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The British Sports Book Awards is to move its date and introduce a new category for this year’s prizes.
The annual awards, which normally take place in March, are being moved to a “pre-Father’s Day” slot on 9th May.
David Willis, chair and founder, said in a statement: “We have subtly re-aligned the awards for 2011 and aim to create bigger brand exposure, a stronger presence in the media and a campaign in the bookshops . . . We have moved the event itself to a pre-Father’s Day period for a mainly paperback, cross industry celebration of sports books.”
Media partners this year are to include SkySports and TalkSport. Organisers hope the move would distance the prize from the William Hill Sports of the Year, which is awarded in the autumn.
The prize will now reward Best Racing Book of the Year as a new category, as well as Best Autobiography, Best Biography, Best Football Book, Best Rugby Book, Best Cricket Book, Best New Sports Writer, Best Illustrated Title and Best Publicity Campaign.
The shortlist will be revealed to the trade on 7th March, with a publicity campaign running from 11th April-9th May, including official POS such as posters and stickers.
The awards will be held on 9th May in the Savoy Hotel, with continuing publicity to include POS, and an official free-to-consumer sports book magazine. An online poll will be held simultaneously to find “The best overall sports book of the year”, with the winner announced on 13th June.