CATEGORIES

Categories 1 to 9 are available for public entry below.

Entries must be limited to a word count of between 200 and 500 words and include a powerpoint to showcase supporting evidence of the nomination. This is to standardise the applications received and make the entries manageable for all judges.

1. Best Sports Sponsorship

* This category is open for Public Entry

About this category
To be entered by an organisation which has sport at the heart of its content, and which utilizes commercial partnerships and activations, where relevant to drive forward the reach and achieve business objectives.

Judging criteria

  • Evidence that it has created and maximised engagement with its own audience
  • Differentiation from their competitors
  • Demonstrate measurable impact for the organisation, partners, and its consumers

2. Best use of Communications Platforms in Sport

* This category is open for Public Entry

About this category
To be entered by an organisation which has sport at the heart of its digital content. This award is to recognise innovative and clever use of communications platforms to stand out from the digital crowd.

Judging criteria

  • Evidence that it has created its own audience, forming a digital community of sport fans in the process
  • Differentiation from their competitors
  • Demonstrate measurable impact for the organisation, partners, and its consumers
  • Digital community is present/managed in Ireland or was created in Ireland. However, information submitted does not necessarily have to relate to work undertaken within Ireland.

3. Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity

* This category is open for Public Entry

About this category
This category is to recognise those who champion Irish females in sport at any level. This award is for an individual or a group who have demonstrated continued commitment to growing women’s participation and made an impact either locally or nationally.

Judging criteria

  • Evidence of commitment to growing female participation in their chosen sport or physical activity.
  • Evidence of sustainable growth in female participation within the club/team.
  • Demonstrate long term vision with regard to increasing female participation in any form – umpire, referee, coach, athlete, participant.

4. Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity in Sport & Physical Activity

* This category is open for Public Entry

About this category
Open to any organisation either within the sport industry, or is using sport as a vehicle, which promotes the diversity and inclusion agenda to improve business performance and/or increased engagement and participation. This award can be entered by agencies, brands, broadcasters, events, governing bodies, local sports partnership leagues, rights holders, teams, venues and more, for internal or external-facing work.

Judging criteria

  • Prioritise diversity and inclusion through their own programmes or as part of external projects.
  • Understanding that new ideas, creativity, innovation and success come by including different perspectives and experiences.
  • Demonstrate how diversity and inclusion has played a key role in a number of ways such as, but not limited to, events, governance or campaigns.
  • Delivery of content that targets and engages with the designated target audience.
  • Impact on the organisation’s workforce, impact on the organisation’s consumers and/or the sport it serves, or sport as a whole via campaign/movement-led work.

5. Local Sports Partnership of the year

* This category is open for Public Entry

DESCRIPTION
This award shall recognise the Local Sports Partnership which has shown the most initiative in promoting sport and physical activity and/or community engagement.

JUDGING CRITERIA

  • Evidence that the initiative addressed a need, solved a problem and/or seized an opportunity.
  • Evidence of an effective communication strategy around the initiative.
  • Overall impact the initiative had/will have on the community.
  • Effective use and adherence to budget.

6. Governing Body of the Year

* This category is open for Public Entry

DESCRIPTION
This award shall recognise the National Governing Body that has demonstrated a commitment to increasing participation in sport and promote physical activity and commitment to creating the right governance culture.

JUDGING CRITERIA

  • Evidence of progress on the sporting front.
  • Evidence of carrying out successful campaigns.
  • Evidence of good governance.
  • Evidence of contributing to the promotion of sport as a whole and its benefits in Ireland.

7. Best New Sports Business of the year

* This category is decided by this years judges.

About this category
This award shall recognise potential and sustained excellence by a new sport business on the island of Ireland that has delivered innovation, growth and leadership in the industry by creating a product or service which is truly original, pushing boundaries and addressing a gap in the market. However, information submitted does not necessarily have to relate to work undertaken within Ireland.

Judging criteria

  • Evidence of commitment to innovation and continuous investment and expansion that has delivered growth in revenue, operating income, employment and/or overall performance
  • Demonstrate engagement with and impact on the sport sector
  • Overall performance and development of the business over a short period of time and less than three years.
  • Demonstrate long-term vision with regard to sustainable business growth and job creation.

The winner of this category will be decided by the Federation of Irish Sport Judges.

8. Best Sports Business of the year in partnership with Technology Ireland DIGITAL Skillnet

* This category is decided by this years judges.

About this category
This award shall recognise sustained excellence by an established sport business on the island of Ireland that has delivered innovation, growth and leadership in the industry by creating a product or service which is truly original, pushing boundaries and addressing a gap in the market. However, information submitted does not necessarily have to relate to work undertaken within Ireland.

Judging criteria

  • Evidence of commitment to innovation and continuous investment and expansion that has delivered growth in revenue, operating income, employment and/or overall performance
  • Demonstrate engagement with and impact on the sport sector
  • Overall performance and development of the business over a short period of time
  • Trading more than 3 years
  • Demonstrate long-term vision with regard to sustainable business growth and job creation

The winner of this category will be decided by the Federation of Irish Sport Judges.

9. Women in Business in Sport Award in partnership with KPMG

* This category is decided by this years judges.

About this category
The Women in Business in Sport category is to reward/recognise sustained excellence by a female professional working in business related to sport on the island of Ireland that has delivered innovation, growth, leadership or standout services in the industry.

Judging criteria

Entries should demonstrate how the nominee has, as a standout performer shown significant achievement in the advancement and/or promotion of Sport, be it through creation of or implementation of a new innovation, use of technology, campaign conceptualisation/execution resulting in a step change in sport.

The format of this entry will be a written submission of 500 words max as to why this candidate should be recognised for their role in the promotion and/or advancement of sport.

10. Jimmy Magee FIS/ASJI Sports Coverage of the Year Award

*The winner of this category is independently decided by the ASJI.

About this category
This award covers all media forms (print, broadcast (radio and TV), online and photography). An independent panel of three Industry experts (from sports PR or sport Comms) chaired by a member of the executive of the Association of Sports Journalists Ireland (ASJI) will produce a shortlist of 3 nominees and a winner.

Criteria
This award is based on the recognition of the quality and impact of a single photo/written work/broadcast/commentary in a niche and emerging sport and/or the consistent depth of quality across a series of photos/written works/broadcast/commentaries covering niche and emerging sports.

11. Outstanding Contribution to Irish Sport

* The winner of this category will be decided by the Federation of Irish Sport Board.

About this award
This award will recognise an individual for their outstanding contribution to Irish sport over the course of their lives. The Judging panel will create a shortlist for consideration by the FIS Board.