TheStadiumBusiness Awards have run since 2010 to recognise leadership, innovation and achievement in the delivery, operation and management of sports facilities globally, and there have been thousands of entries across the awards categories this year.
The entries have been scrutinised by the awards committee to determine a shortlist of potential winners in each category.
As well as world class rugby, at Tigers we fill our matchdays with family-friendly activities to ensure everyone who joins us on a matchday enjoys their day.
Family-friendly attractions at Welford Road include:
• A free Junior Tigers Club where members can enjoy a dedicated JTC VIP area with games and activities, the chance to meet official Leicester Tigers mascot Welford and visiting Tigers players. JTC members can also enter our free competition for their chance to become a matchday mascot.
• The JTC VIP area makes us the only Aviva Premiership Rugby club with a dedicated area for children and families at every home game. We welcome more than 500 supporters through the JTC VIP area each match.
• The opening-day Tigers in the Park event is a free family festival which includes live music, games and activities, inflatables and a market place, which this season attracted more than 5,000 visitors.
• Christmas Market including Santa’s Grotto and Christmas Wish List.
• Fireworks display
• Junior Tigers Club Takeover Day where members take on senior matchday roles including announcer, interviewer, reporter and Mini Welfords.
We want the whole Tigers Family to enjoy a matchday at Welford Road and, with our ‘Under-10s go free’ season ticket offer and great-value family season tickets, we think our matchdays provide a perfect family day out.
The Junior Tigers Club now had more than 17,500 members and we believe this figure will top 20,000 this summer.
Young supporters are welcome in every area of the Welford Road stadium, we don’t believe in restricting family groups to one area.
Tigers have welcomed a record 29,000 supporters on group bookings this season, many of them young supporters enjoying a first-ever visit to a professional rugby stadium with youth groups, clubs and schools.
Groups from across the East Midlands, the UK and overseas, including from 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.
Leicester Tigers chief executive Simon Cohen said: “The club is very proud of the matchday atmosphere at Welford Road which helps to create such a big occasion for all the family.
“There has been a significant rise in the numbers of young supporters and family groups at Welford Road and also in the numbers of people visiting us for the first time.
“We’re delighted that our matchdays have been recognised with a nomination in TheStadiumBusinessAwards. This is a reflection of not only the hard work the club puts into events at Welford Road but also of the passion and commitment we enjoy from our supporters.”
TheStadiumBusinessAwards 2014 Gala Evening when the winners are announced is at the RAF Museum in London on June 4.
