New Awards for the Business of Football

A brand new set of awards has launched to recognise excellence and effectiveness in the business of football. The Football Business Awards will be held at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge in November this year and are designed to recognise the essential role that business plays in football, the positive impact of football on the community and vital role played by the businesses which serve the game. The awards are open to clubs and to any business connected to football.

The high-profile panel of judges comes from a wide range of football, business and media environments include Chelsea FC, Chairman Bruce Buck, Vauxhall Head of Sponsorship Chris Hornbuckle, Lawson Muncaster, Managing Director of City AM, Nick Harford Head of Partnerships at EA Sport and FCbusiness’ Editor Ryan McKnight.

The award categories cover a broad range of football business and commercial issues from Commercial team of the Year to Best Community Scheme, Best Professional Business Serving Football to Most Innovative Use of Technology, retail operations, community schemes and catering are also covered. In several categories there are separate awards for Premier and Football League entrants. 

Chairman of the judges Bruce Buck said, “Chelsea Football Club is delighted to be hosting the inaugural Football Business Awards at Stamford Bridge and I am proud to be chairing the judging panel. As anybody who works in the football industry will testify, there is a huge amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes at clubs to support the efforts of the players on the pitch; I know that from personal experience here at Chelsea. In my opinion, these awards are extremely important, and long overdue, in giving recognition to those who have excelled in the wide array of businesses involved in the football industry.”

Simon Burton, one of the team behind the Football Business Awards commented, “It’s timely to recognize and acknowledge the excellent commercial endeavour that goes on behind the scenes in football, both within the clubs themselves and as importantly, those thousands of businesses which serve football. Football clubs make a hugely positive impact on their communities and on the businesses which work with them. These awards celebrate that impact.”

Vauxhall and FAW to Host Social Media First

Vauxhall and the Football Association of Wales will score a social networking first with a live Twitter takeover event next week with Head Coach Chris Coleman.

The newly appointed Wales Head Coach has agreed to become the first Home Nations Manager to answer questions from fans live via Vauxhall's dedicated Wales football Twitter page.

This live Twitter takeover forms part of a series of player and coach live feeds over recent and coming months.

Simon Culley, Vauxhall’s Football Sponsorship Marketing Manager said; "We're very grateful to Chris and the FAW for facilitating this activation. It is a ground breaking opportunity for us to host a live interaction between Welsh football fans and their head coach.

“We have made a significant investment in our digital football platforms and the response to our activity has been very positive from the fans.

“As sponsor of all four Home Nations we are in a very unique position and throughout the campaign we have worked hard to give fans a behind the scenes view of International football.”

Ian Davis, FAW Commercial Manager, commented; “This is a major coup for the FAW and Vauxhall and we are delighted to be able to make it happen.

“As an association we are always looking to innovate and offering the fans a chance to interact with the Head Coach via Social Media is an exciting opportunity for everyone involved.”

The Twitter takeover will take place at the FAW Headquarters at 11am on Thursday 19^th of April, the same day that a group of Welsh football fans get the chance to play in Vauxhall’s Big Pitch game at the Millennium Stadium.

Vauxhall launched their football social media platforms in October 2011 and currently have close to forty thousand followers across all four Home Nations.

Follow @Vauxhall_Wales on twitter at https://twitter.com/vauxhall_wales

Become a fan of Vauxhall Wales on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vauxhallwales

For more information on Vauxhall Football go to http://www.vauxhallfootball.co.uk/

MANTIS sign Greg Rusedski as Brand Ambassador

Exciting new UK based tennis brand MANTIS have today announced former British number 1 Greg Rusedski as brand ambassador.

The new addition to the MANTIS team comes on the back of a successful first full year in the market, which has also seen them become the official tennis racket and ball partner to the AEGON Masters Tennis Championship.

Rusedski, a US Open finalist, former World number 4 and Great Britain Davis cup star, will play a major role in future product development and an active part in the testing of new MANTIS ranges.

