Dally M Medal be established in rugby league in Australia. The medal was sponsored by Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc., a tobacco production company. There were two Rothmans Medals awarded each year: one for the best player in the New South Wales Rugby League, and one for the best player in the Brisbane Rugby League. The voting for the Rothmans Medal was the same basic format as the modern day Dally M, except that the votes were determined by the referees, rather than the media. The two Rothmans Medals were first awarded in 1968, and were awarded each year until 1996. In 1997,
NBPA Players Awards press release, the NBPA outlined the rationale behind the "Players' Awards." Due to an overwhelming response from its members, the NBPA decided to launch the 1st Annual Players’ Awards … in Las Vegas, NV in July …. In the time honored tradition of identifying excellence through peer review forged by institutions such as the Emmy Awards, The Grammy Awards and The Academy Awards, the Players’ Awards are voted on by the NBA’s active players. In a pair of press releases dated 20 June 2015 and 9 July 2015 , the NBPA announced BET Networks would record the inaugural awards presentation