The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2024 Results

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The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2024 Results

Specialist events and hospitality teams from over 50 football, rugby and cricket venues across the UK have joined together to recognise and celebrate their ‘off the pitch’ successes at The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2024. The 17th annual awards were sponsored by Global Payments and hosted at Elland Road, home to Leeds United FC.

The event was the busiest on record, with over 500 guests attending to represent their teams in conference and events, matchday hospitality, chef teams, public catering, operational departments and senior management. Guests experienced an American themed celebration in the venues stunning Centenary Pavilion, which included a fine dining three course menu (sponsored by Classic Fine Foods), with awards ceremony and live entertainment (including Elvis), before partying into the early hours of the morning until 4am.

The event is organised by Stadium Experience annually, and recognises the efforts and dedication shown by the catering, conference and events teams at every football, rugby and cricket stadium across the UK. 79 clubs were nominated for awards, with 22 different venues scooping at least one of 43 gongs (across 14 categories).

Independent Awards Judging

Each award category is independently judged (Stadium Experience does not judge any of the awards). Some categories are voted for by stadium directors, VCA Consulting UK judges the Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award, Salon Culinaire judge the Chef Team of the Year Award, and others are decided by teams of experts with many years of experience in their fields. Read more about who judges The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards.

The Results…

Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club scooped the top gong for Overall Matchday Hospitality Experience 2024, fighting off tough competition from 28 participating venues across the leagues. The full results list of 2024 award winners includes;

Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by iVvy Venues

This award recognises the very best matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. The winners demonstrate strategies for growth, brave new ideas, and overcoming challenges.

WINNER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB

Non-Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Special Occasion Linen

This award recognises the very best non-matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. The winners demonstrate strategies for growth, new ideas for unique and different events, creative use of their spaces, and overcoming challenges.

WINNER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: MKM STADIUM (HULL)

BRONZE: IPSWICH TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB

Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award – Sponsored by Chefs & Events Staffing

This award is based on a mystery shopper corporate/business event sales enquiry call and follow up, made during Spring 2024 by our new judges from VCA Consulting UK.

WINNER: ROTHERHAM UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: MKM STADIUM (HULL)

BRONZE: HEADINGLEY STADIUM (LEEDS)

*NEW* Stadium Event of the Year Award – Sponsored by Rational

This award recognises the very best stadium event held in the last year. Judges specifically looked for a stadium venue displaying exceptional venue facilities and outstanding guest experiences.

WINNER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: HEADINGLEY STADIUM (LEEDS)

BRONZE: MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

Operations Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Braehead Foods

This award recognises the often unseen behind-the-scenes teams that make stadium events run so smoothly, going above and beyond the call of duty to provide the very best service to customers.

WINNER: COVENTRY BUILDING SOCIETY ARENA

SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB

Best Retail Catering Award – Sponsored by Rollover Hotdogs

This award recognises the best retail catering teams at stadia across the UK. The award winners demonstrate commercial growth, high quality food offerings or proactive sustainability improvements.

WINNER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB

*NEW* Above & Beyond Recognition Award – Sponsored by Taste Beverages

This award recognises those individuals or teams who are simply outstanding at what they do, going above and beyond expectations and continuously shining.

WINNER: JEANNINE CUBBIN AT LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: LAURA INGRAM AT MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: OPERATIONS & RETAIL TEAMS AT NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

Chef Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Chef Works UK & Bragard

A live theatre chef competition at the HRC Event. Chef teams had one hour to prepare, cook and present a three-course menu suitable for their Club Chairman to entertain the Head of the FA or RFU to dinner.

WINNER: ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: CHESLEA FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

Visiting Rugby Directors Award – Sponsored by Get Pica

Voted for by Directors at rugby clubs – Nominating the club where they had the best away experience. They are specifically asked to consider the welcome, service and catering.

WINNER: HULL FC

SILVER: LEEDS RHINOS RUGBY CLUB

BRONZE: BRISTOL BEARS RUGBY CLUB

Visiting Football Directors Award – Sponsored by FC Business

Voted for by Directors at football clubs – Nominating the club where they had the best away experience. They are specifically asked to consider the welcome, service and catering.

