Tonight (25.04.19), England Netball was presented with the Sport Organisation of the Year Award at the prestigious BT Sport Industry Awards.
Movers, shakers and decision-makers in the world of sport gathered together at Battersea Evolution in London for one of the industries most anticipated nights of the year, which celebrates the very best work across the sector.
England Netball was up against British Rowing, European Tour, Formula E, Premiership Rugby and The FA for the highly sought after title.
England Netball has enjoyed unprecedented success over the last 12 months and has seen increased investment and commitment from long standing title partner Vitality, as well as some exciting new strategic partnerships with global brands such as Nike, Red Bull, Jaffa, and Oasis. It has also experienced record ticket sales and international game attendance at levels never seen before by a women’s team sport.
After accepting the award on behalf of England Netball, Joanna Adams; Chief Executive of England Netball, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be named Sport Organisation of the Year! It is a real honour to be acknowledged alongside so many successful people and organisations in the sporting industry.
“This award is testament to the hard work and dedication of all of the people that work for and represent England Netball. We continue to grow and develop our offering to ensure that netball can be enjoyed by everyone from a grassroots to an elite level because we know this sport can have such a positive influence on people’s lives.
“Participation has grown significantly over the last 12 months and a huge part of that is due to the success of the Vitality Roses at the Commonwealth Games in April 2018. We are now looking ahead to the Vitality Netball World Cup and are preparing for participation numbers to soar once again.
“It’s been phenomenal year for our sport and we are working hard to ensure 2019 is another exceptional year for England Netball. We’ve got a lot of exciting things in the pipeline!”
The Vitality Roses are currently second in the International Netball Federation World Rankings – their highest position to date. The Roses’ rise in the rankings follows their gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and consistent performances since.
Before the BT Sport Industry Awards ceremony got underway, the organisers announced the winners of the Industry Choice Awards on Twitter, which was a social media competition designed as a light-hearted way to offer the industry a voice in recognising achievements that underpin its collective success. The Vitality Roses triumphed in both the Team of the Year and the Sport Moment of the Year category.
The nation’s eyes are all now on the Roses as their preparations intensify for the Vitality Netball World Cup 2019, which takes place from 12-21 July in Liverpool.
