SEAT Spring 2011

S E A Tleading the premium seat industry www.alsd.com spring 2011

p u b l i s h e d b y t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f l u x u r y s u i t e d i r e c t o r s

is using groupon to sell tickets a good idea?

page 18

the education of an editorpage 26

through the eyes of the minor league suite director

page 78

removing premium seating’s hermetic seal in Kansas city page 52

page 34

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TWO WORDS: SPECIAL. TREATMENT.

MOTOROLA HOSPITALITY SOLUTIONSWhether entertaining business clients, closing a major deal or socializing with family or friends, your customers look to make the most out of their entertainment dollar.

Service, state-of-the-art amenities, and an overall exceptional experience are a must. Exceed their expectations. Equip your staff with mobile voice and data solutions so they can offer the ultimate in entertainment satisfaction. Afterall, everyone loves to be treated like a VIP.

MOTOROLA, MOTO, MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC and are used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2011 Motorola Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

For more information, please visit us at: www.motorolasolutions.com/hospitality

Elite Risk Services, Inc. is pleased to be

the official insurance partner of the alsd

We recently launched a newly enhanced third party liability insurance policy that is designed to protect suite owners and managers each and every time you rent

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• Separates the suite manager, the venue and the suite owner from the renter or borrower of the suite

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How much money did you lose today?

When fans order concessions and merchandise from their phones, orders are significantly larger and fans order more frequently.

859.608.4521 • [email protected]

The average FanGo order is

than the average traditional order.110.5% LARGER

www.alsd.com | SPRING 2011 | S E A T | 7

S E A TPublished by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors

coVer story

34 the solutions eVolVe The 21st Annual ALSD Conference and Tradeshow in Los Angeles is less than two months away. Check out the full schedule of events. Included are all session descriptions, keynote speakers and venue tour details.

features

48 when the fan experience is the luxury Learn experiential services and seating options to exceed every fan’s expectations and increase sponsor revenues.BY BOB BANGHAM AND TIM CHAMP

52 remoVing premium seating’s hermetic seal LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, the new home of MLS’s Sporting Kansas City, ushers a dramatic shift into the venue marketplace. With intrepid technology innovations and communal premium seating, LIVESTRONG Sporting Park brings “The Solutions” to life. BY JARED FRANK

72 mlb teams score big in the suite marKetAccording to reports, MLB franchises increased in value on average by 7% – an all-time high – from 2010 to 2011. How does this financial success affect premium seating? Compare pricing and the variables determining those prices for all 30 MLB teams. BY DR. PETER TITLEBAUM AND DEBBIE TITLEBAUM

78 through the eyes of the minor league suite director

In this latest installment of our roundtable series, SEAT gathers together an assortment of Minor League suite directors from across multiple sports, venues and geographies. Discover more about the not-so-zany life in the minors. WITH RYAN MIRABEDINI

sports technology corner

62 sports geeK connects sports, fans and sponsors using social media

Take a trip down under to see how two professional Australian franchises find success using digital platforms. Learn how to monetize social media assets and how to best utilize those assets to connect with fans.

BY CHRISTINE STOFFEL

64 sports & entertainment alliance in technology Start to plan your trip to the 5th Annual S.E.A.T. Conference and Tradeshow, held in conjunction with the ALSD Conference and Tradeshow. Browse this year’s sessions, presenters and tours.

About the Cover: Illustration by Rob Schuster. Photo of Los Angeles at dusk from BigStock.

SPRING2011

Contents continues overleaf

34

52

48

ASSocIATIoN of LuxuRy SuITE DIREcToRS Chairman Bill DorseyExecutive Director Amanda VerhoffPresident Jennifer Ark, Green Bay Packers VP, Business Development Pat McCaffreyDirector, Sponsor and Partnership Development Dene ShielsEditor of SEAT, Website Director Jared FrankNational Sales Manager Scott HinzmanMembership Director Ryan MirabediniDesign Carole Winters Art + DesignDirector of Finance Dan LindemanFinancial Account Manager Vickie HenkeDirector of Information Technology John Tymoski

ExECuTIVE CoMMITTEEChris Bigelow, Bigelow CompaniesBrian Bucciarelli, Hershey Entertainment & ResortsGreg Hanrahan, united CenterTom Kaucic, Southern Wine & Spirits Pat McCaffrey, ALSDKim Reckley, Detroit Red Wings & olympia Entertainment

BoARD oF DIRECToRS Janie Boles, Auburn universityNatalie Burbank, utah Jazz / Salt Lake BeesRichard Dobransky, Delaware North CompaniesTrent Dutry, uS Airways CenterChris Granger, National Basketball AssociationPatti Kimbrough, university of ArkansasGerald KisselDebbie Massa, RoI ConsultingMike Ondrejko, Madison Square GardenRichard Searls, New York Red BullsTom Sheridan, Chicago White SoxMichael Smith, Philadelphia unionPeter Titlebaum, university of DaytonBrian Varnadoe, Houston TexansBob White, Calgary Flames

ALSD 2011 STEERING CoMMITTEEAdam Link, Home Depot CenterAlicia Fox, Home Depot CenterBryan Lawrence, Angels BaseballChris Cockrell, AEG/STAPLES CenterMichele Kajiwara, AEG/STAPLES Center

Published by Venue Pub. Inc. Copyright 2011. (All rights reserved). SEAT is a registered trademark of the Association of Luxury Suite Directors. SEAT is published quarterly and is complimentary to all members of the Association of Luxury Suite Directors.

