Prince Albert presented lifetime award to Didier Deschamps at 29th grand cru edition of SPORTEL Monaco

Rewarding outstanding sports personalities & most beautiful images

Sportel 2018 run in the Principality from October 22-24, placed under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), uniting the elite of the International Sports Marketing and Media Industry at the Grimaldi Forum, under the leadership of CEO Laurent Puons, CEO and Managing Director Amparo Di Fede.

The 2018 grand cru edition of SPORTELMonaco attracted a total of 3,026 delegates and 968 companies representing 78 countries, asserting to its continuous success. The event keeps expanding while innovating and adapting to changes in the marketplace, welcoming new media as well as the e-sport sector.

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco said during his official visit: “SPORTEL is quite simply one of our prime events and I think one of the great moments of the year for us, that brings together the world of television and sports.”

For more than a quarter of a century, top level executives from around the world, representing sports networks, international sports federations, sports marketing agencies production companies, sports content right owners, distributors, technology, new media and much more. They come together every year to determine the future of major sports events for the 21^stcentury media platforms, one of the most important conventions serving as B-to-B business podium and the perfect place to find valuable insight on influential business trends and practices. The highly instructive conference and expert panels, with a program offering richness and variety, are the source of the sports’ industry current evolution and progress.

“Once again this year, SPORTELMonaco has proved to be an unmissable event for professionals from the sports industry and the media and has exceeded its targets, with more than 200 new companies taking part!” affirmed an enthusiastic Laurent Puons, CEO of Monaco Mediax.

Sport shines at Golden Podium Awards

It was a memorable experience to attend once again the SPORTEL Awards Ceremony, on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, under the Honorary Presidency of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, and the Patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The event was hosted by no other than commentator extraordinaire Marc Maury. The event honored the winners of the Georges Bertellotti Golden Podium Competition and Renaud de Laborderie Sports Book Competition. They respectively recognize the world most beautiful and breathtaking sports sequences of the year, and the best illustrated sport books, in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert, Olympic Champions, International sports celebrities, and sports fans.

A prestigious Jury composed of sport and media industries personalities had a tough time selecting the recipients of the Golden Podium Trophy, an original piece created by Raymond Moretti, among the many high quality submissions.

The overall message of this highly anticipated ceremony were of sport as a means for peace, gender equality, endurance and hope.

The Golden Podium prestigious Jury

Linford Christie – President of the Jury – Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth 100m Champion
Pierre Callegari – Founder and Co-President of the communication group “Herezie”
Elisabeth Gorgl – Double alpine Ski World Champion
Olivier Hascoat – President of DEO Multimedia
Daniel Narcisse – Double Olympic champion, Four-time world champion of Handball
Eric Tong Cuong – Co-founder and CEO of the advertising agency “la chose”
Soria Zidelkhile – Deputy Director of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee

Golden Podium Awards Advisers: Adolphe Drhey, Frederic Chevit, Gerard Houllier and Patrice Guitton

Sports Book Prize Jury – Renaud de Laborderie

Jean-Louis Etienne– President of the Jury – Doctor, Explorer, Writer
S.E. Madame Yvette Lambin Berti – General Secretary of the Monaco Olympic Committee
Chloe Trespeuch – Vice World Champion in Snowboarding, Olympic Medalist

2018 Award Winners

The audience cheered enthusiastically during the Golden Podiums ceremony rewarding the most beautiful sport videos of the year, as well as the Sports Book Prize-Renaud de Laborderie recognizing the best-illustrated sports book. (Photo below: HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco surrounded by Sportel Awards winners 2018 @Sportel All Rights Reserved)

Golden Podiums Georges Bertellotti

Best Slow Motion

Cowboy Down – Chris Bryan, Chris Bryan Films, Australia

Discovery Prize

The Blues 2018 – At the heart of the Russian epic, Theo Schuster & Emmanuel Le Ber – Federation Entertainment, France

Innovation Prize

Speechless, Olympic Channel, Spain

Best Promotion Program – Rampage Final 2017 – Bjorn Miniers, Red Bull Media House GMBH, Austria

Advertising Prize– Christian Blachas – The Sun – World Cup – Office Knockabout – Andy Lambert, Pulse Creative London, UK

Second Screen Prize – European Championships – Livelike & Eurovision, USA

Jury Prize – FIFA World Cup 2018 – Zevzda Spark – Mark Ruberg, Fox Sports & National Geographic, USA

Special Prizes

Peace and Sport Documentary Prize – Fighting For Life – Jamillah van der Hulst, JAJA Film Productions, The Netherlands

International Olympic Committee Grand Prize – When they Knew – Netta-Lee Lax, NBC Sports Group, USA

Autobiography Prize – International football icon Bixente Lizarazu, Mes Prolongations published by Seuil editions.

