The Best Sports Websites of 2009

By: chris | August 3rd, 2009

With the fiscal year closing so soon, SportBusiness.com hurriedly mashed together a list of the year’s best sports website before they get crackin’ on the 2010 year-end edition – due to be released in March ‘10. Right.

Anyway, it seems this is a slightly big deal, as uefa.com is boasting its award at the top of its website while clumsily meandering about with a glass of champers in hand. They aren’t, however, the big winner – just winner of multiple awards. No, the big winners were inclined to throw it into the faces of their runners-up rivals with pompous glee.

This is a true “sports” award listing, but football took home the biggest haul (with one glaring exception…ahem).

Top 10 – Ultimate Sports Websites 2009

1 Chelsea
2 Manchester United
3 WRC (World Rally Championship)
4 NBA
5 Euro 2008 (via uefa.com)
6 Cricinfo
7 Sky Sports
8 Super Bowl
9 PGA TOUR
10 Australian Grand Prix

Given the rising magnitude of the on-pitch/off-pitch duels between the two, I think the Chelsea FC website headline should’ve read: CHELSEA BEATS MAN UNITED TO CLAIM TOP AWARD…AND WE’VE STILL GOT JOHN MIKEL OBI.

A nice list and all, save for one thing: they couldn’t be bothered to provide links. Who has a website award listing and doesn’t provide links? I’d say that’s poor sports business, SportsBusiness.com.

* – Slight note on the Chelsea win: The official website of Roman’s Love seems to think they’ve won the Top 100, while Sports Business is under the impression they only chose a top 10. Largely irrelevant as they’re still kings, but the duo clearly need to fight over this to the death…by macchiato.

The rest of the awards read like this:

Award for best site content

Winner, Club or Team Site: Manchester United*
Winner, Event Site: Euro 2008*
Winner, Federation or League Site: WRC
Winner, Generic or Portal: Cricinfo*

Award for best site community

Winner, Club or Team Site: Chelsea FC*
Winner, Event Site: US Masters
Winner, Federation or League Site: WRC*
Winner, Generic or Portal: Footymad

Award for best site style

Winner, Club or Team Site: Chelsea FC*
Winner, Event Site: London 2012*
Winner, Federation or League Site: AFL
Winner, Generic or Portal: Sky Sports*

Award for best site monetisation

Winner, Club or Team Site: Manchester United*
Winner, Event Site: Superbowl
Winner, Federation or League Site: NBA
Winner, Generic or Portal: Football 365

Award for best partnership activation

Winner, Club or Team Site: Manchester United*
Winner, Event Site: London 2012*
Winner, Federation or League Site: The Football League
Winner, Generic or Portal: Sky Sports*

Award for best site for attracting new fans

Winner, Club or Team Site: Barcelona
Winner, Event Site: Euro 2008*
Winner, Federation or League Site: UEFA*
Winner, Generic or Portal: CricInfo*

Asterisk (*) denotes winners of multiple awards

So Manchester United actually won more individual awards – such as the highly appropriate monetisation award, as they’re always looking to pinch every single pence possible – with European champs Barca making a cameo for attracting new fans. Undoubtedly the reason for their massive surge in fans during 2009.