The 10th edition of the Sports Industry Awards (SPIA) was a big hit as more than 300 guests gathered for a celebratory night at the Atlantis.
On an evening when SPIA completed a decade, winners across 16 categories were recognised for their excellence in the regional sports industry.
The winners for 13 categories were picked by an independent panel of judges, comprising industry stalwarts chosen for their expertise in the Middle East sports ecosphere. A public vote decided three other winners.
โA pleasure to be here and it has been a fun evening,โ said Tom Phillips – Head of the Middle East for DP World Tour.
โTo win the Best Sports Event Organizer of the Year has been the icing on the cake,โ he added.
๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฏ is in the books ๐
— sport360events (@sport360events) May 5, 2023
Can you spot yourself in these pics ? ๐ธ#SPIA
๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ถ๐ต๐ต๐ข๐ช๐ฎ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ด - ๐๐ฐ๐บ๐ฐ๐ต๐ข ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต pic.twitter.com/AeC4OEoBjM
It was an evening to remember for Abu Dhabi Sports Council who won the gold award in three separate categories. It included the โBest Sports Event of the Yearโ award for their organisation of the World Triathlon Championship Final.
They also took home the โBest Fan Engagement at a Professional Sports Eventโ trophy for their work on the UAE World Tour.
Other notable winners on the night included Toyota Motorsport who bagged the top prize for the โBest Innovative Sports Brand of the Yearโ. Meanwhile, Misfer Al Khatami won the prestigious ‘Sports Media Personality of the Year’ trophy.
A special standing ovation was accorded to Sujith Varghese after he was chosen for โThe Spirit of Sport Awardโ. Sujith is the first Person of Determination (POD) in a wheelchair to become a qualified fitness trainer in Dubai.
The SPIA 2023 ceremony was made possible by several groups including Al-Futtaim Motors who were the principal partners for the event. They are the exclusive distributors of Toyota cars in the UAE.
Global cultural agency OneSixtyoverNinety was the Gold Sponsor, while Mai Dubai chipped in as the official hydration partner. As has become the norm over the years, SPIA was supported by Dubai Sports Council.
Award-winning agency Memories Event Management was responsible for putting together the extravagant gala night.
It was a spectacular night at ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฏ ๐
— sport360events (@sport360events) May 4, 2023
Sincere thanks to our sponsors, attendees and prize winners โบ๏ธ
See you again in ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฐ ๐#SPIA
๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ถ๐ต๐ต๐ข๐ช๐ฎ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ด - ๐๐ฐ๐บ๐ฐ๐ต๐ข ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต pic.twitter.com/lC6Qmo35rv
Other notable triumphs on the evening included Stryx Sports winning the โBest Youth Academyโ trophy, while AD Gaming took the honours for the โBest E-Sports Event of the Yearโ.
Flash Entertainment grabbed the โBest Sports Marketing Campaignโ award, Zayed Sports City took the โBest Recreational Sports Facilityโ and Nielsen Sports Middle East received the โBest Sports Event Supplier of the Yearโ trophy.