WINNER: LEICESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: DERBY COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: FULHAM FOOTBALL CLUB

Matchday Hospitality Awards – Sponsored by Heineken, Dr Oetker & Acme

Reported by professional Salon Culinaire chef judges who experience hospitality at UK clubs this season using strict criteria. This is divided by size of hospitality offering with an award for:

Matchday Hospitality Award – Small Stadium (up to 1000 hospitality seats)

WINNER: MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: SARACENS RUGBY CLUB

BRONZE: STOCKPORT COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB

Matchday Hospitality Award – Medium Stadium (1001 – 2000 hospitality seats)

WINNER: HULL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: BLACKBURN ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB

Matchday Hospitality Award – Large Stadium (2001+ hospitality seats)

WINNER: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: ASTON VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB

Overall Matchday Hospitality Award – Presented by Global Payments

This award pitches all sized clubs against all, to announce the overall winning UK stadium that provides the very best matchday hospitality experience.

WINNER: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: HULL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

Stadium Experience Chair Person Collette Salmon, commented: “Year on year the goals continue to change – Our clients and businesses require us to help them bring the absolute ultimate experience to our events industry. Our venues strive to be efficient, sustainable and inclusive in what we do, setting the standards higher and higher each year in events we deliver, whether they are for our Clubs or for our customers. We do this to be top of the game, and demonstrate best practice in both the events and the sports industries.

This year’s awards evening was a fantastic celebration of all of this hard work, discovering new innovations and recognising imaginative solutions that have developed across our fantastic stadium venues. Congratulations to all of this year’s worthy winners and of course to our voluntary Leadership Team, especially Debbie Rigney, who keeps the pace going and brings these spectacular awards each year.”

Steve McArdle from Headline Sponsors Global Payments, added: “Global Payments are extremely proud to be headline sponsors to this event for the second year running. We have a great affinity with the objectives of this group of professionals. And the challenges they encounter week in week out within the Stadia and venue Hospitality space.

Global Payments has proven many times that our technology can take the strain. Our solution is installed across 160 venues globally, allowing the guest and the staff an easy way to order and pay. Serving more people quicker and effectively, contributing to an improved guest experience.

Thank you to Stadium Experience and all the nominees for contributing to a great evening. We look forward to seeing you again in 2025.”

Our 2024 Winners Said:

Brighton & Hove Albion FC won both the Matchday Hospitality Award Large Stadium and the Overall Matchday Hospitality Award. Ben Stephenson from the club, said: “We are delighted to win such a prestigious award in the first year of the Tunnel Club opening. This is a testament to the work that the whole club and Sodexo Live have put in to delivering it. Here’s to many more years and hopefully more awards!”

Newcastle United won a number of top awards. Gemma Nugent, Operations Manager for the club, commented on their Stadium Event of the Year Award win, said: “We are thrilled to win this award. Sam Fender was not only an incredible event for your team but the entire city of Newcastle! Thank you!”

Rotherham United FC won the Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award. April Vanson, Sales Manager at the venue, commented: “Rotherham has worked hard to improve its non-matchday sales with its catering partner Elior. They have worked hard to improve consistency and innovation which has contributed to winning this award.”

Coventry Building Society Arena won the Operations Team of the Year Award. Jenni Ford, Director of Sales & Marketing at the stadium, said: “We are very privileged to receive this and at Coventry Building Society Arena this is a huge team effort. Well done everyone.”

Jeannine Cubbin at Liverpool FC scooped the top award for the Above & Beyond Recognition Award, for her selfless support to both colleagues and family members when a much-loved colleague unexpectedly passed away. She commented: “I am so grateful for this award, and I am so proud of the team we are, we worked through this together and I would like to dedicate this award to Mark who will be watching over us and laughing!”

Arsenal FC took the top spot in the Chef Team of the Year Award. Darren Stocker & Errol Johnston from Delaware North at the club, commented: “So proud to win such a prestigious award. Great to compete against such talented chefs. Truly humbled to know that we served such high-quality food to our guests.”

Leicester City FC won the Visiting Football Directors Award. Richard Cokayne, Venue Director, said: “We at Levy UK at LCFC are so happy that visiting clubs enjoyed their experience in our Directors Lounge so much! Winning the award is a credit to all involved in the meticulous service provided in the lounge!”

Lee Buckle, Senior Operations Manager for Levy UK at Tottenham Hotspur FC, said: “Congratulations to everyone tonight. We are all winners. We all drive catering/hospitality forward!”

Morecombe FC won the Matchday Hospitality Small Stadium. Jodie Assitt from the team commented: “We are extremely proud of what we have achieved. Bring on the celebrations!”

MKM Stadium in Hull, won a number of awards. Dan Coulson, General Manager, said: “This award is a testament to the passion & hard work of an incredibly talented and dedicated team.”