Munster Rugby Honoured With International Award

Munster Rugby will be honoured with a major international sports event management award in London next month in recognition of the successful staging of the Munster v New Zealand game in Thomond Park Stadium in November last year.

SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards 2009
10 November Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

Celebrating best practice and achievement, the SportsBusiness Sports Event Management Awards recognise excellence in the global sports event management industry, with the winners to be announced at a gala awards ceremony in London in November.

Munster Rugby has been shortlisted in the Event Marketing category, where a Gold, Silver and Bronze award winner will be announced. As only three events have been shortlisted in this category, Munster Rugby only await confirmation of whether they have won the Gold, Silver or Bronze award.

Commenting on the announcement, Munster Rugby CEO Garrett Fitzgerald said “This award is a huge acknowledgement of the efforts and hard work of everyone involved. To be recognised with an international sports event management award is a testimony of how Munster Rugby strives for excellence off the field as well as on. It was a wonderful occasion with thanks due to all our sponsors including Toyota, adidas and Match sponsor Zurich for their support of this event. It was a real honour for us to host the All Blacks in Thomond Park who are such an iconic brand in world rugby.”

Congratulating Munster on the nomination, Paul Dalton, Commercial Manager of the New Zealand Rugby Union said that “the 2008 match against Munster was an incredible experience for the All Blacks. The 30th anniversary of a very important piece of rugby history with many of those original players present, the new stadium opening, the huge buildup over the week, the then Heineken Cup Champions against the No. 1 Team in the world, the intense pressure on both teams and the amazing crowd………it was a once in a lifetime experience and the rugby lived up to it! If only every game of rugby could be as good as that!! Our thanks to Munster for making this event happen – world rugby is very much the richer for it!! It may have been a Grand Slam tour but this is the game everyone will remember for the next 30 years!”

Last year’s awards were dominated by the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, with other nominees this year including the Indian Premier League, the WTA Tour Championships, ICC World Twenty20, The Wimbledon Championships and the FIFA Confederations Cup. 

Event Marketing Award – Shortlist
Fast Track for the Aviva London Grand Prix
ICC World Twenty20 Team for the ICC World Twenty20 2009
Munster Rugby for the Munster vs New Zealand Game