SportPesa among nominees for top UK award

What you need to know:

  • The annual UK Football Business Awards ceremony is set for the Tobacco Dock in London Thursday evening.

Giant gaming firm SportPesa has been shortlisted for a top award in the United Kingdom.

The annual UK Football Business Awards ceremony, which is set for the Tobacco Dock in London Thursday evening, primarily seeks to recognise and reward organisations that support the success of the game, while celebrating related achievements off the pitch.

"This is a true honour and a reflection of our dedication to develop football in the markets we operate in. By being one of only three finalists to get two nominations, it speaks volumes about the scope and impact of the work that we do regarding the growth of football," SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri told Nation Sport.

Only three companies, among them SportPesa, have been nominated twice in the shortlist of 97 that comprises among other English Premier League clubs, various charities, media companies, hospitality companies and gaming firms, under various categories.

SportPesa is shortlisted under the category of Best Brand Activation involving football for its campaigns with English Premier League strugglers Everton and EFL Championship outfit - Hull City Tigers.

This is in relation to the record shirt deal between SportPesa and Everton signed in May, which has earned the company a slot in the finalists list of the Brand Activation award category for its very first engagement with the Toffees which saw the club make a historic tour of Tanzania where they played Kenyan giants Gor Mahia.

Similarly, the Kenyan firm organised a historic game involving an All Star team and Hull City in England last February, a trip that saw 16-year-old Joshua Otieno selected to train with the Hull City youth team.