This morning, 9th February, the Premier League unveiled its new visual identity, set to debut next season. Having re-titled to the Premier League following title-sponsor, Barclays, failing to renew the relationship, the move has set off debate on social media. Some say the Premier League has strayed too far from its roots, while others remark that this will usher the competition into a more modern age. Whatever the argument, one thing is undoubtedly clear – the rebranding is a step forward in line with the digital age.

 

For example, the logo, which is simple and bold, may have been criticized on Twitter but works well in app form. It is also very shareable on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, where posts which display bright, colourful pictures are more likely to garner a better response. As social media cements its position as a key fan engagement tool in sport, the Premier League has created a logo that is not only distinct and memorable but also highly shareable on all platforms.

 

As sports technology becomes more prominent in everyday life, it was only a matter of time before brands as big as the Premier League shifted their design to reflect a more technically-savvy approach. Whilst it is unlikely to bring in any more fans directly and many of the older guard appear unimpressed, the move will engage its younger followers who are inherently digital natives – and the League’s future – so could prove among the best signings the League sees this season.

Oh the world of awards and submitting awards entries! Most of us at some point have diligently filled in the forms, collated support information, paid our (frequently outrageous) entry fee and all with a nagging suspicion that our brand, when pitted against the behemoths in our market, may not truly be getting a fair crack of the whip.

 

As the owner of two SMEs I am determined that the Sports Technology Awards will provide value for the brands which enter, not least of all through the most rigorous judging process we could put in place. Here’s how…

 

The Size and Breath of Judging Panel Knowledge: sports tech is a broad and complex sector so it is nigh on impossible to find a single person – let alone a dozen or so people – who genuinely understands every facet of every category. Consequently, we have secured a large international panel of judges who offer in-depth understanding of a few categories each. For example, we ask our Olympians and World Cup winners to review sports technology that deals in coaching or performance, the business brains look at commercial returns and tech visionaries look at concepts and apps – you get the gist.

Each Judge is an Island: well, they do their Sports Technology Awards judging alone. The judges review their categories over a period of weeks via the awards portal. We encourage them to use their industry knowledge to determine what is a great product versus a lesser but better presented one. This way, they are demonstrably beyond the influence of the organizers or any other judge. This can only be a good thing.

Points Mean Prizes: The judges score on a points basis which, quite simply, means that the entry that scores the most wins. In the case of a tied win, both submissions are sent to other judges to mark and this determines the winner. Again, this is all done without collaboration so the final score is fairly achieved.

No Day of Reckoning: Judging awards is a great way to network with industry peers however judging days have several drawbacks, not least of all is that it is hard to coordinate the diaries of leading industry people from around the globe. However, as my friend Richard Ayers of Seven League so beautifully put it (and I urge you to read his Tips for Entry blog) ‘It’s like the film Twelve Angry Men…One strong voice can bias the proceedings, or one procedural point can make a bigger-than-expected impact. 99% of judges have always been very diligent in my experience, but we all get stuck for time and if people have to leave and a quick decision is needed… it might be your entry that comes off worse’. We appreciate that judging days are very necessary for some sports awards but the Sports Technology Awards is the better and fairer for avoiding this process completely.

The Best Policy: Our judges are international figures who have achieved excellence in their field through being honourable people – and they talk to us. They understand commercial confidentiality, they volunteer any issues around conflict of interest, they say if they aren’t comfortable judging a submission – in short, they are as passionate as we are about seeing the best – not the biggest or most famous – brand walk off with the silverware.

We hope this process, coupled with a fair entry fee and a raft of free extra benefits – such as free exposure via our video portal – will inspire innovative brands of all sizes to trust The Sports Technology Awards to judge them fairly. But you need to hurry, the deadline for the 2016 Sports Technology Awards is approaching (15th January). Click here for more information.

 

Rebecca Hopkins, CEO Sports Technology Awards

With entries closing on 31st December, the Sports Technology Awards judging panel has been revealed.  The impressive line-up spans leading sports brands, sponsors, academics, Olympians, World Cup winners, governing bodies, architecture and innovative technologists.

 

The awards, which have been celebrating the vital role of technology in sport since their inception in 2014, are unique globally and represent an international mark of excellence.

 

Rebecca Hopkins, CEO of the Sports Technology Awards, explained ‘we are delighted to have so many influential names from sport, sports tech and technology support the awards via the judging process. Our judges only judge entries within their expertise and with categories spanning vastly different disciplines, we needed to have people on the panel who completely understood each one’.

 

Here are just a few of the judges supporting the 2016 awards:

ALEX TRICKETT, Head of Sport, Twitter

ANDREW DIGGLE, Acting Head of Media, Manchester United

ANDY HARLAND, Head of Sports Technology Research Group, Loughborough University

HOLGER VALTIN, Global Sports Marketing Director, Bayern München, Adidas

JAMIE BAULCH, Olympic Medallist and Former World Champion

JAYNE BUSSMAN-WISE, Director of Digital Marketing, New York City FC

MARLON DEVONISH, Olympic, World Indoor, Commonwealth and European Champion

MARTIN CORRY, Former England Rugby Captain and Rugby World Cup Winner

PETER SCHOENKE, President, Rotowire.Com and Roto Sports Inc.

SCOTT GUTTERMAN, Vice President of Digital Operations, PGA Tour

STEVE HELLMUTH, Executive Vice President, Operations and Technology, NBA Entertainment

SUNDANCE DIGIOVANNI, Co-Founder & CEO, Major League Gaming

 

Olympian, Marlon Devonish, added ‘as a former Olympian turned coach, I not only find technology really useful as a competitor, it helps shape the way I train the people I work with. Judging these awards keeps me current on the latest kit available anywhere in the world and ensures that I continue to review and judge the best out there. On top of this, the awards give me a chance to network with crucial people in our industry so I value it on many levels’.

If you’re looking for somewhere to see the most exciting new sports tech, look no further than the Sports Technology Award’s brand new video portal, The Tech Hub. Unveiled on Wednesday, it was created to give entrants another platform to showcase their technologies but also to give consumers the chance to connect with the newest developments in the sector. Videos on The Hub range from O2’s Wear the Rose campaign to a start-up company’s newest wearable and the best thing about The Hub is it is completely free to feature with an entry to the awards!

 

To see the latest and most cutting-edge technology, click here.