Dick Ebersol Recognized as the 2009 Sports Executive of the Year
Sixteen Winners Honored with the 2009 Sports Business Awards
New York, N.Y. – Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics, was honored as the 2009 Sports Executive of the Year by the SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily. The award was presented live at a special ceremony held Thursday, May 28th at the New York Marriott Marquis in Manhattan.
Ebersol was recognized as part of the Sports Business Awards program, presented by Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily, the two leading publications on the business of sports. The Sports Business Awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the sports industry for 2008.
Ebersol was chosen from four nominees for Sports Executive of the Year including, in alphabetical order, George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN/ABC Sports; David Stern, Commissioner, National Basketball Association; and Rocky Wirtz, Chairman, Chicago Blackhawks.
America’s storyteller, Ebersol created a magical two weeks at the Beijing Olympics with a flawless presentation, resulting in the most watched event in U.S. history. In preparation for the 2009 Super Bowl, Ebersol developed a smart and successful sales strategy. With spectacular memories from the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic and the Super Bowl, Ebersol gave us a year to remember.
Awards were presented in 16 categories. “With the success of the inaugural Sports Business Awards last year, we decided to expand our program and recognize even more excellence in sports business,” says Richard Weiss, publisher of the SportsBusiness Journal. “The winners and nominees being honored tonight represent those at the forefront of the sports industry.”
The winners, which were chosen from 67 nominees, included:
Lifetime Achievement – Peter Ueberroth
Sports Executive of the Year – Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics
Athletic Director of the Year – Joe Castiglione, University of Oklahoma
Professional Sports Team of the Year – Boston Celtics
Professional Sports League of the Year – National Basketball Association
Sports Event of the Year – Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic
Best in Sports Media – ESPN
Best in Sports Television – NBC Sports
Best in Digital Sports Media – ESPN Digital Media
Best in Talent Representation and Management – CAA Sports
Best in Corporate Consulting, Marketing and Client Services – IMG
Best in Property Consulting, Sales and Client Services – IMG
Sports Event Marketing Firm of the Year – GMR Marketing
Sports Sponsor of the Year – Coca-Cola
Sports Facility of the Year – Lucas Oil Stadium
Best in Sports Technology – MLB Advanced Media for MLB At Bat
Please visit the web site for articles on the winners and nominees – www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/ or www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/
About SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily
Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal is the industry’s leading weekly trade publication, providing breaking news and comprehensive reporting and analysis on sports business. With 80 reporters, editors and guest columnists, SBJ keeps its readers up to date on the latest developments in sports marketing, sponsorships, media, facilities, agents and labor, finance and more. For more information, visit www.sportsbusinessjournal.com.
Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily is the leading daily provider of real-time news and information for sports business executives, tracking more than 500 news sources worldwide, including newspapers, television and radio. SBD keeps its readers on top of the day’s events and ahead of the news cycle. For more information, visit www.sportsbusinessdaily.com.
Both publications are part of the Street & Smith’s Sports Group, which consists of the Street & Smith’s Conference Group, the Sports Business Resource Guide & Fact Book, NASCAR Scene, NASCAR Illustrated and SceneDaily.com. Street & Smith’s is a division of American City Business Journals (ACBJ), which comprises weekly business journals across the country, BizJournals.com, Hemmings Motor News, Sporting News Magazine, Sporting News Today, Sporting News Yearbooks, Sporting News Radio Network and www.SportingNews.com. ACBJ is part of the Advance Publications family.
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