SPORTS INNOVATION AWARD
Beyond Barriers and the Support Squad – Community Integrated Care
Barriers is a pioneering accessibility initiative created by Community Integrated Care, addressing critical exclusion faced by disabled individuals, particularly those with complex needs, at major sporting events.
Central to this initiative is the Support Squad, an innovative team of people who draw on care and support and professionally trained as accessibility advisors, offering unique lived-experience insights. This team represents a transformative shift from traditional consultancy to genuine co-production, significantly enhancing industry standards for accessibility.
The solution comprises comprehensive accessibility monitoring tools, experiential training programs, and strategic frameworks to drive improvements from basic compliance to authentic independence-enabling practices. Validated by extensive research and real-world implementation at prestigious events such as the Rugby League World Cup, World Para Swimming Championships, and World Taekwondo Grand Prix, Beyond Barriers has demonstrably increased attendance among previously excluded groups. Positive feedback highlights practical effectiveness and improved event readiness.
Looking forward, Community Integrated Care plans to expand the Support Squad with new partnerships, including with LTA Tennis Foundation, ensuring sustainable employment pathways within sports events for disabled people. The initiative, praised for its practicality and proven impact, sets a new international benchmark in event accessibility, aligning with ESG goals, reducing costs, and fostering inclusive community engagement.
Bundesliga In-Match-Analysis – DFL
The Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) proudly presents the “Bundesliga In-Match Analysis,” a pioneering technology designed to transform live football broadcasting. This state-of-the-art system automates the creation and delivery of video clips enriched with real-time data and analytics during Bundesliga matches. By leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms, it identifies key moments in the game, enhancing them with detailed statistics and dynamic graphics. This automation facilitates the immediate dissemination of engaging content to fans worldwide, directly during live broadcasts.
The “Bundesliga In-Match Analysis” significantly reduces manual efforts and operational costs traditionally associated with producing enriched sports content. It streamlines production workflows, ensuring that content is delivered more quickly and with greater accuracy than ever before. For fans, this means deeper insights into the game’s dynamics and an enriched viewing experience that brings them closer to the action.
This innovative solution not only meets the rising demand for interactive and data-driven sports content but also strengthens the global appeal of Bundesliga broadcasts, reinforcing Bundesliga’s position as a leader in sports innovation. The system’s seamless integration and scalability demonstrate DFL’s commitment to enhancing sports media production and consumption, ensuring the Bundesliga remains at the forefront of digital sports broadcasting.
EuroLeague Final Four 2025 – Abu Dhabi – IMG & EuroLeague
IMG and Euroleague – 2025 EuroLeague Final Four, Abu Dhabi
The 2025 EuroLeague Final Four marked a historic moment as the tournament was held for the first time in the Middle East, hosted at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. IMG, the long-standing production partner, delivered an ambitious and innovative broadcast that combined technological excellence with cultural storytelling. Over 150 crew members from 15+ countries collaborated to produce a world-class World Feed, distributed across 170+ territories.
The production featured 24 cameras, including AI-powered bodycams, super slow-motion, and clarity ground-level cameras, delivering unprecedented court-level immersion. IMG also launched a robust digital strategy, with mic’d-up players, exclusive YouTube content, a red-carpet event, and youth tournaments, extending engagement beyond traditional viewing.
Despite challenges of geography, climate, and a new fanbase, the broadcast achieved record-breaking results: 101 million views, a 22% increase in average watch time, and major growth across social platforms—TikTok alone generated 30 million views.
The event culminated in a dramatic final where Fenerbahce claimed the title, and Sarunas Jasikevičius made history as both player and coach champion. The Abu Dhabi Final Four redefined sports broadcasting through innovation, storytelling, and global reach—setting a new benchmark for international sports events.
Feldspar
Feldspar is a UK-based technology company dedicated to transforming sports with the world’s first integrated smart flooring system. Engineered to enhance athlete performance and elevate fan engagement at global sports events, this innovative solution combines cutting-edge flooring and sensor technology into a modular, high-performance running track, setting a new industry standard in athletics, and beyond. For more information, visit www.feldsparsport.com.
Freeman Event Partners
Freemans Event Partners, a trusted multi-service provider for major venues including Silverstone, Allianz Stadium, and Lord’s Cricket Ground, has pioneered the UK’s first mobile Guinness self-serve bars in partnership with Diageo and Drink Command. This industry-first innovation combines cutting-edge self-pour technology, contactless payments, and mobility to transform the bar experience at live sporting events.