Association of Luxury Suite Directors10017 McKelvey Road, Cincinnati, oH 45231513 674 0555 [email protected]

8 | S E A T | SPRING 2011 | www.alsd.com

departments

10 NEW ALSD MEMBERS

12 ALSD EDITORIALEditor’s Note BY JARED FRANK

Your Sandwich is Online BY BILL DORSEY

16 INDUSTRY AND ASSOCIATION NEWS

Arsenal balances competitiveness and fiscal responsibility

Is using Groupon a good idea?

Eagles, Jaguars and Vikings fans become the faces of the franchises

22 ON ALSD.COMALSD congratulates Jennifer Ark and the Green Bay Packers for their Super Bowl XLV victory.

24 MEMBER HIGHLIGHTSEAT visits with Frank Hubach, VP of Premium Sales & Service, American Airlines Center.BY JARED FRANK

88 COMING ATTRACTIONS

Please Recycle This Magazine

S E A TPublished by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors

Spring2011

26

SPORTS & eNTeRTAiNMeNT ALLiANCe iN TeCHNOLOGyS.E.A.T. ExECuTIVE CoMMITTEEChristine Stoffel, Founder, S.E.A.T. ConsortiumChris Wood, S.E.A.T. Chief Technology Advisor/Coordinator

S.E.A.T. 2011 STEERING CoMMITTEE Bob Jordan, New Meadowlands Stadium Co.Casey Bookout, university of oklahoma Craig Neeb, International Speedway CorporationChip Foley, Forest City Ratners Chris Dill, Portland Trail BlazersDan O’Neil, National Hockey LeagueDennis Mills, Major Events InternationalJim Darrow, Ilitch Holdings/Detroit Red WingsJohn Avenson, Minnesota TwinsKevin Naylor, Indiana PacersLarry Bonfante, united States Tennis AssociationLorraine Spadaro, DNC Boston, Inc/TD GardenMike Morris, Major League BaseballNancy Galietti, National Football LeaguePeter Surhoff, Major League BaseballPaul DelGuidice, National Basketball AssociationPaul Barber, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Richard Searls, Red Bulls ArenaRoger Baugh, London 2012 olympicsSasha Puric, Maple Leaf Sports & EntertainmentSteve Conley, Boston Red Sox Shane Harmon, New Zealand 2011 World Cup RugbyTod Caflisch, New orleans HornetsWayne Wichlacz, Green Bay Packers

16


NEw ALSD MEMbERS SPRING 2011Gregory J. MyfordAssociate Athletic Director for Business Relations & Communications Penn State university101-M Bryce Jordan Centeruniversity Park, PA 16802P: [email protected]

Shelley VolpenheinSuite and Premium Services ManagerCincinnati Reds100 Main StreetCincinnati, oH 45202P: [email protected]

Rob Gardenhire Director of Marketing & Business DevelopmentTulsa Drillers 201 N Elgin AvenueTulsa, oK 74120P: [email protected]

Jimmy DiLellaDirector of Business DevelopmentConneaut Leather494 E Main RoadConneaut, oH 44030P: 440-593-5205; [email protected]

Kai MurrayPremium Sales ManagerReal Salt Lake9256 S State StreetSandy, uT 84070P: [email protected]

Matt GarnerSharp Electronics12119 South Tallkid Ct.Parker, Co 80138P: [email protected]

Larry SchilzSharp Electronics5901 Bolsa AvenueHuntington Beach, CA [email protected]

Mark ZbylskiPresident/ownerProforma abZ Imprints6865 Ingleton DriveCastle Rock, Co 80108P: [email protected]

JC HoopsBusiness Development ManagerGivex1341 Estes StreetGurnee, IL 60031P: [email protected]

Bill MakrisSenior Director, Ticket Sales & Customer Experience Edmonton oilers Hockey Club11230 110th StreetEdmonton, AB T5G 3H7 CanadaP: [email protected]

Mark SteinkampSenior Marketing Director Daktronics331 32nd AvenuePo Box 5135Brookings, SD 57006-5135P: [email protected]

Steve StonehouseSenior Vice President of SalesBallena Technologies 1150 Ballena Blvd., Suite 250Alameda, CA 94501P: [email protected]

Kip NelsonSenior Account ManagerBallena Technologies 1150 Ballena Blvd., Suite 250Alameda, CA [email protected]

Roger GasserChannel Manager Gasser Chair Co.4136 Logan WayYoungstown, oH 44505P: [email protected]

Jim Elenzoperations ManagerGasser Chair Co.4136 Logan WayYoungstown, oH [email protected]

Evelyn MihinCooGasser Chair Co.4136 Logan WayYoungstown, oH [email protected]

Dan VassSales Manager Gasser Chair Co.4136 Logan WayYoungstown, oH [email protected]

