Overview
Consumer Validation That Brands Can Actually Use
The Future of Sports Hub Consumer Award recognizes innovative sports products and digital services that are already commercially available or about to launch. Winners are determined through authentic real-world testing by the international Future of Sports Hub Collab Club community of more than 3,000 Consumer Experts.
The Future of Sports Hub Consumer Award is built for brands that need more than a logo. Participating brands receive editorial visibility, independent product testing, consumer feedback, authentic content from the testing process and a credible marketing asset for launch, sell-in and sell-out communication.
Process
How It Works
From category definition to editorial visibility, community testing and winner communication – the award process turns real consumer validation into a practical sales asset.
01
Choose the Category
Future of Sports Hub defines a relevant product category and invites selected brands.
02
Submit the Product
Brands submit products or services that are already available or close to market launch.
03
Launch of the Editorial Listicle
Future of Sports Hub introduces all submissions in a dedicated category listicle.
04
Start Community Testing
Products are distributed to selected Consumer Experts for real-world use.
05
Evaluate Independently
Testing results and feedback determine the final category ranking.
06
Winner Announcement
The two highest-rated products receive the Consumer Award, badge assets and a premium feature.
Included for Participants
What Every Participant Receives
Testing requirement: Each submitted product should provide one to two test samples. Sample size to be defined per category.
Benefits
Winner Benefits
The two highest-rated products in each award category additionally receive:
- Future of Sports Hub Consumer Award Winner digital badge assets for marketing and communication
- A dedicated premium editorial feature article on the Future of Sports Hub
- Additional distribution budget to reach the relevant target audience
- Full communication rights to use the award across marketing, PR and sales activities
There are no additional fees for winning.
Investment
Participation Fee
€990 per submitted product.
The participation fee includes editorial placement, product testing, consumer feedback, content generated during the testing process and distribution through Future of Sports Hub channels. There are no hidden costs.
Eligibility
Who Can Participate?
Participation is open to innovative brands from the sports industry – including physical products and digital services.
Eligible Submissions
- Sports products
- Digital sports services
- Products already commercially available
- Products scheduled for market launch in the very near future
Especially Relevant For
- Product launches
- Market entry
- Sell-out campaigns
- Product communication
- Consumer trust through independent validation
Categories
Upcoming Award Categories
Road Cycling Equipment
July / August
Padel Equipment
August / September
Trail Running Shoes & Equipment
September
This category section is designed to be expanded over time as new award categories are added.
Editorial Formats
Editorial Content Examples
Two editorial formats create visibility before and after testing: the category listicle introduces all participating products, while the winner feature gives the top-rated products additional depth and distribution.
Premium Listicle
Category Overview With All Participating Products
Each award category starts with a premium Future of Sports Hub listicle introducing the brands, products and use cases in one overview article.
Winner Feature
Dedicated Story for the Winning Products
Each winning product receives a dedicated premium editorial feature article with deeper product context and additional visibility.
Community
About the Future of Sports Hub Collab Club
The Future of Sports Hub Collab Club is the community behind the Consumer Award: more than 3,000 Consumer Experts who collaborate with the sports industry to shape, test and improve sports products through real-world use.
Real-World Testing
Selected members test products in authentic usage situations, not in artificial lab environments.
Consumer Expertise
The community brings together Consumer Experts with practical sports experience.
Feedback for Brands
Testing results and consumer feedback help brands improve communication, launch and sell-out activities.
Authentic Content
The testing process can generate images and content that brands can use in their own communication.
Contact
Interested in Participating?
Team
Project Management
Florian von Stuckrad
CMO, MPM AG
+49 176 30889804
Philipp Kamp
Key Account Management, MPM AG
+49 179 4884587
FAQ
FAQ
Who Can Participate?
Participation is open to innovative brands from the sports industry, including brands with physical products or digital services.
How Can I Participate?
Complete the application on our Consumer Award application page. The page explains the required information, materials, test samples and the email-based submission process.
Do Products Need to Be Already Available?
Eligible products or services should either already be commercially available or scheduled for market launch in the very near future.
What Does Every Participant Receive?
Every participant receives editorial placement in a dedicated Future of Sports Hub listicle, distribution through Future of Sports Hub channels, independent product testing, detailed consumer feedback and authentic images or content generated during testing.
How Are Winners Selected?
Products are distributed to selected Future of Sports Hub Collab Club members for real-world testing. The independent testing results determine the final ranking. The two highest-rated products in each category receive the Future of Sports Hub Consumer Award.
What Does Participation Cost?
The participation fee is €990 per submitted product. There are no hidden costs and no additional fees for winning.
How Is This Different From the European Outdoor Award?
The European Outdoor Award recognizes innovation before products reach the market. The Future of Sports Hub Consumer Award focuses on products that are already available – or about to become available – and are evaluated independently by real consumers through extensive product testing. The two award programs therefore complement different stages of a product’s lifecycle.