Sport Industry Awards 2021: The Judging Process

The Judging Process for the Sport Industry Awards 2021 is one of the most transparent and stringent procedures of its kind.

Fully overseen by our independent adjudicators, the judging process is spread across two stages, starting with the Industry Selects Phase. 

Each member of the Industry Selects shortlisting phase must sign an NDA – as all information is kept strictly confidential – and takes part in a session corresponding to one of the Award categories. Each session lasts around three hours, where each entry is read and supporting material assessed before two rounds of discussion.

A vote then takes place, and further discussion is allowed if necessary until the panel reaches an agreement on the entries making the prestigious Official Shortlist, which will be announced in March 2021. Notes from each Industry Selects session are stored until during the main judging day, where they are used in addition to the Judges’ assessment.

The Official Shortlist is then scrutinised by our handpicked panel of our handpicked Judges – sport industry heavyweights who spend an entire day dissecting each entry.

Judges split into smaller groups – depending on their area of expertise – to spend the first part of the day judging relevant categories, before reconvening to share their views with the rest of the panel.

A further discussion takes place for each category before a final vote decides the winners of the Sport Industry Awards 2021.

Only the Agency of the Year Award will not be fully decided on the main Junging Day. A Judging Sub-Committee visits each shortlisted entry in this category to experience the company and its team and learn more about the business. As was the case in 2020, these visits may be done online. The overall scores from the entry submission and the agency visit will decide the winning agency.

Winners will be announced at the Sport Industry Awards 2021, scheduled for 9th June 2021.