Sheffield To Host Sports Personality
Sheffield Arena has been announced as the host for BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year event in 2009.
To be held this year on 13th December, the prestigious celebration is expected to be the largest of all its 56 years running, as The Sheffield Arena, managed by Live Nation for SIV, can host an audience of 11,000.
In a steep competition to stage the event, Sheffield won the hosting rights over Cardiff, Wales. The event was staged last year at Liverpool’s Echo Arena and previously at Birmingham’s NEC.
The bid was secured through a partnership approach from Sheffield International Venues, Sheffield City Council’s Major Sports Events Unit, city development company Creative Sheffield, and tourism agency Yorkshire South.
As the National City of Sport, Sheffield has an enviable choice of world-class facilities with resident athletes including Great Britain heptathlete Jessica Ennis, world ranked snooker stars Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo and England’s number one table tennis star Paul Drinkhall.
As well as the main award of Sports Personality of the Year, other presentations are expected to include the Lifetime Achievement Award, which will honour one of the world’s true sporting legends; Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Overseas Sports Personality, Young Sports Personality of the Year, Sports Unsung Hero and the Helen Rollason Award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.
Programme, ticket and voting details will be announced as the event nears.
