Russia (Winner)
The Killers in concert at Wembley Stadium, UK
INDUSTRY SUPPLIER AWARD: IMG
Shortlisted nominees:
Barco
Green 4 Solutions
IMG (Winner)
Populous
Stechert
Terraplas
NEW VENUE AWARD: First Direct Arena (Leeds), UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Allianz Riviera (Nice), France
Arena Das Dunas (Natal), Brazil
First Direct Arena (Leeds), UK
Fischt Olympic Stadium (Sochi), Russia
Itapiava Arena Fonte Nova (Salvador), Brazil
The SSE Hydro (Glasgow)
Tele2 Arena (Stockholm), Sweden
PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARD: FAN360 Uphoria Engagement Platform by Sporting Innovations Inc.
Shortlisted nominees:
Agile Bi Analysis Tool by Verteda Limited
Ribbon Board Installation at Wembley Stadium by Daktronics
Commercial Litter/Recycling Systems by Fan Cans
Modular Stadium Technology (MST) Horns by Funktion-One
Pedestrian Dynamics by InControl Simulation Solutions, Netherlands
Miami Marlins’ Ballpark-wide WiFi Installation by Meru Networks
Stadium Grass Grow System by SeeGrow Development Ltd
FAN360 Uphoria Engagement Platform by Sporting Innovations, USA (Winner)
PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Pavilion Renovation at Emirates Old Trafford, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
The Pavilion Renovation at Emirates Old Trafford, UK (Winner)
The Family Park at Liverpool FC’s Anfield, UK
New Scoreboards at Melbourne Cricket Club, Australia
Executive Hospitality Lounges Upgrade at Nottingham Forest FC, UK
China National Games installation in Dalian, China by Polytan GmbH
Indoor/Outdoor Arena Stadium Hybrid Design at Tele2 Arena, Sweden
RISING STAR AWARD: Lorenzo Santoni, Head of B Futura Project, Lega Serie B, Italy
Shortlisted nominees:
Ben Biffen, Sales & Marketing Executive, Allianz Park, UK
Deno Anagnost, Director of Sales, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, USA
James Kerr, Marketing Executive, Cardiff City, FC UK
Lorenzo Santoni, Head of B Futura Project, Lega Serie B, Italy (Winner)
Natalie Valentine, Venue Manager/Coordinator, City of Greater Geelong, Australia
Sean Marshall, IT Technical Support Technician, Fabulous Fan Fayre, UK
SAFETY & SECURITY AWARD: Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s Safety & Security Team, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Alan Roberts, Stadium Manager/Safety Officer, Shrewsbury Town FC, UK
Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s ‘Safety & Security Team’, UK (Winner)
Bulent Perut, Security Co-ordinator, Turkish Football Federation, Turkey
StaffPoint Oy at ‘Honka Vs. Lech Poznan’, Finland
FC Twente’s ‘Stadium Access Project Upgrade’, Netherlands
Secure Events & Assets Pty Ltd’s ‘Staff & Management’, Australia
SMALL VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARD: The Arena at Stadium mk, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Adler-Arena Skating Center, Sochi, Russia
Brisbane Road, Leyton Orient FC, UK
NV Arena (SKN St Pölten FC), Austria
Palace of Water Sports, Kazan, Russia
The Arena at Stadium mk, UK (Winner)
Vara?din Arena, Vara?din, Croatia
SPONSORSHIP, SALES & MARKETING AWARD: Global Stadium Sponsorship & Naming Rights Strategy by Allianz, Germany
Shortlisted nominees:
Global Stadium Sponsorship & Naming Rights Strategy by Allianz, Germany (Winner)
Lancashire County Cricket Club’s ‘Emirates Scoreboard Competition’, UK
Manchester City FC & EA Sports, Live Experiential Interaction’ Partnership, UK
Portsmouth FC’s ‘QuikServe System’, UK
Texas A&M University, ‘12th Man Foundation’, USA
SPORTS EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships, Ericsson Globe, Sweden
Shortlisted nominees:
The Championships 2014, Wimbledon, UK
British F1 Grand Prix, Silverstone, UK
IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships, Ericsson Globe, Sweden (Winner)
NFL International Series at Wembley Stadium, UK
Superbowl XLVII, Mercedez-Benz Superdome, USA
Australia regain the Ashes – (3rd Test of Commonwealth Bank Ashes Series) at WACA (Perth), Australia
Third Investec Ashes Test, Emirates Old Trafford, UK
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD: Allianz Park: ‘Sustainability Focus’, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
Allianz Park: ‘Sustainability Focus’, UK (Winner)
Green Sports Alliance: ‘Sustainable Team, Venue & Event Management’, USA
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment: ‘Taking Environmentalism to Heart’, Canada
M&T Bank Stadium: ‘LEED Gold Certification’, USA
The Scarlets for UK’s Largest Stadium Installation of Solar PVs, UK
United States Tennis Association: ‘Decreasing the Environmental Footprint’, USA
UNSUNG HERO AWARD: Cathy Cubbin, Retail Manager, Liverpool FC, UK
Shortlisted nominees:
AT&T Center’s ‘Conversion Crew’, USA
Cathy Cubbin, Retail Manager, Liverpool FC, UK (Winner)
Fred Woolven, Volunteer, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, UK
Everton FC’s ‘IT Department’, UK
Liz Cooper, Marketing Director, Arena Coventry Ltd (Ricoh Arena), UK
Mick Beddingham, Volunteer, Chesterfield FC, UK
Nils Grundqvist, Finance Manager, Tele2 Arena, Sweden
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Richard Peddie, former President, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Julian Jenkins, former Commercial Director, Cardiff City FC (now CEO, Geneve Sports, Switzerland)
THE NETWORKER AWARD: Liz Cooper, Marketing Director, Arena Coventry Ltd (Ricoh Arena), UK
VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARD: TELE2 Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
Shortlisted nominees:
CenturyLink Field (Seattle Sounders FC), USA
Fischt Olympic Stadium (Sochi), Russia
Allianz Arena (Munich), Germany
TELE2 Arena (Stockholm), Sweden (Winner)
Goodison Park, Everton FC, UK
Madison Square Garden (New York,) USA
Wembley Stadium (London), UK
JUDGING PANEL
Jamie Barkley, CEO, Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia
Tery Howard, VP Information Technology, Miami Dolphins, USA
Alain Belsoeur, Head Stadia Strategic Committee, LFP Ligue de Football Professionnel, France
Adrian Dishington, COO, Centerplate, UK
Gerry Toms, Former GM, Millennium Stadium, UK
Michele Uva, Director General, CONI Servizi, Italy
Donna-Maria Cullen, Executive Director, Tottenham Hotspur FC, UK
Ian Nuttall, Founder of TheStadiumBusiness / Xperiology, UK