Taraya AlstonStudentTemple university1745 W Diamond StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19121P: [email protected]

Jennifer RossFanVision60 Columbus Circle19th FloorNew York, NY 10023P: [email protected]

Matt LukensVice President, Business DevelopmentFanVision204 Spencer AvenueE Greenwich, RI 02818P: [email protected]

Paula PoleiSTRATACACHE2 Riverplace, Suite 200Dayton, oH 45405P: [email protected]

Patrick GilbertSTRATACACHE2 Riverplace, Suite 200Dayton, oH [email protected]

Stephen ChoiSTRATACACHE2 Riverplace, Suite 200Dayton, oH [email protected]

John MorrettSTRATACACHE2 Riverplace, Suite 200Dayton, oH [email protected]

Ashley Hurney MTM Recognition3201 SE 29thoklahoma City, oK 73115P: [email protected]

Donna LamprechtMTM Recognition3201 SE 29thoklahoma City, oK [email protected]

Jeff ThompsonMTM Recognition3201 SE 29thoklahoma City, oK [email protected]

Molly MartinMTM Recognition3201 SE 29thoklahoma City, oK [email protected]

Mike Ketcherside MTM Recognition3201 SE 29thoklahoma City, oK [email protected]

Derek DeBreeStoneTimberRiver LLCPo Box 6307Fairhaven, NJ 07704P: [email protected]

T O K E N S & I C O N S.. .recycled nostalgia

tokens-icons.com 877-558-7404

TOKENS & ICONS offers inventive gifts crafted from game used baseballs, stadium seating, arena basketball fl oor, even cracked game used bats. We work exclusively with real, existing materials that are fi lled with venue and team history.

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Editor’s notE by JAREd FRANk

First, a caveat: I’m an idealist. Sure I’m cumbered at times, like we all are, by an imbalance of work and life or whether to choose a 6- or a 7-iron

from 137 yards out. There were even times during the creation of this issue when I found myself questioning, “Why am I doing this?” Now that it is near completion, I am reminded of what I already knew – the greater the chal-lenge, the greater the reward in the end.

The epiphanic moment came while receiv-ing my education from the American Airlines Center (see page 26). To reward its season ticket holders and premium seat customers, the Dallas Mavericks instituted the High-Five Line. You’ll have to read ahead to learn the details, but for now, I’ll share that there were lots of smiling faces. While observing, I recalled something very important.

I recalled that we all work in the greatest industry in the world – sports and entertain-ment. No, we are not in labs researching the cure for cancer. We are not risking our lives in tsunami-impaired Japan to save others. But we do something just as intrinsically important, if not instrumentally valuable. We remind people to be happy.

Hold tHat tHougHt for a moment.

People do not buy into what you do. They buy into why you do it. Your clients don’t buy a baseball game (or whatever sport you sell or service) from you. They buy into why you are selling it to them. So, I ask you, the readers of SEAT, “Why do you do what you do?”

I don’t mean to put you on the spot. So think about it for a second, while you read what my response would be if our roles were reversed:

I believe in community. I believe cities are a natural human creation, because shaved down to a most rudimentary level of understanding, we desire company. We’re happiest when shar-ing our lives with others. And cities serve as a means of sharing commercial, political, philan-thropic, health and wellness, fashion, cultural, art, dining and sports experiences.

The sports experience starts with the facility – a trademark for any city. It serves as a foun-

tainhead of civic pride. It is a postcard by itself or as part of the larger skyline. It is no different than any other building, road or transportation resource. It must be joined together with exist-ing infrastructure or spawn new infrastructure in order to properly integrate into the existing identity and growth of a city. It involves plan-ning, studies and community outreach. And perhaps more so than any other source, it serves as a familiar interest and common conversation starter that transcends race or economic status.

I believe this fellowship derives from a simple noun – kindness. I believe in genuine acts of kindness, that service is not merely a means to a reciprocal end. Live with kindness I say, not because you expect something in return, but because kindness is the act and the reward. Like I said, I’m an idealist.

Remember those smiling season ticket holder faces in the Mavs High-Five Line? I’m not too much of an idealist to know that the emotional high from the high-five experience incentiv-izes a renewal of those season tickets. But what about the dozen or so kids in the line? They aren’t renewing any season tickets. There is no reciprocity for them. Their reward is our reward – genuine happiness.

So I ask you again, loyal readers of SEAT, “Why do you do what you do?”

Give it some thought. And don’t forget to be happy.

I’ll see you next in L.A. at the ALSD Conference. On Twitter, follow conference updates leading up to and through its duration via the hash tag, #ALSD2011.

Why Do You Do What You Do?Connect with me on

www.linkedin.com/in/ jaredfrank

and follow me on www.twitter.com/

SEAT_Editor for daily updates.

Here is a sampling of my tweets:

G-Braves transform Home Plate Club at Coolray Field from pregame hangout spot to

“a private club feel.”

Rose Bowl turns to Legends to sell new premium seating.

20 of 55 new suites have been sold.

Nets to sell All-Access tickets @ Barclays Center. Includes unlimited food & membership into Barclays Center Business Alliance.