The Wimbledon quarter finalist will be using a MANTIS Tour 305 racket in his day to day role as a talent and performance ambassador for the Lawn Tennis Association.

Rusedski, who also works as a tennis pundit on TV, said; “I am delighted to be joining the MANTIS team as an ambassador for this exciting new British brand.”

“The passion, attention to detail and love of tennis was apparent from the first conversation I had with the guys at MANTIS. Great rackets just have that feel about them the moment you pick them up for the first time and for me, it was definitely the case with the MANTIS frame.”

Despite being a relatively new brand MANTIS have had a fantastic response both in the UK and internationally, with their philosophy of producing products of exceptional quality at vastly superior prices at the heart of their core values.

Martin Aldridge, Founder and Managing Director of MANTIS, said; “The signing of Greg Rusedski as brand ambassador demonstrates our commitment to the expansion of MANTIS in the coming years.

“Greg’s expert knowledge and his experience in the game at the highest level will be invaluable moving forward as we continue to extend our portfolio of high quality products.”

For more information about MANTIS go to www.facebook.com/mantissports

Follow MANTIS on twitter @MANTISsport

Vauxhall Launch Home Nations Football Photography Competition

Vauxhall today launched their inaugural Home Nations Football Photography competition.

The major new photographic initiative is designed to stimulate interest and support among all photographers covering international football with any of the Home Nations.

There will be individual national competitions for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales photographers.

There will be two principal categories - Best Photographer and Best Individual Photo.  As well as four national winners, there will be an overall Home Nations champion photographer.

All photographers - newspaper, agency and freelance - are welcome to enter.

The overall winner will receive the use of a Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer, SRI Ecoflex, 1.7 CDTI (125ps) car for one year.  Each individual national winner will receive a first prize of £500.

The competition covers all relevant international fixtures, international training sessions and international press conferences in 2011.

Vauxhall Head of Sponsorship, Chris Hornbuckle said: "We are very appreciative of the support and the excellent work which is undertaken by photographers.

"This competition is Vauxhall's way of saying thank you.  We have enjoyed an excellent first year of our Home Nations sponsorship programme and we are keen to promote an evocative and high-quality portfolio of images which capture the essence of international competition and patriotism.

"We hope and believe that the title will be very much sought after by all photographers who cover Home Nations football."

The competition will be co-ordinated by Macesport who handle a dedicated football media relations centre for Vauxhall.

Entry forms are now available from Aimee Preston at Macesport aimee.preston@macesport.co.uk

Closing date for entries is Friday February 17^th 2012.

New digital appointment for Macesport

Macesport today announced the new appointment of Hannah Lupton as Account Manager (Digital).

Hannah (22) will be responsible for the continued expansion of Macesport's sports social media portfolio which services over one million followers.

An honours graduate from Nottingham Trent University, Hannah joins the specialist sports agency from Sky Sports News Radio.

She will be primarily responsible for the development of Vauxhall's Twitter and Facebook activation of their Home Nations football sponsorship of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Macesport managing director Paul Mace said: "We are very impressed by Hannah's passion and knowledge for sport allied to a can-do attitude and keen work ethic.

"Our social media division has expanded rapidly over the past 18 months and there is an ever-increasing demand to service our clients' appetite for social media.

"Our client Robbie Savage now enjoys over half a million Twitter followers and is widely regarded as one of the most exciting and vibrant Twitter exponents in the UK.

"We have some great plans for Vauxhall's Facebook and Twitter development and Hannah is integral to those activations."

Hannah - a keen fan of Preston North End - said: "It is a great honour to have the opportunity to be employed by a nationally-acclaimed sports communications agency such as Macesport.

"I love my sport and I love communications.  The chance to be working with such fantastic clients as Vauxhall and their activation of Home Nations Football is a dream come true."

For more information on go to www.macesport.co.uk