The UK’s market leader in wireless on-site communications, Call Systems Technology has installed its stadium paging system, ‘StewardCall’, into a number of high-profile sporting venues, including: The O2; Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium and, most recently; Ewood Park, home of Premiership football club Blackburn Rovers.

A unique on-site messaging solution, Rovers’ implementation of the system has seen all crowd safety stewards equipped with a simple two-button transmitter, worn on a pendant, which offers instant and discreet access to summon key personnel. The equipment, currently in place in three of the four stands at Ewood Park, has helped the club dramatically improve incident response times, and ensure the safety and security of its 25,000 match spectators.

Commended by the judging panel for significantly increasing safety at comparatively little cost, the StewardCall system was recognized with TheStadiumBusiness Award 2011 for Product Innovation.

“Call Systems Technology is delighted that our expertise has been recognised by the industry and our business peers,” commented Eloise Sheppard, MD Call Systems Technology (pictured above with Sales Director Bruce McNair).

“We know that operators set high standards in safety and and seek reliable and cost-effective equipment to help them achieve this. I am therefore doubly pleased that Premiership football clubs like Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers rely on our systems to ensure their spectators’ safety and that we have received the Product Innovation 2011 award.”

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U2’s 360º World Stadium Tour was an incredible, breath-taking, record-breaking stadium spectacle that delighted millions of fans around the world. The tour – the band’s first under a 12-year deal with Live Nation – was launched to critical acclaim in June 2009 and finally concluded some 26 months later in July 2011.

The recipient of numerous accolades and awards, the tour smashed the Rolling Stones’ record to become the highest-attended tour of all time with over 7.1 million tickets sold for the 110 concerts, held in 30 countries across five continents, and grossing over US$700m in the process.

The sheer scale of the show created many challenges for the host venues; but overcoming these challenges helped drive a better stadium experience, and it is for this reason that the judging panel recognized the tour as The Stadium Business Awards’ Guest Event of the Year for 2011.

“This tour was a brilliant success on every level and all involved should be extremely proud,” said Arthur Fogel; Chairman, Global Music & CEO, Global Touring, Live Nation. “U2 once again have set the standard for achievement – perhaps for all time!”

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Eric Randerson has worked within the local Doncaster Community for over 30 years, working many unpaid hours to ensure the children of Doncaster maintain regular access to their local Football Club.

Renowned across the local community for his involvement in local girls/womens football, Eric has managed a number of women’s football clubs – an unpaid role which involves giving up every weekend during the football season plus one night a week for training – with a handful of his protégés going on to represent their countries.

Further, using football programmes as the ‘hook’, Eric has been able to deliver programmes that have taught some of the town’s poorest children essential life skills, while simultaneously tackling anti-social behaviour in the local area.

For a lifetime dedicated to youth development programmes of the club and the community, the judging panel were proud to recognise Eric Randerson as The Stadium Business Awards’ Unsung Hero for 2011.

“I am delighted and honoured to receive the Award from my peers in the industry,” said Eric. “To be nominated for any award is exciting, but to be presented with such a prestigious award at the Camp Nou is a privilege and just amazing.

“This award has given Doncaster Rovers Community Sports and Education Foundation true global recognition, and is praise for the many years of work and dedication from myself and my team throughout our local community. To receive this award, along with the respect and admiration from my peers, is truly an awe-inspiring experience.”

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Daktronics has strong leadership positions in, and is the world’s largest supplier of, large screen video displays, electronic scoreboards, computer-programmable displays, digital billboards, and control systems. The company excels in the control of large display systems, including those that require integration of multiple complex displays showing real-time information, graphics, animation and video.

Headquartered in South Dakota, USA, but based regionally throughout Europe through subsidiaries in Germany, UK, France, Spain and Russia, the company has been recognized as a reliable and trusted partner to the worldwide sports and entertainment sector for many years.

Our international judging panel deemed that such esteemed and long-standing service, added to the company’s reputation for ongoing innovation and product development and it’s demonstrable a ‘can-do’ attitude to the numerous challenges in the sports business, rendered Daktronics a worthy winner of the TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ Industry Supplier of the Year Award for 2011.

Daktronics’ International Manager Mike Charles was on hand in Barcelona to collect the Award at our 2011 Gala Evening (pictured above right).

“Daktronics is proud and excited to be acknowledged for such achievements and will continue to provide its clients with the service and experience that has gratified many working within and outside of the industry,” said Mike.

“The award represents the commitment of Daktronics for the higher level of service and quality.”

Pictured left: Jim Morgan, President & CEO, Daktronics Inc. with colleague Mike Charles

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The Emirates Stadium opened in 2006, immediately setting a new standard for how Gunners fans could watch their team. However, rather than rest on previous successes, the club appointed London-based design agency 20|20 to consider how the stadium’s Club Level (a premium tier of 7,000 seats) could be enhanced to better fulfil its potential as a premier area from which to watch football.

