Eurosport Named Best Sports Broadcaster at First TV Sports Awards

MONACO: Eurosport won big at the inaugural TV Sports Awards held last night in Monaco, with the pan-European TV channel netting several of the big honors, including best sports broadcaster.

Additionally, Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton was named media executive of the year, while parent company Discovery secured the award for best TV rights deal for its agreement with the IOC for pan-European rights for the Olympic Games from 2022.

Other winners included digital consultant Omnigon, which picked up the award for best digital media project for its development of the official mobile app for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and the Amaury Sport Organisation, recognized with the best live event coverage prize for its TV production of the Tour de France.

Co-organized by SPORTEL and Play for Change, the inaugural ceremony was held in support for the latter global sports charity. A special Play for Change award was also presented to football star Rio Ferdinand to recognize his contribution in creating the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, an initiative that engages and supports young people in disadvantaged communities.

Marie Le Page, the director of Play for Change, said: “We are thrilled to announce such a host of worthy winners for the inaugural TV Sports Awards. Play for Change uses sport and education as a driver of social change, and the TV Sports Awards has been a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of our work to an influential audience. The evening celebrated the best of the sport media industry but also reflected on the power of sport in helping to change the lives of disadvantaged communities and children.

“It has been a fantastic occasion and a pleasure to host world-renowned sportsmen and sportswomen, plus some of the most important stakeholders in the sport and media industry at the ceremony. The live auction helped us raise a significant amount of money for those in need and we hope to make the ceremony even bigger and better next year.”