The Sports Technology Awards is delighted to announce that Emma Boggis will be joining the prestigious list of judges.

 

Boggis is the CEO Sport and Recreation Alliance as well as a non-executive Director of the British Paralympic Association.

 

Prior to that, she worked as a Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Madrid, Deputy Director in the Cabinet Office with responsibility for social policy and legislation and as an officer in the British Army.

 

Her diverse range of experience will add a fresh perspective to this year’s panel.

One of the Sports Technology Awards judges, Richard Ayers, lists seven tips to ensure you bag a winning entry…

 

Entries for the BT Sports Industry Awards just closed. The Sports Technology Awards’ closing date is the end of the month and I’m currently working my way through as many films as I can because I’m a lucky Bafta film judge. It seems that many people want a gong for Christmas, so I have some tips for those entering.

 

Firstly, how do I know what’s involved in award winning? To be clear, Seven League doesn’t win awards for our work, our clients do. Take the wonderful work our team did creating, recruiting, managing and maximising the value of the Rose Army during the Rugby World Cup… all our own graft for O2, but it will form part of award entries with our chums at M&C Saatchi, VCCP and O2 themselves. And quite right too.

 

Personally, I have a batch from former lives (being on bafta-winning teams and a range from my pure internet days) and then from my sport life it’s the BTSIA Best Website for Manchester City FC (for which, read digital generally. it was 2012) and the ridiculous but flattering Digital Individual of the Year DADI award, also in 2012 (did you know it was Sir Martin Sorrell the year after? Because it’s a natural jump from me to him. Right.).

 

However, on the judging side of things, the 7L team have done a lot more recently: The European Sponsorship Awards, the Sports Tech Awards, the Football Business Awards, the Business of Cricket Awards…

 

It’s always fascinating, and I appreciate the time and effort it takes to put together an awards entry – but because I know what an effort it can be, I thought I’d put together some simple tips.

A friend used to say that when he was filtering CVs, he’d take half of them and put them in the bin right at the beginning of the process. The logic was that it helped him cut down the workload and anyway, you wouldn’t want to hire someone who was unlucky.

 

For tips that are slightly more practical than ‘be lucky’, read on…

 

1. It’s not a marketing blurb. Don’t use marketing speak. If possible, don’t get a marketing person to write it unless they can write in non-marketing speak. I’m a judge – that means you’d think I’ve got some experience in your sector. You won’t pull the wool over my eyes by saying something ‘exploded’ or ‘went viral’. You’re just going to irritate me. As a recovering journalist I know I have a sensitive spot when it comes to writing style – but hyperbolic idiocy will get your entry thrown in the bin. You think I’m joking? Three gems from recent judging: “This was a truly synergistic partnership” – shut up. and no, it wasn’t Josh or Carsten at Synergy being clever; “We nailed the target” – really? do I look like I’m in the pub… what is that supposed to mean? might as well have said ‘smashed it. dropped the mic’; “The project exploded in social media” – it did WHAT?! WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!?

 

1.a. Going back to the judge thing… the organisers usually ask people who are good at what they do. Now, sometimes we get asked to judge categories that are not our home turf so a little bit of explanation is good, but beware of patronising or over-simplifying, because it might look like you’re trying to pull the wool.

 

2. I don’t have all the time in the world to read your carefully crafted essay. If you’ve got something good to say, make it concise and punchy and clear in the first paragraph. First sentence if possible. Bullet points are good. Here’s a crazy idea, why don’t you put some real facts in there too. Real ones.

 

It’s easy: Check the limit, count the words

 

Look at it from a judge’s perspective. It’s a fascinating process and sometimes you see work you didn’t know about, which is interesting. But it’s not paid work. The last time I did one, I had 104 entries to review. There were some that were duplicates but there were still about 80 individual entries and even if I spent just 90 seconds reading each one of them, that’s still 2 hours of my time. The reality is you spend a minimum of 5 mins on each one.

 

3. Categories. They’re there for a reason. You might think that your project was ‘massively social’ (see point 1.) but unless it meets the criteria, it will go in the bin (see point 2.). If the criteria aren’t clear or your project does cross some boundaries, then get in touch with the organisers and check. Or say something about that in your well-honed, tightly-written entry.