Renovations to Club Level at Camden Yards include drink rail seating down left/right field lines

and 15 field-view bistro tables.

Club built inside a boxing venue at the Cosmopolitan on the Vegas strip has seating

10-feet from the ropes.

Angel Stadium to add healthy, local foods with new “farm to fan” program.

ALSD member Andy Silverman announces all 379 all-inclusive Diamond Club seats at

Marlins Ballpark sold out for 2012.

University of Michigan has sold out all premium seating at Michigan Stadium, including 81

suites for 2011.

Portland Timbers are extending season ticket sales. Goal of 12,000 has been surpassed;

+500 seats made available.

Your Sandwich is Online

Let’s start with a caption. The inset photo is of your boyish, albeit aging, former executive director of the ALSD. The boy I am holding and

the other boy are my grandchildren. The little girl hanging onto me is my adopted daughter, McKenna.

The photo is dated. McKenna is now 13 years old, 5-feet, 3-inches tall and has a mean volleyball serve. She no longer calls me “Daddy.” I am just Dad now, and she says I can’t sing, so I can’t go on American Idol, and I can’t dance, so I shouldn’t even think about go-ing on So You Think You Can Dance. According to McKenna, her Dad works too much, and his singular achievement in life is being able to fall asleep almost anywhere, anytime, anyhow.

I resemble that remark.But I am bringing this up, because I also

have a point. My guess is that more people have read this paragraph than did my insightful article in the last issue of SEAT on collective bargaining.

Why? Because we are all suckers for human interest stories. We crave to see others’ lives written on Facebook walls or need to read about what Charlie Sheen is doing on his Twit-ter feed, because we somehow identify with the fact that we can post online a picture of the sandwich we are eating on Tuesday in Cincin-nati, and someone on Wednesday in Hong Kong can respond to us that it looks “yummy,” even if that is what your Facebook caption already says.

There are more than 500 million active Face-book users, almost twice the population of the United States. It connects the world, and some credit the downfall of dictators with its ability to stage an online coup.

If Facebook can help depose dictators, I am not so sure we should call it “Social,” but indeed, that is what it is: Social Media. And each post, no matter how seemingly stupid, no matter how seemingly irrelevant, no mat-ter how many sandwiches appear online, is important to the person who believes his or her big, beautiful deli sub with all the fixins has interest to the world at large. Funny thing is, it does. It has meaning to someone out there in Hong Kong who says it looks “yummy.”

And so does my photo. There is someone out there in our membership who will look at this photo and see something that interests them. Unfortunately again, I bet more people look at this photo than read my insightful article on collective bargaining. Why? Because you can identify with it. Many of you have kids, and if

so, you have probably held them at one time. I bet some of you even have pictures of your kids posted on your refrigerator door, which is exactly where this one has been hanging for years now.

Somehow, someway, there is a connection with another human being somewhere in the world. Clearly, relationship marketing works.

And isn’t that what suites and premium seats as a business concept are all about: Relation-ship Marketing? There is something about seeing customers face-to-face, getting to know them in ways that do not quite translate in an email or over the phone or in a memo. Sports are not politics and not religion. It is both safe and sacred ground. It is a communal gather-ing of like-minded people who are having fun together. Meeting a person in a suite, and being “captive” with them for several hours, often

EdIToRIAl by bIll doRSEy, ChAIRmAN, AlSd


each post… is important to the person who believes his or her big, beautiful deli sub with all the fixins has interest to the world at large. funny thing is, it does.

with a game going on and drinks going down, creates an atmosphere of conviviality.

Don’t look now, but it also creates business. Because in part, business is about relationships and trust in the person you are doing business with. You can talk about your family, and you can talk business. You can even tell them what kind of sandwich you post online. You can allow them into your weird little world as much as you want to or not at all. But the person you bring into the suite or premium seat can read your body language. They can see your eyes and see if you are sincere. They can decide if they are going to bring you into their weird little worlds or whether to simply say thanks for the invitation to the suite, and I hope we meet again.

Suites are the original Facebook, the original Social Media. They are not what the media too often portrays them as – some kind of separation from the “Haves” and “Have-Nots.” They do not exist so that wealthy corporations can feel far from the madding crowd or so they can let their customers into these exclusive do-mains, so they can feel superior to Joe Six-Pack eating his hot dog in the Dawg Pound.

During the recession of the past several years, I think this opinion of the high price of premium seats has become more prevalent. Indeed, some corporations – mindful of what appeared to be in the impending collapse of the American financial system – actually took their names off the name plaques in front of their suites. The idea that a major corporation is somehow partying seems callous for those people who are being laid off. It felt like Marie Antoinette was sitting in the suite and telling the masses to “let them eat cake.” How dare anyone fiddle while Rome burned?

No matter that suites are anything but that. They are there for a business purpose, and it is one that is time-honored – to get to know your customer in a comfortable setting. It is for a social purpose, not a purpose that screams, “Stay away from me.”

