Hashtag Sports Launches New Awards Show to Honor Excellence in Fan Engagement

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• USA - English

NEW YORK, March 5, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Hashtag Sports, the industry's most influential conference and community for sports media and marketing professionals, has unveiled The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser to celebrate excellence in fan and consumer engagement. The live awards show will take place June 25, 2019 at The TimesCenter in New York City to kick off the 4th annual Hashtag Sports Conference.

Following three years of explosive growth for the Hashtag Sports Conference, the Awards represent an important expansion of the industry-leading event to showcase the game-changing work of brands, agencies, publishers, and properties across more than 30 categories. Athletes and influencers will also be recognized for their key roles in the engagement ecosystem and unique ability to amass audiences and create authentic direct-to-fan relationships.

"Connecting with consumers through sports and fan culture is a critical skill for marketers so it's only right that the best work is recognized on the industry's biggest stage," said Steve Cobb, Co-Founder of Hashtag Sports. "Based on early entries and strong support from innovative and creative organizations, we're confident these awards will inspire and fuel the future of fan engagement."

Winners will be determined by the newly formed Engagement Academy for Sports & Entertainment, a prestigious group of CMOs, executives, athletes, and other engagement experts from across the global sports media and marketing ecosystem who will play a key role in helping establish benchmarks for effective engagement. The Academy's mission is to continually enhance the fan experience by recognizing excellence in fan and consumer engagement, while championing diversity and new ideas to galvanize the industry and better serve sports fans in the digital age.

Early members of The Engagement Academy include:

• Heidi Browning - Chief Marketing Officer, NHL
• Martellus Bennett - Athlete & Founder, Imagination Agency
• Lisa Murray - Chief Marketing Officer, Octagon
• Gotham Chopra - Founder, Religion of Sports
• Jay Williams - Athlete & Sports Personality
• Melissa Brenner - EVP Digital Media, NBA
• Michael Ratner - CEO & Founder, OBB Pictures
• Tina Davis - SVP Corporate Sponsorships & Marketing, Citi
• Jemele Hill - Writer & Creator
• Dev Sethi - Head of Sports, Instagram
• Jennifer Storms - Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Sports
• Larry Weintraub - Chief Innovation Officer, The Marketing Arm
• Sandra Lopez - GM & VP, Intel
• Mick Batyske - DJ & Entrepreneur
• Carola Jain - Chief Marketing Officer, Spartan Race

"We're thrilled to support Hashtag Sports in this awards initiative to inspire the industry and raise the bar on fan and consumer engagement," said Nick Kelly, Head of U.S. Sports Marketing for AB InBev. "Sports is a leading consumer passion point, and it's important that we all work together to celebrate new meaningful ways to connect with fans through sports-led content, campaigns, and experiences."

Entries for the inaugural awards are now open and will be accepted through April 5. Prices increase on March 15 and categories include:

• Most Creative Partnership With an Athlete
• Breakthrough Sports Ad of the Year
• Best Social Media Campaign
• Best Real-Time Engagement
• Best Fan-Generated Content
• Best Branded Content or Series
• Best Use of Esports or Gaming
• Best Connected Experience
• Best Use of Culture, Music, or Entertainment

Fans are also able to vote for the most engaging athletes and sports influencers using Twitter hashtags through March 29. Fan-voting categories include:

• Best Male Athlete on Social Media
• Best Female Athlete on Social Media
• Best Social Highlight Star
• Best Sports Podcast
• Best in Engagement for Good
• Best in Engagement for Change

For a full list of categories and more information on The Hashtag Sports Awards Presented by Budweiser, visit https://awards.hashtagsports.com.

About Hashtag Sports:

Hashtag Sports is the leading global platform celebrating and educating people who excel at engaging sports fans and consumers. In only three years, the Hashtag Sports Conference has become the industry standard for benchmarking fan engagement and understanding the rapid changes in consumer behavior brought on by the rise of digital, technology, and culture as a currency. Held annually in New York City, this year's event will feature the inaugural Hashtag Sports Awards and 120+ speakers representing a diverse mix of thought leaders, decision makers, athletes and, influencers. For more information, visit http://www.hashtagsports.com.

SOURCE Hashtag Sports