 

4. Be classy. Don’t comment on others. It’s just not done. Picking out competitors or other projects and criticising them is ungentlemanly at least. If you really have a point to make, then an oblique reference to the issues is passable, but be careful.

 

5. Word Limit. It’s a word limit. You know, like a speed limit – you can go over it if you want, but it will be illegal and if a policeman decides to nick you, then you’re bang to rights. See point 2… one of the ways of filtering is simply to look at the long ones and make a super quick decision about whether it’s going to be worth the read.

 

6. FACTS. Yes, I know, this one will blow your mind. How about you actually put some facts in the entry. We’re intelligent enough (see 1.a) to know that something can be highly effective and award-worthy even if it didn’t get all the publicity and public awareness. Small and beautiful is good. Yes, the big boys will put in huge totals of social media reach and website traffic… and omit to say that they spent a truck load on digital marketing to buy traffic. Yes, they will forget to point out that their website campaign was supported by the insanely expensive tv spot, or that it was part of a national event with high profile celebrities, so of course it got loads of awareness. We know this. We can factor that in. We can question numbers. Whether it be KPIs or budgets, just be clear as you can. But you have to give us the numbers – numbers that matter – in the first place. No numbers = bin. Wrong number = bin. Numbers purporting to be relevant but trying to pull the wool? Bin. Numbers that have relevance and tell as much of the whole story as you can… not bin.

 

6.a. Digital and Social numbers. This is worth a paragraph, partly because it is an area of real expertise for Seven League. Yes, there are lies, damned lies and digital numbers. You can make them tell almost any story you want and, at the same time, there are all sorts of moving goalposts and changing definitions (and mixed metaphors) from the various platforms who have a black-box approach to analytics. We judges know that sometimes it’s difficult to give the right engagement figure, or to combine different platforms’ approaches. That’s ok – just be clear about it, or point us to a page on your website that tries to explain it – but give detail wherever you can.

 

6.b. There’s one area where us judges do give some leeway on numbers – and that’s project budgets. It’s very very useful to give as much detail as you can, but we do understand that sometimes it’s just too sensitive. There, you see, I can have empathy.

 

and finally, because there had to be Seven tips…

 

7. Being on a short list is good. Don’t crave the win. I have seen some odd things go on in a judging room. Like Hancock and Syd James’ Twelve Angry Men episode of Hancock’s Half Hour… the group can swing one way and another. This doesn’t happen in the STAs case where it’s all done on scoring and we judges won’t meet, but most awards *do* have a judging day. 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. To be on the short list is a real credit to you. Still… if you are lucky enough to win, enjoy every minute of it.

 

Richard Ayers, CEO Seven League

Click to learn more about the Yahoo Sports Technology Awards and Sports Technology Awards Startups.

Entries are now open for the 2017 Sports Technology Awards.

 

In May, the finest in both sport and technology will gather at The Roundhouse in London, for a spectacular awards ceremony.

 

Last year, hundreds of entries were submitted across 20 categories in the hope of gaining one of Sports Technology’s ultimate seals of approval.

 

The closing date for all entries is 24th January 2017.

 

A full list of categories can be found on our website. Any queries can be forwarded to info@sportstechgroup.org

Former Olympic gold medallist Mark Hunter has joined the Sports Technology Awards team as a Director.

 

His new role makes him responsible for overseeing the awards and further developing the brand.

 

Speaking following his appointment, Mark said: ‘Having been a guest at the previous events, I always enjoyed the ceremony and I was impressed with the work the Sports Technology Awards team has done in creating something so powerful so quickly. That said, there is a lot more that we can be doing; I am especially excited by the potential of the Power List and the opportunities that exist for us in a variety of markets.’

 

He added: ‘I thoroughly enjoyed my time at London Youth Rowing and remain committed to helping the charity inspire more young people in the capital to try rowing. It’s been fascinating to see and experience how technology has evolved. It has now become an ever-increasing part of people’s involvement with sport and I look forward to engaging with my network to unearth the technology, the innovations and the people the awards should be celebrating’.

The Sports Technology Awards is proud to announce that this year’s ceremony will be hosted at The Roundhouse London.

 

Typically a hub of inspiration for the creative arts, the Roundhouse is also one of the most architecturally astounding and unique event spaces in London.