Yet that is how the media portrays the process. For some reason, this attitude does not seem to have the same affect on those compa-nies who are spending money, advertising or sponsoring an event. For some reason, those

kinds of marketing expenditures are thought of as “effective” or “necessary” or as a legitimate way of building a business. But a suite? Learn-ing what customers want? Learning about the personal experiences of your customers’ families and finding out what sandwich they like? No, not legitimate.

Yet those companies who will not post their names on the doors of their suites still renew their suites, in most cases. And that is because they work. Just as Facebook connects the world, just as magazines like People and Us Weekly are now the most popular magazines in terms of circulation, suites and premium seats, in general, exist because they are the Original Social Media.

Write to Bill at [email protected], and connect with him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/pub/bill-dorsey/6/125/76a.


What’s On Your Mind?: When ALSD executive director Amanda Verhoff posted this photo on Facebook, she received more comments than from any of her articles written for SEAT.

Just as facebook connects the world… suites and premium seats, in general, exist because they are the original Social media.

ComIng uP neXt:arSenal SetS eXamPle for englISH PremIer league


INduSTRy ANd ASSoCIATIoN NEwS

Competing in the increasingly competitive business environment of international football comes with its challenges. At the top of this list of challenges is turning a

profit. Very few do. “Our club has built everything it has and

everything it represents without relying on outside investment for its success. This is a challenging path to tread. But as a result, we have earned our independence and our long-term financial ability to support our football, our values and our com-munity. We don’t have to rely on anybody but ourselves for our future success,” says Ivan Gazidis, Chief Executive of Arsenal Football Club, which has won three Premier League championships.

But why is Arsenal’s mix of winning and commitment to financial self-sufficiency such an accomplishment?

The economics of international football have changed dramatically in recent years. Trying to keep up with the Joneses proves more and more difficult each year. So much so that only a hand-ful of Joneses remain relevant. To illustrate this point, consider that Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer fee alone, the most expensive in history, from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 was worth £80 million (€94M, US$132M). Very few clubs can afford this going-rate to acquire top-tier talent. And top-tier talent usually wins champion-ships.

The reality is to accommodate such inflated transfer fees and contracts, wealthy investors running their clubs at a loss has become a com-mon practice. Chelsea Football Club, a perennial power in the EPL in recent years since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club, has operated in red figures since Abramovich took control, including a loss of £44.4 million in the last financial year. But in the same period, this has correlated, at least in part, to Chelsea winning six major trophies. The club recently announced that it is now virtually debt-free after converting most outstanding debt to equity, but most clubs do not have that ability or willingness of ownership cof-fers capable of propping up such an imbalanced balance sheet over a multi-year period.

The contrarian in this money game is Arsenal, an annual contender for major trophies under their self-sustaining approach. And the club does not sacrifice brand equity to be so. Arsenal was

valued by Forbes at $1.2 billion in 2010, seventh in the world in all sports. “We continue to be in a healthy financial position,” states Gazidis. “The club is run on a self-sustaining basis, and the results continue to show long-term sustainability and health, so there are some real positives.”

Among these positives is the club’s genera-tion of the fifth highest revenues in Europe and second highest in England in 2010. And they did this while controlling costs. Subsequently, the club’s pre-tax profits were £56 million during the same period. The teeming revenues largely stem from match-day revenue, £114.7 million in 2010, which makes up for its modest commercial revenues, £44 million in 2010, which ranked 13th in the world. Improving on global commercial income is the next hurdle to overcome for Arsenal, who is making a significant investment in this area. “Commercial is going to be a big focus for us, particularly globally,” Gazidis says. “So as we look at our commercial partnerships, we have made a significant investment in our commercial partnerships team, and I think the fans will begin to see some of the results of that over the next few years.”

Like its North American counterparts, Arsenal started witnessing increased match-day revenue after construction of a state-of-the-art new stadium. Emirates Stadium, opened in 2006, has 150 executive boxes, which account for a little over one-third of match-day revenue, and 6,700

Club Level seats. As a result of increased corporate hospitality seating in the new ground, stadium income increased from £37.4 million in 2005 to close to £115 million last year. “The club and box propositions have sold well, and we continue to have a strong waiting list and high demand for the coming seasons,” says Charles Bruner, Premium Sales Manager at Arsenal.

But most top clubs have made improvements to their facilities so to not lose out on the corporate hospitality spend. Again, what sets Arsenal apart is these similar revenues coupled with lower costs. Costs are controlled largely through internally developing players as opposed to acquiring tal-ent via transfers and then signing players to big contracts, a philosophy that will benefit Arsenal when UEFA’s new financial fair play rules begin in 2013. The new rules are a response to the recent transfer activity and will stipulate all clubs balance their incomes and expenses and operate under break-even principles. Already guided by such policies, Arsenal is positioned for continued success.

– Jared Frank

For more information about the Club Level at Emirates Stadium, contact:

Charles A. BrunerPremium Sales Manager +44 (0)207 704 [email protected]

arsenal balances competitiveness and fiscal responsibility The Gunners are one of few top European clubs not to operate at a loss

Eagles, Jaguars and Vikings Fans Are Faces of the Franchises, p.20Member Highlight: Frank Hubach, p.24

One-Nil to the Arsenal: Club supporters routinely pack Emirates Stadium and chant the club to victory and winning match-day revenues, £115 million in 2010.

