The Football Conference is pleased to announce, Vanarama.co.uk, the UK’s leading van leasing company, have been shortlisted for a Sports Industry Award for their title sponsorship of the Football Conference (the Vanarama Conference).

The Vanarama Conference is shortlisted in the category of the ‘Best Sponsorship of an Event or Competition’ alongside BMW’s 2014 Ryder Cup golf partnership and Stella Artois work as The Official Beer Supplier of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

The sponsorship was brokered by London-based sports marketing consultancy SportQuake who also manage the day-to-day activation. As a result of the partnership, which is in its first year and has been extended to include the 2015-2016 season, Vanarama’s brand awareness among football fans currently tracks at 25 percent.

In addition to contractual rights including monthly manager and player awards, training wear branding and extensive stadium presence at all 67 Football Conference clubs, Vanarama’s fan-driven sponsorship activation has included set piece activations around key calendar dates.

Thanks to Vanarama, famous faces including Michael Owen, Robbie Savage and Matt Le Tissier were among more than 2,000 who tweeted their support for the Non-League Day campaign #Thumbsup4NLD and Vanarama also backed Football Conference clubs playing in the FA Cup to raise awareness in the wider football community.

Innovative Football Conferences prize giveaways, including Santa’s Van and Van-en-Tine’s Day, operated through Vanarama’s social media account, have resulted in a growth in followers of 1,800 percent since the season kicked off.

Football Conference chairman Brian Lee said: “Recognition from the Sports Industry Awards is no less than Vanarama richly deserve. As a sponsor and a partner, they have engaged with the Football Conference, its member clubs and most importantly our loyal fans with the fun values that we stand for. While football headlines at the top level in this country is dominated by finance, the priority for the Football Conference is to share and celebrate the value of our national sport in a way that is enjoyable and exciting. Their contribution has been at times, witty, funny, catchy and even cheeky. It is refreshing to see this likable element permeating throughout our game. We know from the response our fans have made they appreciate the accessibility between all we do spearheaded by our title sponsor.

“There is a terrific synergy between the Football Conference and Vanarama, so it is ‘vantastic’ to see the Football Conference shortlisted alongside the Ryder Cup and Wimbledon at the Sports Industry Awards.

“I would like to congratulate all at Vanarama, SportQuake and our own staff at the Football Conference on this achievement, for it has been a team effort.”

Vanarama brand director Steve Mark said: “As title sponsors of the Vanarama Conference, we are very proud to support all 67 clubs across three divisions. Vanarama recognises that it is the fans who make football and we are delighted with the way Football Conference fans have engaged with us since the start of this season.

“To be shortlisted for a Sports Industry Award, the industry’s most prestigious award, alongside brands including BMW, is testament to the hard work of all involved. I look forward to Vanarama’s partnership with the Football Conference as we approach the business end of this season, next year’s competition and beyond.”

The Sports Industry Awards night takes place on Thursday April 30 at Battersea Evolution. The full shortlist can be found here.