The 11th edition of the Sports Industry Awards (SPIA) turned out to be a big hit as close to 400 guests reveled in a celebratory night at Atlantis, The Palm. The annual awards gala is organised by Sport360X, with the continued support of Dubai Sports Council. Thursday night turned out to be a celebration of the regional sports industry, with multiple winners being honoured across multiple categories. Victors for as many as 14 categories were picked by an independent panel of judges, comprising industry stalwarts chosen for their expertise in the Middle East sports ecosphere. Principal partners for the 2024 edition were Inter Emirates Motors. They are the exclusive distributors of MG Motor in the UAE. Award-winning marketing agency Plan B was one of two gold sponsors this year. Luxury event transportation company – Motus – was the other gold sponsor. SPIA was also honoured to have Spanish giant Marca as Official Media Partner for this year’s event. “I have been following SPIA since its inception. It has been fascinating to watch not only the development of the sports industry, but also this awards ceremony,” said Fadi Zouein – Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of Al Jazira F.C. “For any company or sporting event, recognition is important. It is always a massive boost to see your efforts being rewarded. It is what SPIA does very well and I have been delighted to see their transformation over the years,” he added. Big winners on the night included DP World Tour, who took home trophies across three separate categories. They clinched ‘Best Sports Event CSR Initiative’ for their work with the Tommy Fleetwood Academy. Another crowning moment was ‘Best Sponsorship Collaboration’ for the Ryder Cup. DP World Tour also won ‘Best Branded Content’ for the viral collaboration between Lando Norris and Tommy Fleetwood. The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023 was the other major winner on Thursday. They clinched golds in ‘Best Sports Event (Budget 3 Million USD and above)’ and ‘Best Use of Social and Digital Media in Sports’ among a total of three awards. Here are the 2024 Sports Industry Awards winners ????????????Thanks to our sponsors, attendees and entrants ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? @MGMotorAE#SPIA pic.twitter.com/Br96xGoOzg— Sport360° (@Sport360) May 10, 2024 They were also judged as joint winners in ‘Best Sports Marketing Campaign’ category to cap off a memorable evening. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix shared the prestigious award with the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 Presented by ADQ. Meanwhile, Motus One was crowned as the ‘Best Professional Services Team’, while 160OVER90 clinched the award for ‘Best Agency’. Sport360X’s Managing Director Bassam Nawfal was elated with the response generated by the awards night. “Sport360X is proud to have hosted another successful edition of SPIA,” he said after the event. “It is a unique night which celebrates the best of the sports industry in the region and it has been getting bigger with each passing year. The Middle East’s sports industry has been undergoing a massive boom and it is essential to recognise these success stories. “I would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners, on the night. Above all, thanks to all our partners and sponsors without whom this incredible night would not be possible.” Sport360X has been telling the Middle East’s very best sport stories for more than a decade across video, social, gaming and events. It boasts the narrative and creative skills, in Arabic and English, to produce market-leading content that builds affinity with fans and commercial partners alike. Access is provided to more than 15m followers on Sport360X’s native social media platforms, plus websites that generate more than 12m monthly page views. For more information, please visit spiame.com.