The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2025 have officially opened for entry. The nationally-recognised awards recognise and reward the efforts and dedication shown by the catering, hospitality and events teams at UK stadium venues (including football, rugby and cricket venues). There are 15 different categories available to enter, including a new category especially for event agents to vote for their top stadium venue.
The entry deadline is Monday 31st March 2025, with the results announced at the prestigious awards evening on Thursday 3rd July 2025. The 18th annual awards will be hosted at The American Express Stadium, home of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. Over 400 guests from stadium venues across the UK will be hosted in the stunning Mayo Wynne Baxter Lounge, with guests sampling the club’s exclusive and award-winning ‘Tunnel Club’ menu, which will be produced by MasterChef: The Professionals winner, Steven Edwards. The celebrations will continue until 3am with an onsite after party at the venues newly built fan zone.
The 2025 Categories
*NEW* Event Agents Choice Award
Available For Sponsorship
Voted for by event agents who have placed a non-matchday enquiry at UK stadium venues since April 2024. Event agents are asked to vote just once, for their top stadium venue where they have had the best event enquiry experience – Judged by event agents
Above & Beyond Recognition Award
Sponsored by Taste Beverages
Recognising those individuals or teams who are simply outstanding at what they do, and continuously shine. This can be something as part of their regular duties, or perhaps focusing on supporting the local community or business recovery from challenging times – Judged by independent panel of judges
Stadium Event of the Year Award
Sponsored by Rational UK
Recognising the very best stadium event held in the last year. Judges are specifically looking for a stadium venue which has displayed exceptional venue facilities and outstanding guest experiences – Judged by independent panel of judges
Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award
Available For Sponsorship
Based on a mystery shopper corporate/business event sales enquiry call and follow up correspondence, which will be made during Spring 2025 – Judged by Sandown Effective Sales Solutions
Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award
Available For Sponsorship
Recognising the very best matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. Entries will demonstrate strategies for growth, brave new ideas, and overcoming challenges – Judged by independent panel of judges
Non-Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award
Sponsored by Special Occasion Linen
Recognising the very best non-matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. Entries will demonstrate strategies for growth, new ideas for unique and different events, creative use of their spaces, and overcoming challenges – Judged by independent panel of judges
Best Retail Catering Award
Sponsored by Rollover Hotdogs
Recognising the best retail catering teams at stadia across the UK. This team will demonstrate commercial growth, high quality food offerings or proactive sustainability improvements – Judged by independent panel of judges
Operations Team of the Year Award
Sponsored by Braehead Foods
Recognising the often unseen behind-the-scenes teams that make stadium events run so smoothly, going above and beyond the call of duty to provide the very best service to customers – Judged by independent panel of judges
Chef Team of the Year Award – Limited Availability
Sponsored by Chef Works & Bragard
A live theatre chef competition at Xcelerate With Edgbaston in Birmingham in March 2025. Up to 12 chef teams have 90 minutes to prepare, cook and present a four-course menu suitable for their Club Chairman to entertain Head of the FA, RFU or the Cricket ECB to a business luncheon – Judged by The British Culinary Federation
Visiting Rugby Directors Award
Sponsored by Get Pica
Voted for by Directors at each rugby club. They are asked to consider the welcome, service and catering when casting their votes – Judged by Rugby Club Directors
Visiting Football Directors Award
Available For Sponsorship
Voted for by Directors at each football club. They are asked to consider the welcome, service and catering when casting their votes – Judged by Football Club Directors
Matchday Hospitality Awards
Small Stadium – Sponsored by Lockhart Catering Equipment
Medium Stadium – Sponsored by Chefs & Events Staffing
Large Stadium – Sponsored by ACME
Experienced chef and hospitality experts attend your venue to try out your matchday offering. Each element is carefully considered and scored against strict criteria. This category is split into 3 (small, medium and large) based on the number of hospitality seats on a matchday (not stadium capacity) – Judged by industry experts with over 20 years experience in the chef and hospitality industries.
Overall Matchday Hospitality Award
By entering the Matchday Hospitality Award, your venue will also be submitted into the Overall Matchday Hospitality Award, which competes all venues against all, regardless of size.
Independent Awards Judging
Each award category is independently judged (Stadium Experience does not judge any of the awards). To summarise;
- The Event Agents Choice Award is voted for by event agents.
- The Visiting Directors Awards (Rugby & Football) are voted for by stadium directors.
- The Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award is judged by Sandown Effective Sales Solutions Ltd.
- The Chef Team of the Year Award is organised and judged by The British Culinary Federation.
- The Matchday Hospitality Awards are judged by judges with 20+ experience and part of chef industry associations such as The British Culinary Federation, Craft Guild of Chefs and more.
- The majority of awards (6 categories) are decided by a Judging Panel, made up of a team of experts with many years of experience in their fields, who vote for their top 3 entries.
The judging panel for 2025 currently includes:
- Louisa Watson, 2025 Chair at Beam
- Amy Manton, Commercial Manager at The Delegate Wranglers
- Andrew Perolls, Chief Executive Officer at Greengage Solutions
- Sam McGrath, Director at Heard About Sam
- Sandra Eyre, Director of Business Development at MIA
- Craig Prentice, Founder at mum
- Simon Ramsbottom, Projects Manager at tobook
- Shirley Wynne-Jones, Event Director at SWJ Events
- Sam Cowdrill, Stadium Account Manager at venuedirectory.com
Debbie Rigney, Marketing & PR Manager for Stadium Experience and awards organiser, commented: “We are thrilled to be officially launching The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards for 2025! The awards recognise and reward the very best in the stadium industry. We have listened to the feedback and continue to develop the awards with a great new category, as well as some new faces in the judging teams too. We’re really looking forward to returning to Brighton to experience their award-winning Tunnel Club menu, and welcoming another first for the awards with the after-party celebrations being held in their new fan zone!”.