Specialist events and hospitality teams from over 50 football, rugby and cricket venues across the UK have joined together to recognise and celebrate their ‘off the pitch’ successes at The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2024, hosted at Elland Road, home to Leeds United FC.
The event welcomed over 500 guests attending to represent their teams in conference and events, matchday hospitality, chef teams, public catering, operational departments and senior management.
The event is organised by Stadium Experience annually, and recognises the efforts and dedication shown by the catering, conference and events teams at every football, rugby and cricket stadium across the UK. 79 clubs were nominated for awards, with 22 different venues scooping at least one of 43 gongs (across 14 categories).
The Results…
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club scooped the top gong for Overall Matchday Hospitality Experience 2024, fighting off tough competition from 28 participating venues across the leagues. The full results list of 2024 award winners includes;
Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award
This award recognises the very best matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. The winners demonstrate strategies for growth, brave new ideas, and overcoming challenges.
WINNER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB
Non-Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award
This award recognises the very best non-matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. The winners demonstrate strategies for growth, new ideas for unique and different events, creative use of their spaces, and overcoming challenges.
WINNER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: MKM STADIUM (HULL)
BRONZE: IPSWICH TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB
Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award
This award is based on a mystery shopper corporate/business event sales enquiry call and follow up, made during Spring 2024 by our new judges from VCA Consulting UK.
WINNER: ROTHERHAM UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: MKM STADIUM (HULL)
BRONZE: HEADINGLEY STADIUM (LEEDS)
Stadium Event of the Year Award
This award recognises the very best stadium event held in the last year. Judges specifically looked for a stadium venue displaying exceptional venue facilities and outstanding guest experiences.
WINNER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: HEADINGLEY STADIUM (LEEDS)
BRONZE: MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
Operations Team of the Year Award
This award recognises the often unseen behind-the-scenes teams that make stadium events run so smoothly, going above and beyond the call of duty to provide the very best service to customers.
WINNER: COVENTRY BUILDING SOCIETY ARENA
SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB
This award recognises the best retail catering teams at stadia across the UK. The award winners demonstrate commercial growth, high quality food offerings or proactive sustainability improvements.
WINNER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB
Above & Beyond Recognition Award
This award recognises those individuals or teams who are simply outstanding at what they do, going above and beyond expectations and continuously shining.
WINNER: JEANNINE CUBBIN AT LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: LAURA INGRAM AT MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: OPERATIONS & RETAIL TEAMS AT NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
A live theatre chef competition at the HRC Event. Chef teams had one hour to prepare, cook and present a three-course menu suitable for their Club Chairman to entertain the Head of the FA or RFU to dinner.
WINNER: ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: CHESLEA FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
Visiting Rugby Directors Award
Voted for by Directors at rugby clubs – Nominating the club where they had the best away experience. They are specifically asked to consider the welcome, service and catering.
WINNER: HULL FC
SILVER: LEEDS RHINOS RUGBY CLUB
BRONZE: BRISTOL BEARS RUGBY CLUB
Visiting Football Directors Award
Voted for by Directors at football clubs – Nominating the club where they had the best away experience. They are specifically asked to consider the welcome, service and catering.
WINNER: LEICESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: DERBY COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: FULHAM FOOTBALL CLUB
Reported by professional Salon Culinaire chef judges who experience hospitality at UK clubs this season using strict criteria. This is divided by size of hospitality offering with an award for:
Matchday Hospitality Award – Small Stadium (up to 1000 hospitality seats)
WINNER: MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: SARACENS RUGBY CLUB
BRONZE: STOCKPORT COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB
Matchday Hospitality Award – Medium Stadium (1001 – 2000 hospitality seats)
WINNER: HULL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: BLACKBURN ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB
Matchday Hospitality Award – Large Stadium (2001+ hospitality seats)
WINNER: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: ASTON VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB
Overall Matchday Hospitality Award
This award pitches all sized clubs against all, to announce the overall winning UK stadium that provides the very best matchday hospitality experience.
WINNER: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: HULL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
Stadium Experience Chair Person Collette Salmon, commented: “Year on year the goals continue to change – Our clients and businesses require us to help them bring the absolute ultimate experience to our events industry. Our venues strive to be efficient, sustainable and inclusive in what we do, setting the standards higher and higher each year in events we deliver, whether they are for our Clubs or for our customers. We do this to be top of the game, and demonstrate best practice in both the events and the sports industries.
“This year’s awards evening was a fantastic celebration of all of this hard work, discovering new innovations and recognising imaginative solutions that have developed across our fantastic stadium venues. Congratulations to all of this year’s worthy winners and of course to our voluntary Leadership Team, especially Debbie Rigney, who keeps the pace going and brings these spectacular awards each year.”
