2025 Categories
The evolution from the OTT Awards to the SportsPro Media Awards reflects the rapid transformation of the sports media landscape. As technology advances and fan consumption habits evolve, the boundaries between traditional and digital media continue to blur. Sports content is no longer confined to a single platform or format—it spans live broadcasts, social media, direct-to-consumer services, influencer-led content, and cutting-edge innovations in AI, personalization, and interactivity.
The 2025 categories reflect this evolution with six new categories and a widening of the entry criteria for many of our historic categories:
Best New Platform
This award recognises the most successful launch or re-launch of an OTT platform either direct to consumer or aggregator to the market.
Platform of the year - Rights Holder
This award celebrates the most outstanding sports OTT platform of 2025 operated by the rights holder.
Sports Media Partnership of the Year
This award recognises the most impactful and innovative partnerships of the year between a sports organisation and media partner. Whether a ground-breaking media rights deal, major acquisition, or strategy distribution strategy, this category celebrates industry-shaping collaboration.
NEW FOR 2025
Best Use of Data in Media
This award recognises the most innovative and effective use of data-driven insights to enhance storytelling, production quality, or audience experience in sports media.
NEW FOR 2025
Best Short-Form Content
This award recognises the best use of short-form, non-live sports content distributed on social channels, YouTube, or other non-traditional broadcast platforms.
NEW FOR 2025
Best Sports Creator
This award recognises the most successful use of content creators in sports media strategies to drive audience engagement and reach.
NEW FOR 2025
Best Branded Sports Content
This award recognises the most impactful storytelling that effectively integrates a brand or sponsor into sports content, enhancing audience engagement while driving brand awareness and affinity.
NEW FOR 2025
Best in Broadcast Distribution
This award recognises innovation and excellence in technology as part of the delivery of live sports production.
Best Use of AI
This award recognises the best application of artificial intelligence in the creation, production, or delivery of sports content.
Best Start Up Tech Company
This award recognises the most impactful technology company entering the OTT industry.
Best Emerging Tech Company
This award recognises the most innovative and emerging technology company impacting the OTT industry.
Best Live Streaming Production
This award recognises the excellence of a broadcaster or production team that delivered unparalleled quality, innovation, and view engagement through their streaming platform.
Breakthrough Platform of the Year
This award celebrates the most innovative and impactful sports streaming or direct-to-consumer platform of 2025, foregoing mainstream media to successfully deliver compelling content and engaging user experiences to underserved sports audiences – offering bold, fresh alternatives to traditional coverage.
NEW FOR 2025
Best Social Channel
This award recognises the organisation demonstrating the best use of social media platforms to enhance the fan experience, foster community, and drive meaningful conversation around sports.
Best Original Content
This award recognises the best non-live sports content created for an OTT or digital platform.
Best in Fan Engagement
This award is for those companies who are successfully building passionate and loyal communities around their OTT platforms and services.
Tech Solution of the Year
This award recognises the technology-based solution which best addressed a challenge/s in the industry to deliver an improved viewing experience.
Innovation of the Year
This award recognises the most innovative concept that has transformed the consumption of sports content by delivering a new experience for consumers or opening new opportunities for organisations to monetise. The innovation can be strategic, content, or technology focused.
Best Tech Company
This award recognises the company that’s driving the growth and disruption of the sports OTT industry via the use of technological innovation.
Platform of the Year - Broadcaster or Streamer
This award celebrates the most outstanding sports OTT platform of 2025 operated by a broadcaster or platform distributing multiple sports properties.
