Football stadium reviewer who has visited Manchester City, Arsenal and Portsmouth FC grounds wins business award

The Padded Seat, founded by Portsmouth-based entrepeneur Kyle Mattison was named Creative StartUp of the Year at the south east finals of the StartUp Awards 2023 on Friday, June 1.

The account, which is popular on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, has amassed just under 1,000,000 followers in its first 16 months.

To date, the social media brand has over 170,000,000 video views across channels and worked with clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal, New York Red Bulls, FC Copenhagen and Portsmouth.

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On winning the award, Kyle said: ‘I’m incredibly lucky to have, what I feel, is the best job in the world. I never thought The Padded Seat would become as popular as it has and end up helping shape an industry. This award win is dedicated to our incredible followers who made it all possible.’

Kyle previously found viral success with another channel ‘That Property Guy’, trading tips and tricks for young people looking to get on the property ladder. He started The Padded Seat after accidentally booking a hospitality experience at a Chelsea football game and loving it.

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Since his first review, Kyle has been approached by major stadiums from across the UK and in the US to try their hospitality packages. He now has reviewed over 100 stadiums around the world including the home grounds of Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea, West Ham, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the New York Red Bulls. The 31-year-old said that the quality of food, the lounge and value for money are important factors he assesses and added that the packages can cost anywhere from £30 to around £800.

Chelsea fan Kyle has also reviewed Fratton Park – where previously he held a season ticket for a few years – and praised the stadium for its old-fashioned style.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, creator of the awards, said the events have celebrated the best new firms in the UK and recognised the amazing entrepreneurial talent across the nation.

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He added: ‘In the second year of the South East Startup Awards, we have seen yet again the incredible contribution of new businesses to job creation, innovation, and prosperity across the whole of this entrepreneurial nation. It’s been an honour and a pleasure to read the stories of those individuals from across the South East who have spotted the opportunity and taken the risk to launch their own venture, especially at a time when the economy is still fragile after the Covid

pandemic.’

The StartUp Awards were established in 2022 to highlight the success of StartUps across nine UK nations and regions, and to celebrate the achievements of entrepreneurs in all sectors of the economy.

The south east final was held at The South of England Centre in Haywards Heath and saw 35 different awards given out to new businesses in categories such as Online Retail StartUp of the Year, Tourism and Leisure StartUp of the Year and Technology Services StartUp of the Year.