The re-modelled environment immerses fans in the beauty and detail of Arsenal’s rich history, with designs based around a celebration of the club’s past and present successes. The development sees the Woolwich suite in Club Level transformed into four distinctive ‘club within club’ spaces; a buffet dining restaurant; a stylish bar; a high quality lounge; and an exclusive à la carte restaurant, thereby providing unique, intimate experiences which appeal to increasingly diverse customer segments.

Implemented by Belfast-based Portview Fit-Out during a tight 11 week period, the results are spectacular, and look set to take the new stadium to even greater successes, rendering the project a worthy winner of the 2011 Project of The Year Award.

Arsenal FC’s Commercial Operations Manager Ben Kensell was on hand at the Camp Nou to collect the Award at the 2011 Gala Evening, along with 20|20’s Creative Director Jon Lee and MD Jim Thompson.

“This is a great award for us and Arsenal in recognition of the power of truly customer focused brand experiences within the stadium environment,” commented Jim. “We have been able to create three levels of hospitality offer which give fans a real choice of match day experience, each space enhances Arsenal’s brand story and brings to life the club in a whole new way.”

Later, Arsenal FC’s Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis spoke of his delight at the accolade: “Emirates Stadium is one of the most advanced sports stadiums in the world and we are committed to continue to improve and develop it so we can provide the best environment and facilities possible to both our supporters and corporate visitors.

“We are very proud that the first stage of our Club Level redevelopment programme has been recognised by our colleagues from the global stadium industry. This recognition affirms the quality of our stadium and reconfirms Club Level and Emirates Stadium as premier venues in sports hospitality.”

RELATED LINKS

• View images of the re-modelled Club Level on the 20|20 website

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A world-leading community programme that delivers real benefits to Merseyside, the Northwest, North Wales and now also overseas, Everton in The Community (EITC) has earned a reputation for the delivery of best practice, and is recognised as one of the top performing sports charities in the UK.

A leader in the area of disability provision, EITC has provided ongoing development opportunities for over 30,000 participants during the last year, while its innovative mental health project ‘Imagine Your Goals’ has received a national roll-out by the Premier League due to its success on Merseyside.

Everton FC are also one of the only clubs to deliver a coordinated volunteering programme; ‘Pass 4 Life’, which is funded by the national volunteering organisation V. More than 150 active volunteers, of all ages and backgrounds, assist their community programmes.

After being recognised by their peers in the industry in Barcelona, Everton in The Community can now add the TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ Community Award to their wide range of accolades achieved in the past 18 months.

Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Chief Executive of EITC, was on hand at the Gala Awards evening to collect the award, along with colleague Professor William Chambers (pictured above right).

And, after returning to Goodison Park with the Award (above left), Denise spoke of her delight at the accolade: “It is absolutely fantastic that Everton has been recognised in the Community category at the most prestigious stadium awards in the sporting calendar.

Denise continued: “It quite rightly puts the Club on the world stage and reinforces the message that everyone involved with Everton is focused on raising standards and driving participation for the benefit of our fans and the wider community.

“I would like to place on record my thanks to all the staff at Everton Football Club and Everton in the Community. We all continue to make our supporters proud of the work we do and proud to be Blue!”

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In 2011, our judging panel deemed Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s Steven Salm to be ‘one to watch’ – and a worthy first recipient of the Rising Star Award.

Armed with a wealth of experience and an impressive pedigree that defies his young age, Steven was recruited to the Food and Beverage Department at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s Air Canada Centre in the summer of 2010.

Charged with creating and developing MLSE’s new fine dining restaurant brand ‘e11even’, Steven has consistently delivered on all fronts to provide an exceptional level of hospitality that has exceeded all expectations. Truly understanding what it takes to achieve success in an industry that consistently pushes you to be the best, Steven’s genuine, caring, and educated approach has won over customers and peers’ loyalty in an incredibly short period of time, while his personal style is incredibly engaging; allowing him to be one of the most connected and creative minds in the industry.

Steven (pictured above) was elated at winning the Award. “I am delighted to be honoured as the first recipient of the Rising Star award by TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ judges.

“It is inspiring for Young Entrepreneurs to be recognized for their passion and commitment to the Sports and Entertainment Industry,” continued Steven. “It has been an amazing opportunity to gain this invaluable experience with a world class organization such as Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and I am truly thankful for this recognition.”

RELATED LINKS:

• Winners in focus: Jacky Isaac
• Winners in focus: David Campbell
• Winners in focus: Wembley Stadium’s Crowd Safety Team
• Winners in focus: Manchester City FC’s Fan Marketing Campaigns
• Winners in focus: Aviva Stadium
• Winners in focus: Hopkins Architects, for the London 2012 Velodrome

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Since joining Galatasaray in 2001 – after thriving in numerous financial roles at Morgan Stanley, Citibank and AIG – Ebru has held several senior positions, including Galatasaray Marketing General Manager (2001–2006), Galatasaray SC Marketing and Finance Group Head (2006–2009) and Galatasaray Stadium General Manager (2009–2010). Following the merger of football, stadium and marketing companies in 2010, she was appointed as the General Manager of the merged entity, Galatasaray Sportif A.S.

