Nominations wanted for #HomeofSport in England

The national tourist board, Visit England, has launched a quest to find the country’s top sporting destination, and has asked the public to send in their nominations. 

By submitting an image of their “home of sport” – be it Headingley or a hidden gem of a village cricket green – sports fans will help decide the jewel in England’s sporting crown, no mean feat in a country that is world-renowned for its sporting heritage.

In its first week, the campaign has drawn in over 200 nominations from across the country, from globally-renowned stadia that hold tens of thousands of fans to a picturesque tennis court on the Cornish coast and arguably the world’s most scenic marathon stretch in Kielder. 

We’re encouraging Rugby League fans to send in their nominations for their top venue, as competition is already hotting up online, and we want a Rugby League presence! VisitEngland’s Chief Executive, James Berresford, says: “As the birthplace of rugby, football, cricket, punting and the modern Olympic Games, the home of iconic venues such as Old Trafford, Wimbledon and Aintree, and the host to world-class sporting events – Henley Royal Regatta and the Americas Cup, to name just two – England’s sporting heritage is something that truly sets us apart from other destinations. Our  green and pleasant land provides jaw-dropping backdrops to a whole host of popular pursuits, from hiking and running to abseiling and coasteering, making the search literally country-wide.”

To get involved, simply upload a picture of your own home of sport to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #HomeOfSport with a snappy (you’ve only got 140 characters, remember!) sentence on where you are, and why it’s the best sporting destination in England. Approved nominations will appear on a national sports wall at www.englandhomeofsport.com and will be entered into a prize draw to win a selection of sporting experiences.

Entries close at midnight on 31 August 2015, after which an expert panel will work through the nominations to establish a shortlist of sporting hubs. The shortlist will open to public vote on 16 September, with the destination that receives the highest number of votes announced as England’s Home of Sport on 23 October. Criteria for the winning destination will include: breadth of sporting experiences, diverse and beautiful backdrops and interesting sports trivia or claims to fame.