The best in the business have been shortlisted across 16 categories in this year’s prestigious Football Business Awards to take place in London on November 22.
Since 2012, the awards have showcased the remarkable off-pitch achievements of agencies, clubs, sponsors, businesses and partners, all involved in driving the success of the national game from professional through to grassroots level.
This year’s finalists, including Premier League clubs Chelsea FC, Brighton & Hove Albion, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal, alongside La Liga team FC Barcelona, will be judged by a panel of 23 distinguished football executives before the winners are announced at the awards ceremony at City Central at the HAC.
Simon Burton, Co-founder of the Football Business Awards, said: “This year’s finalists epitomise the spirit of football and the growing commercial success of clubs and businesses dedicated to the game. The business of football is critical to ensuring we can all continue to enjoy the sport we love and it gives us great pleasure to see these finalists fuelling the industry with innovation and initiatives that go above and beyond what we’ve seen before.”
AGENCY OF THE YEAR |
Beyond 90 |
Goal Studios |
InCrowd |
Reading Room |
Seven League |
WePlay |
BEST BRAND ACTIVATION INVOLVING A CLUB |
Chelsea FC and Joe Wicks |
FC Barcelona and Beko |
Leicester City FC with Adidas |
Manchester City FC & SAP – Momentum Worldwide |
Manchester United with #Alexis7 |
Norwich City FC & bidstack |
BEST BRAND ACTIVATION INVOLVING FOOTBALL |
Carabao Energy Drink & #WeAreFemaleFans (W Communications) |
DFL & Bundesliga |
EE & Wembley Stadium (The Sports Presentation Company) |
NISSAN & UEFA Champions League (Goal Studios) |
The PFA and Bristol Street Motors (SN&CK Media) |
BEST CLUB MARKETING INITIATIVE – NON-PREMIER LEAGUE |
Aston Villa FC |
Bristol Rovers FC |
Derby County FC (AMP Global Media) |
St Johnstone FC |
Sunderland FC |
Wigan Athletic FC |
BEST CLUB MARKETING INITIATIVE – PREMIER LEAGUE |
Brighton & Hove Albion FC |
Chelsea FC’s ‘Tour of the Champions’ |
Liverpool FC/Octagon/This Means More |
Manchester United FC STAYUNITED Campaign |
Stoke City FC – City7s |
Watford FC’s Community Sports and Education Trust |
BEST CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SCHEME |
Albion in the Community |
Everton in the Community |
Huddersfield Town FC |
Luton Town FC |
Swansea City FC |
The Aston Villa Foundation |
BEST FAN ENGAGEMENT BY CLUB |
Aston Villa FC |
Cardiff City FC |
Chelsea FC |
Everton FC |
Fulham FC |
Huddersfield Town FC |
Leicester City FC & DJS Research |
Portsmouth FC |
BEST FOOTBALL CLUB HOSPITALITY |
Arsenal FC |
Brighton & Hove Albion FC |
Liverpool FC |
Manchester City FC |
St Johnstone FC |
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC |
BEST FOOTBALL COMMUNITY SCHEME – NON-PREMIER LEAGUE |
Cardiff City FC Community Foundation |
Derby County Community Trust |
English Football League (EFL) |
Kew Park Rangers |
Kick It Out |
Luton Town FC Community Trust |
Pompey in the Community: Portsmouth FC |
BEST FOOTBALL COMMUNITY SCHEME – PREMIER LEAGUE |
Albion in the Community (Brighton & Hove Albion FC) |
Everton in the Community |
Newcastle United Foundation |
Saints Foundation, Charity of Southampton FC |
Watford FC’s Community Sports and Education Trust |
West Ham United Foundation |
BEST LARGE BUSINESS SERVING FOOTBALL |
adi.tv |
KSS |
Mishcon de Reya LLP |
Onside Law |
STATSports Group Ltd |
StreamAMG |
Thomas Cook Sport |
BEST SMALL BUSINESS SERVING FOOTBALL |
Beyond 90 |
ESF Events |
Goodform |
ILG Business Ltd |
Oaks Consultancy |
The Sporting Memories Foundation |
WePlay |
Zeelo |
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN FOOTBALL |
Catapult Sports |
EA Sports & Monterosa |
EFL |
Elite Skills Arena |
Manchester United FC |
STATSports Group Ltd |
StreamAMG |
Swansea City FC and Other Media |
INNOVATION AWARD |
adi.tv & Supponor |
Everton FC |
Fanatics |
Manchester City FC |
Southampton FC |
STATSports Group Ltd |
Swansea City FC and Other Media |
Tottenham Hotspur – Seven League and Animal Vegetable Mineral |
SPONSORSHIP / PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR |
Everton FC & Blackwell Global |
FC Barcelona & Beko |
Hull City FC & SportPesa |
Manchester City & UBTECH |
Norwich City FC & Aviva |
Stoke City FC & The Top Eleven Academy |
BEST CLUB & SUPPORTERS GROUP RELATIONSHIP – in partnership with Supporters Direct
Cambridge United FC and Cambridge Fans United
Fulham FC and Fulham Supporters Trust
Portsmouth FC and Pompey Supporters Trust
Rochdale AFC and Dale Supporters Trust
West Bromwich Albion FC and Proud Baggies
Southend United FC and Shrimpers Supporters Trust
This year, the Football Business Awards ceremony will take place at City Central at the HAC on 22 November.
The 2017 Awards saw the likes of Manchester City FC, Chelsea FC, Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Leicester City FC recognised across a number of categories, with Daniel Levy of Tottenham Hotspur winning fcbusiness Football CEO of the Year and John Motson OBE receiving the illustrious Global Football Ambassador award.
For a full list of judges, categories and for further details, visit www.FootballBusinessAwards.com