HGA buy sports awards
MANCHESTER-based events agency HGA Crestive has bought the Northern Sports Awards and the North West Football Awards from online publisher How-Do.
HGA Creative said the move will see it take ownership of events for the first time, despite having spent more than 20 years creating and delivering live events, awards ceremonies and conferences for clients including Kellogg’s, Phones4u and BAE Systems.
Director of live events, Ian Grime, said: “Owning and managing our own events is a natural progression and a really exciting development for the company.
“Both of the awards we have acquired are very high profile with some of the top names in sport involved and the move is part of our growth strategy that will give us an opportunity to further expand our presence in the live events arena.”
The company said that the 2012 Northern Sports Awards had now been launched, with past winner James Anderson acting as ambassador.
The event will be held on July 2 at Lancashire County Cricket Club’s The Point venue.
Mr Anderson said: “I was fortunate enough to win Sportsman of the Year at last year’s Northern Sports Awards and it was a great honour so I’m delighted to be the official ambassador for 2012.
“The awards are a fantastic celebration of everything that is good about professional and grassroots sports in the north of England and a really important fixture on the sporting calendar.”