Book Prize Renaud de Laborderie – The Sports Book Prize – 100 Marines – Author Collective – Editions Paulsen, France

Legend Prize – Sportel Lifetime Sport Achievement Award– Didier Deschamps, coach and former football player of the French National Team, France

This year, for the first time at the Sportel Awards, a brand new prize was added. Didier Deschamps, who has logically been acclaimed for his brilliant career and his many successes and titles – 1998 World champion and 2000 European Champion, and won again as head coach of the French national team, 20 years later, the World Cup title by leading his team to victory against Croatia this past July, taking it to the brink of history. He also joined the tight circle of sportspeople crowned world champion as a player and coach. (Photo: HSH Prince Albert and Didier Deschamps, Sportel 2018 @Sportel All rights reserved)

HSH Prince Albert and Didier Deschamps, Sportel 2018 @Sportel All rights reserved

HSH Prince Albert II with Didier Deschamps and Bixente Lizarazu @Sportel All Rights Reserved

SPORTEL & SportBusiness a winning combo

Laurent Pons and Ben Speight gathered the Press on the first day to announce the SPORTEL & SportBusiness major new multi-year partnership beginning in 2019, joining forces to deliver a new series of global sports industry conferences – the Sports Decision Makers Summits. (Photo insert: Laurent Puons and Ben Speight announcing the Sports Decision Makers Summit @Sportel All Rights Reserved)

The partnership unites two iconic names in the business of sport, combining the wealth of experience that SPORTEL has in event management, with the editorial insight and data from SportBusiness, the partnership will deliver a truly unique event setting the benchmark for future sport business conferences and gatherings.

Each Summit will draw on specially commissioned, exclusive and proprietary research delving into industry trending areas and providing key take-away learning for delegates to use in their businesses. In addition, the research and insight will be shared exclusively with and debated by a star-studded line up of Decision Makers from across a broad range of sectors in the sports industry – media, sponsorship, technology, fan engagement and stadia. The alliance between two of the most trusted brands in sports industry means that the Sports Decision Makers Summits will become the must-attend events in the calendars of senior opinion leaders in the business of sport.

Their first event will be the Sports Decision Makers Summit, Miami, running from May 6-7, 2019, at The W South Beach, Miami. It will be followed by Sports Decision Makers Summit, London on July 9-10, 2019. Further details can be found at: http://www.sportsdecisionmakers.com

Commenting on the announcement, Chief Executive Officer, SPORTEL, Laurent Puons said: “We are pleased to announce the partnership with SportBusiness and launch the Sports Decision Makers Summit. SportBusiness has a tremendous pedigree in the business of sport, providing invaluable data and insights to help inform decision makers in the industry. Our partnership is an exciting next step in the evolution of the successful 1st SPORTELSummit.”

Ben Speight, Chief Executive Officer, SportBusiness, added: “The partnership with SPORTEL really is a natural fit with SportBusiness. We have a long-standing association and having recently run our own successful SportBusiness Summit, we are delighted to welcome the experience and expertise of the SPORTEL team to unite two of the biggest brands in the sports industry. We are excited to bring SportBusiness’ new unrivalled data and insights to our audience through live events and very much look forward to the Sports Decision Makers Summits in 2019.”

Mark your calendars!

Next year will provide great many challenges for SPORTEL, with four major events planned, including the first Sports Decision Makers Summits, as well as the 30th anniversary of SPORTEL Monaco.

SPORTEL Asia 2019: March 5-7, 2019, Macau
Sports Decision Makers Summit, Miami : May 6-7, 2019, Miami
Sports Decision Makers Summit, London : July 9-10, 2019, London
SPORTEL Monaco 2019 : October 21-23, 2019, Monaco

Today’s Quote

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.” Nelson Mandela