��



Is using groupon a good idea? The online sales intermediary helps move unsold inventory without having to broadcast discounts in public

In November, the New Jersey Nets offered low-er-level sideline seats for up to 65% off of $100 and $200 tickets for games against the Hawks,

Trail Blazers, Thunder and Wizards, selling 988 tickets through Groupon. Assuming half were sold at each ticket price, the Nets netted $27,170 after giving half the proceeds to Groupon. Other sports organizations have generated the sale of an additional few thousand tickets through Groupon, such as TCU (60% discount for TCU vs. Oregon; 2,771 sold), the Wrigley Field Rooftop Club (22% discount for selected games; 2,381 sold) and the New England Revolution (67% discount for New England vs. Seattle; 2,515 sold).

The basic model for online group sales interme-diaries is to negotiate discounts with businesses, send the offer to subscribers via email and split the revenue proceeds with the business if a minimum number of people accept the offer. The success of Groupon led Google to offer $6 billion in a buyout. Groupon declined and is instead raising nearly $1 billion to sustain the company and its growth. Groupon and LivingSocial, which to-gether maintain a 90% market share, continue to expand their reach, while others tweak the model to get a piece of the pie.

The inset chart shows the best-selling Groupon deals for the New York City, Chicago, Boston, Seattle and Dallas markets drawn from a listing of recent deals on the Groupon website. Of the top-20 listed here, 15 are tangible goods with established or known quality. The availability of inventory among sports teams, such as the Nets who offer only selected inventory at selected games, makes it unlikely any would make this list, but we do see five entertainment venues listed among the 20.

So IS uSIng grouPon to Sell tICketS a good Idea? Organizations using services such as Groupon may benefit in several ways. First, individual subscrib-ers self-identify themselves as price-sensitive shop-pers. So the discounts are not offered to those like-ly to become season ticket holders. Our research over the past 20 years on price-sensitive shoppers, particularly for sports and leisure, suggests that the price-sensitive segment is often over-estimated by sellers. Buyers for season tickets are more likely to perceive higher value from higher-priced tickets (not the cheap seats). The point is that the overlap between subscribers to Groupon and likely season ticket holders should be low. Consequently, if

the objective is to effectively and efficiently target price-sensitive buyers, Groupon succeeds.

Second, as the Nets and other examples show, organizations can generate revenue directly attrib-utable to the Groupon deal with relatively little effort. Buyers are provided sufficient informa-tion by Groupon and are encouraged to generate referrals with a $10 incentive, which leads to a third benefit – teams may generate new leads and referrals.

However, if the price-sensitive buyer subscrib-ing to Groupon is not likely to fit the profile for a buyer of season ticket plans, how qualified are the leads? This question suggests two problems.

The first problem relates to the fact that if it takes a 50% discount for someone to consider attending a game, most likely we are not talking about someone who is passionate about the sport or the team. Our research shows that such fans will buy that ticket, but will not come back until the next deal, if then. In this case, the problem

is we are not really generating any new qualified leads.

A second set of problems exists in the less likely case that a subscriber accepting the offer is someone who loves the sport with some interest in the team. If so, then we are talking about someone already inclined to attend. Is offering a significant discount your best shot at convincing a fan to attend a game?

Some may argue that discounts are necessary to fill seats for lower quality opponents or other reasons. The problem is that if the fan is a likely attender, but prone to respond to promotions, the discount offer most likely shifts attendance from another game. The question then becomes, “How many accepting the offer would have come on another date without the offer?” Given that half of proceeds go to the online service provider, the answer needs to be more than 50%.

Finally, what are you saying to the market with a Groupon offer? One of the things we learn in economics and marketing is the concept of price signals. Since consumers actually engage in relatively little information search, they use price to determine quality. Price can communicate demand-related or supply-related quality informa-tion. Higher ticket prices signal high demand and

[continued on page 86]

City Company discount Sold Category

Chicago Gap 50% 42,334 apparelNYC Gap 50% 23,322 apparelBoston Gap 50% 20,542 apparelChicago Chicago River Architecture Tour 52% 19,743 admissionChicago Jamba Juice 50% 19,516 food/beverageBoston Blue Ribbon BBQ 53% 16,571 food/beverageNYC American Apparel 50% 15,637 apparelChicago Make Your Own Bears 50% 15,543 bearsChicago Brunswick Bowling 67% 14,771 bowlingChicago Chicago Auto Show 45% 14,666 admissionSeattle Woodland Park Zoo 45% 12,527 admissionNYC Maoz Vegetarian 50% 11,698 food/beverageChicago The Body Shop 50% 11,232 skin careDallas Gap 50% 10,852 apparelNYC Nordstrom Rack 50% 10,668 apparelChicago NYC Bagel Deli 60% 10,526 food/beverageChicago Chicago Magazine 50% 10,448 subscriptionDallas Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden 50% 10,307 admissionChicago Flat Top Grill 50% 10,022 food/beverageSeattle Taco Time 50% 10,000 food/beverage

the overlap between subscribers to groupon and likely season ticket holders should be low.

