Shannon Washington, CCO / Managing Partner,11 Ounces, Brooklyn Is The First Jury President Of The 2026 LIA Sports Category

LIA announces the introduction of the Sports competition and sub-categories. This category will recognize creative executions that celebrate original and impactful work inspired by sport. It is about creativity that harnesses the power of sport and sportspeople to connect with audiences to drive both brand and cultural impact. Every jury member will judge all entries in person at Encore @ Wynn Las Vegas as LIA does not allow for offsite judging or pre-shortlisting.

Shannon Washington
Jury President

Even as far back as the 1970 FIFA World Cup, sports partnerships with sports personalities have scored big. Think back on the iconic moment when Pelé, already a two-time World Cup winner and hailed as the best player in the world, stopped the referee so that he could tie the shoelace of his Puma football cleats before the quarter final game between Brazil and Peru. That act by “The King of Football” (O Rei) helped established the brand as a major player.

Christina Shaw, VP – Awards, LIA commented: “As this is our first year holding Sports as a stand-alone creative category, we have curated a very strong jury led by Shannon Washington. Shannon has been instrumental in reshaping the telling of sports stories. This jury is also a force to be reckoned with. There is representation from agencies, sporting bodies and sports channels and platforms.”

The inaugural Sports Jury:

Rayyan Aoun
Chief Creative Officer
BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh