Press Releases

• The Sheffield Arena to host the live awards event on Sunday 13 December 2009

The BBC announced today that the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year event will be held in Yorkshire for the first time, at The Sheffield Arena, and will be covered live on BBC One on Sunday 13 December 2009.

The tickets for last year's show, presented by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey, sold out within an hour, so the increase in the size of the venue again this year will also allow an increase in the total size of the audience.

Last year more than 9,000 people were able to view the show live and the move to Sheffield, for this year's event, will allow even greater numbers to experience the unique atmosphere.

Barbara Slater, BBC Director of Sport, said: "We are delighted that this year's Sports Personality of the Year will be taking place in Sheffield, an area with such a proud sporting heritage. Sheffield is the latest stop for the event since we began taking it around the UK four years ago. The reaction so far from viewers and those members of the public who have been able to attend has been fantastic.

"It also seems fitting that we are making this announcement during such an iconic event as the World Snooker Championships at The Crucible and we were pleased that former World Snooker champion and Sports Personality of the Year winner, Steve Davis, was able to join us to break the good news."

Sheffield Council Leader, Councillor Paul Scriven, said: "The BBC Sports Personality of the Year has a special place in the hearts of the British public and Sheffield will play its part in applauding our sporting heroes and heroines for their achievements during 2009."

Sheffield's sporting credentials also include world-class, internationally-renowned facilities for a range of sports from athletics and ice-skating to swimming, boxing and volleyball.

Sheffield is home to an English Institute of Sport, Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield Arena, Don Valley Stadium and IceSheffield. The sports of boxing, diving, volleyball and table tennis have set up their national headquarters in the city.

Last year 9.8 million people tuned in to watch triple-Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy win the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Programme, ticket and voting details will be announced nearer the time.

SB4