 

Converted from an historic engine turntable into a performing arts centre in 1966, the legacy of the location has grown from strength to strength and provides the perfect space for the best in sports technology to gather in May.

 

This year is the fourth cycle of the Sports Technology Awards. With the globally unique ceremony having become an international kite-mark of excellence, it was vital that the premises for this year’s awards reflected the quality of everything and everyone involved.

 

The Roundhouse is located on Chalk Farm Road in London (NW1 8EH), and the event will take place on the 4th May.

 

Follow us on Twitter: @SportTechGroup

 

Click to learn more about the Yahoo Sports Technology Awards and Sports Technology Awards Startups.

The Sports Technology Awards is very proud of its role in promoting the outstanding work of the sector, however, until now, the celebrations have focused on technology products and their use across sport. Clearly, that is only half the story as the success of any business is down to both the people within it and those who have the vision and courage to embrace innovative work when they encounter it.

 

Since people are ultimately at the heart of sport, it is only right that the individuals who do great work are celebrated too. To this end The Sports Technology Awards has launched its Power List; its purpose is to identify the people throughout the industry, globally, who have created, adopted, or facilitated the adoption of technology within their area of sport. The list will be determined by industry peers and reviewed annually.

 

As with The Sports Technology Awards, people from every aspect of sport are eligible and whilst we are very happy to receive suggestions for the long list, it will be determined in collaboration with the editorial team of our media partners, SportsPro. The Power List aims to reflect the tangible achievements of people who have shaped the industry in recent times; consequently, anyone currently employed in a business with a sub $1,500,000 turnover or which has been operating for less than 18 months is highly unlikely to be eligible. Please consider this before submitting nominations to the STA office.

 

The Power List will be promoted via @sporttechgroup using the hashtag #STAPower50 and via the Sports Technology Awards Group LinkedIn Page.

The very nature of the sports technology industry means that it is fast-paced but, in recent years, one sector has stood out as perhaps the most booming – wearables. With the market set to reach $31bn by 2020 and with an annual growth rate of 35%, it’s safe to say that we’ll be seeing a lot more handy gadgets on our wrists and in our kit bags.

 

Wearables is a broad church that currently divides into two distinct areas; the in-depth monitoring demanded by elite sport, versus the behavior-change products for the leisure market. In short, serious sportspeople don’t need to count their daily steps for motivation or to assess how well they have trained. Conversely, for a person simply trying to lose weight, knowing hip mobility or in-depth biometric stats is probably overkill. From that viewpoint, the sector has developed ‘horses for courses’ products very well.

 

As the CEO of the Sports Technology Awards, I keep a very close eye on trends and changes in this space. Having spent a lot of time reviewing new kit at CES in January as well as knowing what is currently on offer, the overwhelming impression is that there are a lot of ‘me too’ products on the market and few items are genuinely moving the space forward, especially at the mass market end of the spectrum. Simply making something more waterproof, a bit prettier or even more streamlined isn’t especially interesting.

 

However, what appears to be the single biggest trend in wearables – and transcends the division between elite athletes and your average punter – is the ability to track and improve sleep. Currently, this is more prevalent in the technology available to elite sports coaches and managers but, as is the norm with these things, it is fast finding its way down to the high street.

 

The benefits of sustained, quality sleep are drummed into us from a young age but as consumers wake up to the ability to do something about it (as well as the slightly geeky enjoyment of having another data seam to mine) suddenly the growth stats for wearables look almost conservative.

 

First published on Sports Think Tank

The shortlist for the 2016 Sports Technology Awards has been announced today.

The Sports Technology Awards celebrate the vital role technology plays in sport; the awards are unique globally and represent an international mark of excellence.

Included in the shortlist are the BBC, Hawkeye, NASCAR, the Rugby World Cup, the WTA, the NBA and ASICS, the work of which is celebrated across categories including best app, partnership and concept, as well as work by sponsors, tournaments and broadcasters.

Rebecca Hopkins, CEO of the awards explained: “This has been another exciting year for sport and technology continues to influence all facets of the sector to an exponential degree. We are delighted that, once again, as well as the biggest brands in sport, our finalists also include the most inventive tech start-ups, the vision of which means that they are equal in their ability to win in any category.’

Winners will be revealed on 15th April at a lunchtime ceremony in London which is set to be attended by over 500 senior industry figures as well as current and former athletes.

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