In the past twelve months, Ebru has overseen the delivery of a new, world-class stadium in a difficult market, and the refinancing of the club’s debt, as well as being elected to the Executive Board of European Club Association… and in doing so, has broken down the boardroom barriers to lead the way for more female executives in football and the stadium sector.

Ebru - who discussed the club’s transition into their new stadium at the 2011 edition of TheStadiumBusiness Summit - was delighted with the accolade:

“I am very honoured to have been given the prestigious ‘Executive of the Year’ award, and I am taking this award in the name of all Galatasaray employees and business partners who played a significant role in the delivery of our new home: ‘Turk Telekom Arena’.

“I thank TheStadiumBusiness Awards for inspiring all of us in the industry to raise standards year on year.”

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The venue – owned and operated by Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment – has been an efficiently run building since its 1999 opening.

However, with the ongoing onset of environmentalism, the venue’s Senior Management set three, specific five-year objectives help further meet the sustainability challenge, namely: to reduce utilities by 30%; to reduce carbon footprint by 30%; and to divert 95% waste from landfill.

Through a range of practical, cost-effective and community-focused solutions, combined with several capital projects aimed at improving the venue’s environmental efficiency, the Air Canada Centre has recorded some impressive results to date; including a 48% reduction in waste, and a carbon footprint reduction of 34% within the first three years… two years ahead of the scheduled target.

And, in the view of TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ judging panel, such results represent a tremendous achievement, particularly in a busy building that is more than a decade old, thus rendering the Air Canada Centre a worthy winner of the 2011 Sustainability Award.

Commenting on the accolade, Bryan Leslie – Director of Building Operations and ‘Team Up Green’ at the Air Canada Centre – said: “We are delighted that Air Canada Centre has been honoured with the Sustainability Award by our peers in the stadium industry. We believe sustainability is an important issue that we face today and for the future. Being on the leading edge of this initiative is our goal.”

Pictured: Air Canada Centre’s award-winning Team Up Green management team

RELATED LINKS:

• Winners in focus: Jacky Isaac
• Winners in focus: David Campbell
• Winners in focus: Wembley Stadium’s Crowd Safety Team
• Winners in focus: Manchester City FC’s Fan Marketing Campaigns
• Winners in focus: Aviva Stadium
• Winners in focus: Hopkins Architects, for the London 2012 Velodrome

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As the HR Director for the Ricoh Arena and Coventry City Football Club, and the Operations Director for the Ricoh Arena, Jacky is regarded as ‘the woman who makes things happen’ at the Ricoh! Known for her total focus on driving the business to success, Jacky regularly goes beyond the call of duty to ensure that everyone at Ricoh Arena is working as part of ‘one team’.

For the football club, Jacky handles all HR and staff issues – from overseeing the contracts of managers and coaches, through to establishing new polices in line with legislation – while at the Ricoh Arena, she is charged with running the £10m a year joint venture with Compass, and managing the Arena’s partnerships with the football club, Bastion and G Casino.

Jacky fulfils these highly challenging, high-level, intricate and incredibly varied roles with a great level of skill and diplomacy; and was therefore deemed by our judging panel as the outstanding recipient of TheStadiumBusiness Awards Team Player of the Year Award for 2011.

Jacky collected the Award at the 2011 Gala Awards evening (pictured above, left), held at FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium. And, after returning to the Ricoh, Jacky spoke of her delight at the accolade: “I was surprised to be shortlisted and even more amazed to win!

“Working for the Ricoh and the Sky Blues is extremely varied and that is one of the reasons why I love it. One minute I can be working on behind-the-scenes preparations for a football match and the next involved in the logistics of hosting a conference for over 3,000 delegates. It is challenging and hard work but extremely rewarding and every day is different.”

Meanwhile, for the Ricoh Arena’s Chief Executive, Daniel Gidney, the Award was suitable recognition for Jacky’s continued service at the venue: “Jacky thoroughly deserves to have won this award because she is an integral part of our management team. Like all team players, people truly notice when she is not around, which is not very often.

“Being an HR director is never easy,” continued Daniel, “but despite having to oversee so many people in so many different roles, Jacky’s feet are always on the ground and she is one of the most popular members of the team at the Ricoh.”

RELATED LINKS:

• Winners in focus: David Campbell
• Winners in focus: Wembley Stadium’s Crowd Safety Team
• Winners in focus: Manchester City FC’s Fan Marketing Campaigns
• Winners in focus: Aviva Stadium
• Winners in focus: Hopkins Architects, for the London 2012 Velodrome

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