14 November 2008
Manchester named world’s best city for sport
Manchester has been crowned the best ‘Sports City’ in the world
for its successful hosting of six international sports events this
year, including three world championships.
The SportBusiness Sports City ‘Gold’ Award was presented to
Councillor Mike Amesbury, Executive Member for Culture and Leisure
at Manchester City Council, at the SportBusiness Sports Event
Management Awards 2008 on Wednesday evening.
A panel of industry experts including representatives from FIFA,
the International Olympic Committee, the All England Lawn Tennis
& Croquet Club and the International Cricket Council selected
Manchester the winner ahead of other leading world sport
destinations including Melbourne which was awarded silver, and
Berlin which received bronze. New York, Moscow and Doha were also
shortlisted.
Throughout the year, Manchester World Sport 08 (MWS08) has
hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, the 9th FINA
World Swimming Championships 2008 (25m), the BUPA Great Manchester
Run, the UEFA Cup Final 2008, the Hi-Tec World Squash
Championships 2008 and the Paralympic World Cup.
Councillor Mike Amesbury, Excecutive Member for Culture and
Leisure at Manchester City Council said: “I am so proud to collect
this award on behalf of the city. An enormous amount of hard work
by a great many people has gone into hosting such an impressive
programme of world-class events and the city has triumphed.
Manchester is renowned for its incredible sporting legacy and to be
recognised internationally for our achievements is a great
honour.”
Sheldon Phillips, Head of Regional Major Events at the NWDA,
said: "The NWDA has been proud to sponsor so many inspirational and
successful events during Manchester's year of World Sport 08 which
have profiled the city and the region on a global scale. These
events have also generated millions of pounds for the regional
economy. Manchester is passionate about sport and is a deserving
winner of this award."
Paul Simpson, managing director of Visit Manchester, the tourist
board for Greater Manchester said: “This year has seen Manchester’s
credentials as a sports destination reach even new heights. Sport,
in particular football and cricket, has always been a big selling
point for the city, and now, Manchester’s squash, cycling and
swimming facilities are gaining a global reputation of their own.
The campaign to promote these sports events has involved a huge
amount of hard work right across the city and this award is a great
tribute to that effort.”
As well as being named best Sports City, the ground breaking 9th
FINA World Swimming Championships 2008 (25m) in Manchester also
earned Gold for its organisers, World Swimming Championships 2008
Ltd, for best ‘Event Look’.
The 9th FINA World Swimming Championships 2008 (25m) held in
Manchester in May saw 18 world records broken in five days of
competition in the fastest and most successful event of its kind,
all held in spectacular pools specially constructed in the
Manchester Evening News Arena.
The Manchester World Sport 08 marketing campaign won silver
behind the Indian Premier League (IMG-DLF Indian Premier League
2008) and ahead of the Network BBDO ICC World Twenty20 South Africa
2007.
One of the key campaign objectives for MWS08, which was
coordinated by Manchester City Council in partnership with
Marketing Manchester, the Northwest Regional Development Agency
(NWDA), UK Sport and M.E.N. Media, was to raise Manchester’s
position in the global hierarchy of ‘top world cities’ and the
campaign has clearly gone some way to achieving that now that the
city is recognised internationally for being the world’s best
‘Sports City’ 2008.
Simon Morton, Senior Events Consultant at UK Sport, said: "The
recognition for Manchester is well deserved at the end of what has
been a fantastic year of sports events in the city. Through our
National Lottery funded World Class Events Programme we have
invested over £2 million over the course of the year in these
events and the SportBusiness Awards demonstrate how Manchester
continues to deliver to the highest standards."
Elaine Darbyshire, Director of Corporate Communications for GMG
Regional Media said: "As a committed partner of Manchester
World Sport 08, M.E.N. Media has been extremely proud to be able to
showcase Manchester's biggest year of international sports events
and to also have supported the wide range of associated community
sports throughout the City. MEN Media is thrilled to have
been part of a truly exceptional sporting year for our home city
which has now rightly joined the 'super league' of great sporting
cities of the world."
For more Manchester City Council information visit www.manchester.gov.uk.
And for more information about MWS08 www.Manchesterworldsport.com
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT: Claire Keegan, Manchester City Council Press
Office tel: 0161 234 4014