Branded TicketsTM is a full color personalization service thatseamlessly integrates with your basic ticket design to allow Suite, Club and Premium Seat clients to “Brand” their tickets by adding

logos, images or messages.

John Watlington [email protected] 804.598.9107 www.ptx.cc30 Mill Street Wheatland, Pa. 16161 Toll Free: 800.941.1070 Fax: 724.346.1073

High Impact, Premium Quality, Astonishingly Affordable

Branded TicketsTM Connect. It’s Time.

TM TM

GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1

Saturday, Nov. 6, 20107:15 PM

Saturday, Oct. 30, 20107:15 PM

Friday, Oct. 29, 20107:30 PM


Friday, Oct. 15, 20107:30 PM

GAME TIME SUBJECT TO CHANGE PRICE INCLUDES $2.00 SURCHARGE AND

10% ADMISSION TAX ON BALANCE.









SEC SEC SEC SEC SECROW ROW ROW ROW ROWSEAT SEAT SEAT SEAT SEAT


BIND

122 122 122 122 122E E E E E10 10 10 10 10

122 122 122 122 122 122E E E E E10 10 10 10 10

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TM TM




Friday, Oct. 29, 20107:30 PM


Friday, Oct. 15, 20107:30 PM













BIND

111 111 111 111 111G G G G G11 11 11 11 11

111 111 111 111 111 111G G G G G11 11 11 11 11

Book-1077

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TM TM




Friday, Oct. 29, 20107:30 PM


Friday, Oct. 15, 20107:30 PM













BIND

111 111 111 111 111K K K K K2 2 2 2 2

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Book-1088

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TM TM




Friday, Oct. 29, 20107:30 PM


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BIND

113 113 113 113 113F F F F F1 1 1 1 1

113 113 113 113 113 113F F F F F1 1 1 1 1

Book-1093

AABAEBEEEABBBAEAFAFEBAEABBEFAAAFEA483741691011

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TM TM




Friday, Oct. 29, 20107:30 PM


Friday, Oct. 15, 20107:30 PM













BIND

121 121 121 121 121F F F F F2 2 2 2 2

121 121 121 121 121 121F F F F F2 2 2 2 2

Book-1128

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Justin SMOAK 2010 Pacific Coast League

2010 Pacific Coast League

Adam

CHAMPIONS

CHAMPIONSMOORE

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

D U G O U T C L U BD U G O U T C L U B


FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

APRIL 15, 2011APRIL 16, 2011

APRIL 17, 2011APRIL 18, 2011

7:05 PM

7:05 PM

1:35 PM

7:05 PM

TACOMA RAINIERS vs.TACOMA RAINIERS vs.


SACRAMENTO RIVER CATSSACRAMENTO RIVER CATS


TACOMA vs.

TACOMA vs.

TACOMA vs.

TACOMA vs.APRIL 15, 2011

APRIL 16, 2011APRIL 17, 2011

APRIL 18, 2011

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO7:05 PM

7:05 PM

1:35 PM

7:05 PM

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VoidSATU

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April 3

0, 2011 - 2

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No coolers permitted in the Pit Stop Club or pits.

Not valid for grandstand or pit admission.

Located inside the Historic

Old Dominion Building.

ADMIT ONE

Pit Stop Club Admission Ticket

This pass compliments of

001

000

SATU

RD

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April 3

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ADMIT ONE



TM TM




Friday, Oct. 29, 20107:30 PM


Friday, Oct. 15, 20107:30 PM













BIND

122 122 122 122 122D D D D D9 9 9 9 9

122 122 122 122 122 122D D D D D9 9 9 9 9

Book-1149

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TM TM




Friday, Oct. 29, 20107:30 PM


Friday, Oct. 15, 20107:30 PM













BIND

101 101 101 101 101G G G G G10 10 10 10 10

101 101 101 101 101 101G G G G G10 10 10 10 10

Book-1026

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Triple-A Affiliatetacomarainiers.com

DustinACKLEY

INAUGURAL SEASON AT THE NEW CHENEY STADIUM

2 0 1 1 S E A S O N T I C K E T SL U X U R Y S U I T E



Adam

CHAMPIONS

CHAMPIONSMOORE

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT



FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

APRIL 15, 2011APRIL 16, 2011

APRIL 17, 2011APRIL 18, 2011

7:05 PM

7:05 PM

1:35 PM

7:05 PM





TACOMA vs.

TACOMA vs.

TACOMA vs.


APRIL 16, 2011APRIL 17, 2011

APRIL 18, 2011

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO7:05 PM

7:05 PM

1:35 PM

7:05 PM

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ACCT# 1234567ACCT# 1234567


Book # 377 Account # 1234567

Void



Adam

CHAMPIONS

CHAMPIONSMOORE

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT

SECTION ROW SEAT



FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

APRIL 15, 2011APRIL 16, 2011

APRIL 17, 2011APRIL 18, 2011

7:05 PM

7:05 PM

1:35 PM

7:05 PM





TACOMA vs.

TACOMA vs.

TACOMA vs.


