HARLEQUINS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE TODAY (THURSDAY 6TH APRIL) THAT BIG GAME 9, IN ASSOCIATION WITH IG, HAS BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS BUSINESS AWARDS’ ‘BEST SPORTS EVENT OF THE YEAR’ AND THE STADIUM BUSINESS AWARDS’ ‘EVENT OF THE YEAR’.
The awards, which will be hosted respectively in London and Dublin in June, recognise the best sporting event of 2016 from both a commercial and supporter perspective.
The nomination for The Stadium Business Awards will come down to a public vote and you can vote now for Big Game by clicking here.
When deciding the shortlist, judges, consisting of leading Sports Chief Executives and business professionals, looked for innovation and the achievement of attendance, engagement and brand awareness.
Each year Harlequins move their Christmas fixture from the 14,800 capacity Twickenham Stoop, to the 82,000 seated national stadium, Twickenham, for Big Game.
Celebrating their 150th anniversary season, this year’s match, the ninth in its series, was one of the Club’s headline events.
Supporters packed into Twickenham Stadium to see Harlequins edge Gloucester Rugby, Harlequins recorded the largest sporting attendance in Europe that week, and a staggering 484% increase on their 13,287 average home attendance.
Millions more were reached in the national newspapers, via international television broadcast and online through an innovative social media campaign.
Harlequins’ Big Game series prides itself on being about more than just the rugby. 8,656 tickets were sold to local rugby clubs and schools, while 577 junior supporters had the privilege to play pre-match at the Home of Rugby. Additionally £80,000 was raised on the day for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and The Harlequins Foundation.
In their sesquicentennial year, Big Game 9 truly became Harlequin’s biggest ever game.
Commenting on the nominations, Harlequins Commercial Director Ned Wills said: “We are really proud to have Harlequins’ Big Game 9 nominated for two prestigious awards this summer. The Big Game series is a magnificent annual event which has become a headline fixture in the Aviva Premiership rugby calendar.
“These nominations are testament to the hard work, dedication and collective effort from our team of staff, players and Partners. Sporting events like this don’t just happen, and to have over 77,000 supporters attending a club rugby match is truly remarkable.”
Stadium Business Awards – Event of the Year shortlist
A-League Grand Final (National Football Federation) at Adelaide Oval, Australia
Bellew v Makabu WBC World Title Fight at Goodison Park (Everton FC), UK
Copa America Centenario USA 2016 at Levi’s Stadium, USA
Harlequins’ Big Game at Twickenham Stadium, UK
Sydney 7s at Allianz Stadium, Australia
NFL Monday Night Football (Raiders v Texans) at Estadio Azteca, Mexico
Sports Business Awards – Best Sports Event of the Year shortlist
British Cycling – 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
EA SPORTS – EA SPORTS FIFA 17 Launch
Harlequins – Harlequins Big Game 9
ONE Championship
Premiership Rugby – Aviva Premiership Rugby Final 2016
Professional Darts Corporation – World Darts Championship
Sepang International Circuit Sdn. Bhd. – Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix 2016
