South African Industry Gathers For Awards Launch

Led by sporting legends Bobby Skinstad, Lucas Radebe and Natalie du Toit, the South African sport industry has gathered together for the official launch party for the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards 2011.

Leading representatives from every corner of the South African sports market were in attendance at the event including a host of brands, governing bodies, and sports marketing and PR agencies.

This gathering of key stakeholders in South African sport was joined at the launch, held at Emperor’s Palace in the City of Ekurhuleni, by national sport stars Skinstad, Radebe and du Toit all of whom are acting as Ambassadors for the Awards.

The launch party was initiated to provide the South African sport industry with an opportunity to gather together to learn useful insights into how the new Awards programme will function and its place at the heart of the nation’s sport business.

The inaugural Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards will take place on 17th February, 2011 and will recognise and reward the best the South African sport business has to offer in categories covering marketing, PR, sponsorship, media, advertising and design.

The annual Awards ceremony will see the country’s top-performing sport brands and organisations receive recognition for their work at a glamorous black-tie event in what has become the most visible and sought-after endorsement of commercial achievement in sport.

The Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards in South Africa is the first replication of the Awards beyond the UK and the inaugural event will have 15 Award categories open for entry in September 2010 following the staging of the football World Cup in South Africa this summer.

Commented Nick Keller, chairman of the Sport Industry Group which runs the Awards: ‘We’re delighted with the level of engagement in the Awards that we’ve received from the South African sport industry in a comparatively short space of time.

‘The number of key stakeholders from South African sport that attended the launch party proves there is a need for an event that recognises the industry’s evolution into one of the sophisticated sports markets in the world.

We look forward to welcoming them all again at the inaugural Awards ceremony next year to celebrate their achievements of the previous twelve months.’

Click here to find out more details about the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards 2011.