Experiencing the thrill of top level sport with your clients is a sure-fire way to develop productive long-term business relationships. You should always look to match up your clients with the event that you think will be most appealing to them, and in 2014 there is a huge range of top class events to choose from. Here’s ten of the best:
- Six Nations Rugby 2014: Following the comprehensive collective triumph of the British and Irish Lions in Australia in 2013, hostilities will be resumed amongst the home nations, France and Italy, in early 2014. England will be looking to build on a solid campaign in 2013, with home fixtures at Twickenham against Ireland on 22nd February, and Wales on 9th March. Current champions Wales open their campaign against Italy at the Millennium Stadium on 1st February, whilst Scotland has a tough start against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on the following day. As always, the Six Nations is bound to provide high drama, and it would be a brave pundit to tip the winner in a tournament that always provides its fair share of surprises.
- British Grand Prix 2014: Witnessing the thrills and spills of Formula 1 has to be one of the most exhilarating experiences for any sports fan. After the chaos and controversy of 2013, which saw Nico Rosberg win the race amidst the carnage of tyre-related crashes, fans will be expecting another classic. Can one of the British drivers end a poor run of results for the hosts, with Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 victory the sole ‘home’ triumph in the last 13 years, or will foreign drivers continue to dominate? Whatever the outcome, clients are always blown away by experiencing one of the most glamorous events in sport, in the lap of luxury in one of Silverstone’s famed Grand Prix hospitality suites.
- England v India Test Series and One Day Internationals 2014: Taking place throughout the summer, England take on India in a five match Test series, complimented by five One Day Internationals, and a T20 clash. With England riding high in the world Test rankings, Alastair Cook’s men should start as favourites for the series against their talented opponents. Current 50 Over World Champions India will fancy their chances of winning the One Day series, with their destructive batting line-up and canny bowlers particularly brilliant in this format. It’s a mouthwatering match-up for cricket fans, and the series results should go a long way to deciding who sits atop the world rankings in the different formats.
- FIFA World Cup Finals 2014 in Brazil: Hosted by 5-time winners Brazil – the most successful country in the competition’s history – the World Cup Finals in the summer of 2014 will surely be amongst the most colourful in the history of the sport. Graced by some of the greatest players to have ever played the game, the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Andreas Iniesta will hope to inspire their countrymen to glory in the big one. Spain, Brazil, and Germany will start as the likeliest winners, but the history of the World Cup is littered with big name exits and triumphant minnows, whilst perennial underachievers England will be looking to improve on recent big tournament form.
- Wimbledon 2014: The nation breathed a huge collective sigh of relief in 2013 after Andy Murray finally laid to rest Britain’s Wimbledon hoodoo by becoming the first home Men’s Singles Champion since Fred Perry in 1936. Murray’s brilliant demolition of World Number 1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets will live long in the memory, and he is sure to be one of the hot favourites to retain his crown. In the women’s game, there has been a marked improvement in British fortunes with young starlets Laura Robson and Heather Watson surging up the rankings over the last couple of years. The addition of the retractable roof on Centre Court means that tennis hospitality clients for the biggest games are guaranteed play even in the worst of conditions. Wimbledon hospitality is legendary, and enjoying one of the world’s premier sporting events in style is an experience that your clients will never forget.
- The Ryder Cup 2014: Taking place in September at Gleneagles in Perthshire, the competition returns to Scotland for the first time since 1973. The Ryder Cup is arguably the most passionately contested competition in golf, with a history of epic battles in recent decades. When last held at Medinah in 2012, the Europeans were at one point 10-4 down against the USA, before a miraculous comeback saw them pip the hosts by 14½ points to 13½ on an unbelievable final day of drama. The USA, captained by legend Tom Watson, will be desperate to improve on their recent record, with the Europeans triumphant in 7 of the last 9 clashes. European captain Paul McGinley will be hoping to continue a superb ‘home’ record, with the USA failing to win on European soil since their 15-13 triumph at The Belfry over 20 years ago. The Ryder Cup is, quite simply, golf at its most captivating.
- Cheltenham Race Festival 2014: The Cheltenham Festival is the jewel in Jump racing’s crown, with 27 top-class races spread over 4 days, including the Champion Hurdle, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Rightly regarded as the blue riband event on the National Hunt calendar, the Festival attracts nearly a quarter of a million visitors each year, with total wagers in excess of £600 million being placed. Equine legends such as Kauto Star, Best Mate, One Man, and Big Bucks have all performed heroically in recent years, and new superstars Sprinter Sacre and Hurricane Fly are following in their footsteps. With a wide variety of entertainment off the track, including award-winning restaurants, excellent horse racing hospitality, top bands, and celebrity speakers, the Festival is without doubt one of the great social occasions in Britain today.
- Henley Royal Regatta 2014: Situated on one of the most picturesque stretches of the River Thames, Henley Royal Regatta is the best known regatta in the world. For over a century and a half, it has been a highlight of both the summer sporting calendar and the social season. The very essence of an English social event, the Regatta attracts thousands of visitors over a 5-day period, with spectators captivated by over 200 races of an international standard, including Olympians and world record holders. Aside from the rowing, visitors can take in the ambience and enjoy the splendour within the Enclosures, with fabulous sports hospitality facilities which are sure to impress guests. Held in the first week of July, the Henley Regatta is the perfect place to welcome the start of the summer, with the opportunity to take a cruise down the Thames with your clients.
- The Commonwealth Games 2014: After the triumph of the London Olympics in 2012, world-class athletics returns to Britain in July and August for the 20th Commonwealth Games, which are being hosted by Glasgow. The likes of Mo Farah, Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis-Hill and David Rudisha will all be looking to strike gold again, with a few world records sure to be under threat. On top of all the drama of the athletics, there are 16 other sports taking place including cycling, boxing, swimming, and gymnastics. Historically the top of the medals table has been dominated by England and Australia, and that seems the likely outcome again. This is a rare chance to see some of the world’s greatest athletes performing in a top-class competition, and is something we might not witness again in Britain for a while.
- The Open Golf Championship 2014: The Open is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf, with the first being held in 1860. The most recent winner Phil Mickelson won the 2013 Championship at Muirfield after a superb round of 66 on the final day – the best of the entire tournament – which took him surging past the field to win by 3 strokes. The 2014 Open is taking place at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake – the 12th time this has happened – with the most recent being in 2006 when Tiger Woods triumphed for the last time in the competition. Entertaining golfing fanatic clients at the Open is superb, because not only is the action world-class, but you also have plenty of quality time together in luxury facilities, enjoying The Open hospitality. Perhaps an Englishman will finally triumph in the Open for the first time since Nick Faldo in 1992.
