There are only 36 hours left to make a submission for the six open categories in the 2019 Irish Sport Industry Awards.
The Nominations Committee will meet today to determine long lists in the eight closed categories but the open categories are the ones we will focus on today with a strong entry already in the system but an opportunity to tell some of the best stories of the past 12 months.
There are six categories for which submissions have been sought:
National Governing Body of the Year
The criteria being judged here will be impact, not size. We are looking for an outstanding performance, whether in the promotion of a sport, or the ways in which an organisation has stepped up its own strengths.
Evidence of successful campaigns to promote the sport, evidence of sporting progress, evidence of playing a key part in the wider promotion of sport and of good governance will be the areas to focus on.
Previous winners of this award include Gymnastics Ireland and Paralympics Ireland
Local Sports Partnership Initiative of the Year
Up and down the country Local Sports Partnerships are doing great work in promoting sport at local level. It’s all about getting people active and the kind of projects that are being put forward are ones that really tally with Government policy in terms of developing a population that is engaged in sport or physical activity.
The award will highlight projects that have been well conceived, well promoted, well executed and have made an impact.
20X20
This is a new award to recognise an individual or a group that has made a real commitment to growing women’s participation in and engagement with sport.
The judges are looking for sustained commitment and long term thinking to fire the imagination and get girls and women believing the sport is normal for them.
Inclusivity
Open to any organisation either within the sports industry or using sport as a vehicle, which promotes the diversity and inclusion agenda to improve business performance.
The award can be entered by agencies, brands, broadcasters, events, governing bodies, leagues, rights holders, teams, venues and individuals, for internal or external-facing work.
Best Campaign to Increase Participation
Planning, creativity, delivery and impact will be key criteria in determining this award.
Campaigns or programmes that can be seen to have connected with audiences over a period of time will likely be to the fore.
Best use of Social Media
The creation of a digital community that becomes an active community is at the heart of this award. Social media is the channel through which large and small organisations can build their profile and deliver their message.
Doing it is easy, doing it well is more challenging but we expect that this will be a very competitive category.
The deadline for entry to each of these six categories is 3 PM on Friday, March 29th. The clock is ticking. The application process is simple and will rely on clarity of description rather than a vast submission of the entire body of work.
Don’t be put off by the time you think it would take. The opportunity to tell the story of your success is incredibly important. Don’t miss out.
Make your entry for the 2019 Irish Sport Industry Awards Here