Sport Bot by 2Mobile and Mastercard among the winners of TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2023
The winners of TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2023 were announced on Wednesday at the Emirates Old Trafford stadium in Manchester. Among other winning projects, the Sport Bot, which is the result of a very successful collaboration between 2Mobile and Mastercard Slovenia, won the Product Innovation Award.
Now in their 14th year, TheStadiumBusiness Awards are the only awards to recognise a whole spectrum of achievements from across the global stadium industry. The awards ceremony took place in front of an audience of senior industry figures.
“Congratulations to all of the finalists who reached the podium,” commented Ian Nuttall, founder of TheStadiumBusiness Awards. “Winners included our leaders, achievers and stand-out venues from our industry – and they should all be very proud of their achievements.”
The sport chatbot jointly developed by 2Mobile and Mastercard Slovenia won in the Product Innovation category.
The sport chatbot jointly developed by 2Mobile and Mastercard Slovenia won in the Product Innovation category. This revolutionary project is the result of Slovenian know-how, combining advanced technology with a passion for sport. The collaborative effort between sports clubs FC Maribor, FC Bravo, and HC Celje with Mastercard and the 2Mobile team, has been acknowledged by the expert jury as a winning product innovation that has rewritten the rules of sports fandom. The sport chatbot, functioning as a virtual assistant, enables fans to engage directly with the club, effortlessly purchase tickets, stay updated with the latest news, and even conveniently order food and drinks from their stadium seats.
With the world's first sports-themed chatbot, 2Mobile and Mastercard have unveiled an innovative solution that has transformed the way sports fans experience their favourite clubs and put all the key information at their fingertips through chat apps such as Apple Business Chat, Facebook Messenger and Viber.
"We are delighted to win this award from the jury of internationally recognized experts, as it confirms our belief that the future of sport will be conversational, and that conversational artificial intelligence will unlock new added value for brands, clubs and fans. Our sport chatbots are proof that innovative technology can transform even traditional industries like sports, delivering more immersive and responsive fan experiences through chat tools that sports fans use every day," said Matjaž Možina, CEO of 2Mobile, upon receiving the award.
“We are honored that our joint project has resulted in something that is functional and has resonated with people. The victory of the Mastercard Sport Chatbot in the Product Innovation category at TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2023 finals is further validation that we have created a truly valuable and high-quality solution for sports enthusiasts," said Aleš Petejan, Marketing Director at Mastercard Slovenia.
The awarded Sports Bot project was shortlisted from hundreds of nominations judged by an independent jury of industry representatives:
- Nick Addison, Chief Executive Officer, Adelaide Oval SMA
- Paul Barber OBE, Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman, Brighton & Hove Albion FC
- Lesley De Reuck, Chief Executive Officer, Cape Town Stadium and Green Point Park
- Robert Fitzpatrick, CEO, The SSE Arena, Belfast
- Gerard Griffin, Chief Executive Officer, Kardinia Park Stadium Trust
- Tery Howard, Head of Technology, Inter Miami CF
- Lisa Knights, Group Director, Media & Communications, Bristol Sport Group
- Christian Lau, Chief Technology Officer, Los Angeles FC / BMO Stadium
- Patrik Meyer, Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Bank Park
- Ian Nuttall, Founder, TheStadiumBusiness
- Mel Raines, President & CEO, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
- Katja Ridley, Business Development Manager, Buro Happold
- Raj Saha, President, The Saha Group
- Jackie Ventura, Snr Director Sustainability, Facility Health & Hygiene, Golden State Warriors
- Chris Wallace, Chief Communications Officer, LA Clippers/Intuit Dome
- Peter Wearne, General Manager – Facilities, Melbourne Cricket Club
- Rob Wicks, Commercial Director, Aberdeen FC
About TheStadiumBusiness Awards
Now in their 14th year and held annually alongside TheStadiumBusiness Summit – the world’s leading meeting of stadium owners, operators and clubs – TheStadiumBusiness Awards recognise leadership, innovation and achievement in the delivery, operation and management of sports facilities globally.
