The awards will celebrate collaboration, innovation, and creativity across production, distribution, monetisation, direct-to-consumer, and broadcast. Created with a global focus in mind, the awards honour only the most exceptional and creative uses of technology and new thinking across 14 categories.
Deadline extended! Applications now close on 20th August 2021.
The ‘qualifying period’ for all entries is from: 00:01 (BST) 26th September 2020 – 23:59 (BST) 13th August 2021.
Platform of the Year
This award celebrates the world’s most outstanding sports OTT platform of 2021.
Must be a platform that delivers live or on-demand content to consumers
The platform must be accessible across multiple markets
The platform must be the rights owners or the content owners of multiple sports properties
The judges are looking for:
- How the platform provides best-in-class experiences for users
- How does it differentiate from its competitors
- Growth in audience and subscription numbers
- How does it deal with key technological challenges such as latency and piracy
- The proof of ROI relative to platform size and scale
- Strong integration into overall commercial strategy
Innovation of the Year
This award recognises a new feature, technology or product that has enhanced the consumption and use of OTT platforms.
The innovation was either an entirely new feature of the platform or been an upgrade which significantly improved functionality
Can demonstrate meaningful impact on the company, the industry, or on consumption behaviour
The judges are looking for:
- How innovative is this product or solution in comparison to existing offerings in the market
- How well it can be proven that this innovation has transformed content consumption
- How this product or solution disrupted the industry
Best Tech Company
This award recognises the company that’s driving the growth and disruption of the sports OTT industry via the use of technological innovation.
The Company must deliver technological solutions to help the industry with a key technological challenge(s)
The company has created a gap between itself and the competition
Can demonstrate that the company is a key driver and influencer of the OTT industry
The judges are looking for:
- Real-world case studies on how this company is delivering for clients
- How much this technology company has expanded its influence on the industry
- How this company has helped improve the consumer experience
Best Lockdown Solution
This award recognises the most innovative content strategy or technology development for delivering engaging and high-quality experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It must be a demonstrable development from pre-existing features targeted at providing a solution caused by challenges of the pandemic
The solution was able to fundamentally impact the OTT industry and provide lasting value
The judges are looking for:
- How the response was conceptualised, implemented, and its results
- How it differed from pre-existing content, technology, or strategies
- How it is unique to others in its field
- How this solution fundamentally impacts the OTT industry and provides lasting value as a solution
Best Original Content
This award recognises the best non-live sports content created for an OTT or digital platform.
Content must have originally aired within the qualifying period
Content must have been published originally on an OTT or digital platform
Content must be new and unique
The judges are looking for:
- Data demonstrating increased viewership and engagement compared to other content
- Evidence of increased awareness or sentiment attributable to original content
- Revenue from original content
- Accolades for quality of content
Best User Experience
This award is for platforms and services that deliver an intuitive, interactive and flexible user experience that drives greater retention and consumption of sports.
Platform or feature designed specifically to deliver an enhanced viewing experience
The experience must be centred around an OTT platform
Incorporates innovation unseen on other platforms
The judges are looking for:
- How the user experience drives fan engagement
- How has it improved platform consumption
- Has it led to an increase in revenue or other measurable ROI
- How the company has dealt with any reliability issues to their platform, service or solution
Best Digital First Production
This award recognises a platform, production or solutions that greatly enhanced the digital broadcast experience.
The platform or feature was primarily available in a digital OTT environment
The product broadcasted or is associated with live sports
The judges are looking for:
- Examples of how the digital first approach improved the user experience
- How was the digital experience unique in comparison to a traditional linear broadcast
- Metrics displaying how digital first production positively impacted consumption
Best New Platform
This award recognises the most successful launch or re-launch of an OTT platform either direct to consumer or aggregator to the market.
The launch or re-launch must have taken place since July 1st, 2020
Any re-launch nomination must successfully demonstrate genuine platform re-development, new content offering, rebranding, or combination of factors
Content offering must include live sports
The judges are looking for:
- Innovative features, content offerings, or payment models distinct from competitors within the market
- Proof of success in building subscriber base upon launch
- How disruptive the launch has been to market
- How launch is impacting overall business performance
Best in Fan Engagement
This award is for those companies who are successfully building passionate and loyal communities around their OTT platforms and services.
A company, technology or campaign that is significantly growing audiences and communities as a result of its fan engagement practices
Fans have an improved connectivity with the sport, the athlete or other fans consuming content in real-time
Any activity needs to be delivered through OTT or digital platforms
What are judges looking for?
- Measurable proof of the impact this company or campaign has had on the fan
- Examples of how fan engagement has increased as a result of the company of the nomination
- How fan engagement has helped the company drive revenues
Best Marketing Strategy
This award is for a marketing approach that has driven awareness, affinity, engagement, and revenues around an OTT offering.
Demonstrate a campaign or specific marketing tactic that was implemented during the qualifying period
The campaign promoted a dedicated sports OTT platform, service or solution
Must have data and insights to prove the success of the campaign
The judges are looking for:
- How the campaign was conceptualised, delivered, executed and measured
- A campaign that was unique, innovative and maximised multiple marketing channels
- How the campaign outperformed KPI’s and industry standards, and delivered ROI
Best in Anti-Piracy
This award is for the rights owner, broadcaster, or technology provider leading the way to combat the piracy of live sports.
A project, campaign, or technology that has dramatically reduced the level of piracy of live sports
A strategy or solution that offers new features from previous years
The judges are looking for:
- Measurable proof of how Piracy was impacted
- Real world case studies demonstrating how piracy was hindered
- How the company, solution or technology stands out from the competition
Best Social Media Strategy
This award recognises the most innovative and creative strategy for implementing social media as part of a broader OTT strategy.
Content must’ve been specifically intended for distribution on a social media platform
Social strategy must sit within larger OTT plan
The judges are looking for:
- Authentic, engaging, creative, and format-specific content relevant to the target audience
- Identifiable touch points using social media as a tool to drive consumers towards your OTT offering
- KPI’s and measurement demonstrating engagement and promoting interaction amongst followers
- ROI on delivery
- Partnership collaborations using social assets
Best Emerging Tech Company
This award recognises the most innovative and emerging technology company impacting the OTT industry.
Annual turnover under $20 million
The company has provided a solution or innovated a feature that improves the OTT industry
The judges are looking for:
- Case studies of how the technology is providing solutions to partners in real life
- How much impact the company’s solution could have on the wider OTT industry
- How the company’s technology uniquely resolves a challenge within OTT
Best Start Up Tech Company
This award recognises the most impactful technology company entering the OTT industry.
Annual turnover under $5 million
Must have a proof of concept
The judges are looking for:
- Case studies of how the technology is providing solutions to partners in real life
- How much impact the company’s solution could have on the wider OTT industry
- How the company’s technology uniquely resolves a challenge within OTT