The units feature 24 self-serve taps, allowing fans to pour their own perfect pint in under 45 seconds. Integrated with Freemans’ FEP PAY platform and supported by responsible age verification controls, the solution delivers high-speed, cashless service while maintaining full licensing compliance. With a 99% keg efficiency, it also significantly reduces waste and improves operational sustainability.
Deployed at major events like the Guinness Six Nations and Cheltenham Festival, the bars have demonstrated exceptional results, boosting speed of service, increasing sales, and enhancing the fan experience. Their flexible, mobile design allows for rapid setup across stadia and greenfield sites, creating new commercial opportunities for organisers and brand partners alike.
This breakthrough sets a new benchmark in live event service, showcasing how technology can elevate customer experience and profitability. Freemans is now planning wider rollout across its extensive event calendar, with strong interest from partners across Europe.
Olympic Games Paris 2024 – Warner Bros. Discovery
The Home of the Olympics in Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) was the only broadcaster to deliver every moment of Paris 2024 to millions of viewers across Europe on its new streaming platform, Max (as well as coverage in the UK and Ireland, Italy, Germany and Austria on discovery+).
Max (now HBO Max) launched in 25 European markets ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. In France, Poland, Nordics, Iberia, Central and Eastern Europe, and as HBO Max in Belgium and the Netherlands, it offered live access to every Olympic moment.
Integrating Eurosport content, it provided 3,800 hours of live coverage, 329 events, 32 sports, 10,500 athletes, and up to 54 simultaneous streams from 24 July to 11 August.
Minerva Virtual Academy
Minerva Virtual Academy is an award-winning online school redefining education for elite young athletes. With over 1,000 students from 60+ countries, MVA offers a fully flexible timetable, live teaching and one-to-one mentoring- all from the comfort of home or on the move.
Our High Performance Club is at the heart of our innovation, supporting aspiring Olympians, motorsport drivers, footballers, and tennis players to thrive both academically and athletically. Each student receives a trained mentor who helps plan their week, track progress, and provide wellbeing support- a feature that 97% of athletes say is vital to their success.
With 100% of our athletes reporting improvements in physical health and 91% in mental wellbeing, we’re proud to offer not just a world-class education, but a system that actively supports long-term sporting and personal success.
MVA is not just a school; it’s a launchpad for the next generation of champions.
Rainbow Six Siege – Six Invitational Boston – BLAST & Ubisoft
The BLAST R6 Six Invitational 2025 marked a historic milestone for Rainbow Six Siege, celebrating its 10th anniversary with the first U.S. hosted Invitational at Boston’s MGM Music Hall. As a collaboration between BLAST and Ubisoft, the event delivered an immersive fan-first experience blending esports, music, and culture. Highlights included a surprise live performance by rapper DDG and the reveal of Siege X, ushering in a new era for the game.
Viewership targets were exceeded with 16.6 million hours watched, a peak of 379,376 viewers, and 44.8 million total views, making it the second most-watched event in franchise history. The sold-out venue maximised fan engagement with branded installations, creator meet-and-greets, interactive booths, and impactful in-game drops. Commercially, BLAST partnered with Meet Boston to integrate the city’s identity across broadcasts, generating $20.1 million in economic impact, including $6.3M direct spend and $8.4M indirect impact.
The event attracted 211 pieces of media coverage, reaching an estimated cumulative audience of 998 million. By transforming a music venue into an esports spectacle, the Six Invitational 2025 set a new standard for venue-led esports experiences, proving the power of innovation and cultural integration in driving global fan engagement and industry legacy.
SwordSeat – British Fencing
The SwordSeat™, has been designed to overcome the prohibitive cost of wheelchair fencing equipment that prevents many individuals and clubs getting into the sport. Before the introduction of SwordSeat™, clubs would have to source approximately £7000 to purchase the equipment, as well as provide ample storage and be faced with often time consuming and a physically challenging set up. The SwordSeat™ comes in 14 pieces, making it easy to move and takes only minutes to put together, with no tools required. It is easy to store in a flat pack format and can be easily transported in the back of a car.
Since its launch in January 2025, out of approximately 400 fencing clubs, over 70 have expressed an interest to have a SwordSeat™ in their club. Our ambition is that by 2030, 50% of BF affiliated clubs will have a SwordSeat™, providing more opportunities for disabled people to take part in the sport. We want to continue to work with community organisations who support disabled people to access sport and physical activity and face some of the biggest challenges to staying active, ensuring they have access to the SwordSeat™ and relevant training and support on offer from BF.