APRIL 16, 2011APRIL 17, 2011

APRIL 18, 2011

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO7:05 PM

7:05 PM

1:35 PM

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FR

IDAY

Apri

l 29, 2011

- 2

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Admit One - Nontransferable

FR

IDAY

Apri

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- 2

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FR

IDAY

Apri

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ADMIT ONE



001 Personalized Dynamic Brand Activation



eagles, Jaguars and Vikings fans become the faces of the franchisesSeason ticket holders have their faces featured on actual game tickets

Game tickets hold meaning; they hold memo-ries for many fans. We may live in a digital world, where tickets are transferred over the

internet and barcodes on smart phones get us into games, but there is still something nostalgic about the physical ticket, the one in your drawer that takes you back to the “Immaculate Reception,” or the one that still brings a tear to your eye from Father’s Day in ’96 when Jordan won his first NBA Championship since his father’s passing. The paper pieces of games gone by tell a story, one fans were a part of and hold onto just like the ticket itself.

A game ticket is a team’s narrator, and fans are the audience. But what if the fans could be part of the narration, chronicling the team’s story from a personal account? In at least three NFL towns, they can. Enter the fan photos on game tickets promotion.

fan-faCed tICketS

PHIladelPHIa eagleSFor the 2010 season, over 1,000 Philadelphia Eagles fans submitted stories of what it means to be a season ticket holder for the chance to get their faces on season tickets. “You would be amazed at some of the stories we got,” says J.P. Lutz, Premium Sales Account Manager for the Eagles. Lutz expressed that the goal was not only to find unique stories, but stories that paralleled the marketing department’s goals. For instance, 2010 marked the 50th anniversary of the Eagles 1960 championship season, so the team selected a story about a fan who had attended that historic game 50 years ago.

“We’ve always done ticket programs based

around the players,” Lutz remarks. “We wanted to go in a completely different direction, one that was unique and had never been done.”

Ten fans “that have green running through their veins” were selected to have their faces on season tickets, one for each game. They also were featured on the cover of the Eagles game-day magazine, were announced during kickoff cer-emonies and had their faces on premium seating ticket boxes. In addition to game-day festivities, the winning fans were invited to and introduced at the premium ticket pick-up party. The photo shoot was also a highlight for the winning fans, some of whom flew in specifically to participate in the shoot and media event.

The winning fans adorned general bowl tickets and premium tickets alike. “Regardless of ticket type, the basic design of the tickets was consis-tent,” Lutz says, who remembers getting calls from his premium customers saying, “I know that guy” or “he sits in my section.” Lutz also commented that, “The promotion was a way of featuring our fans, their loyalty and their passion, not necessar-ily to sell more tickets.” The Eagles are consistently sold out, and the passion of their fans proves why.

There were so many touching or funny stories submitted that the Eagles could not limit the winning anecdotes to only ten. Fans that did not make it onto the tickets were revealed on ticket booklets and in other branches of correspondence with fans. Lutz said the feedback was phenomenal, and the program was very well executed by the Eagles. The initial goal was to promote the pro-gram as an extension of the Eagles marketing arm, but it ended up also bringing together the Eagles fans in a family-type atmosphere and exposing the real faces of the franchise – the fans.

JaCkSonVIlle JaguarSFollowing the Eagles lead, the Jacksonville Jaguars are executing a similar promotion for the upcoming 2011 season. During this offseason, the Jaguars want to know how their fans are keeping their pride alive. They have designed a contest for ten fans to appear on general bowl season tickets for the 2011 season. The Jaguars website invites fans to submit a 30-word sentence and upload a photo that expresses their team spirit. Judges will select 20 finalists, who are then posted back on the site for fans to vote on.

Steve Livingstone, Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing for the Jaguars, says the response has been terrific. Over 400 fans have taken the time to upload their photos and tell their stories. Living-stone asserts that personalization is vital and in the past three years, the team has amped up its efforts to get the fans more involved. “The days of simply sending out renewal invoices are gone. Fans need a more personal touch; it’s imperative in our sales and marketing approach,” says Livingstone. The Jaguars aim for each visit to their website and each fan correspondence to be personalized. When cus-tomers enter their names into the Jaguars online system, everything from email messages to online jerseys are customized with fans’ names.

The Jaguars are in a smaller market and to help move the needle, a level of personalization is not an option. “We would hate to not be doing it,” says Livingstone. “I believe the NFL as a whole has taken the lead from smaller teams and leagues to personalize its messages.” To his point, Liv-ingstone points to a 10% uptick in season ticket renewals.

Game Face: Allowing fans to express their loyalty as a means for the Eagles to reward loyalty is imperative to their sales and marketing approach.

“

” EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat EntEr through SEction row SEat

account # account # account # account # account # account # account # account # account # account #

GAME 8 • DEcEMBEr 2 , 2010 • 8:20 PMGAME 7 • noVEMBEr 21, 2010 • 8:20 PMGAME 6 • noVEMBEr 7 , 2010 • 4:15 PMGAME 5 • octoBEr 17, 2010 • 1:00 PMGAME 4 • octoBEr 3, 2010 • 4:15 PMGAME 3 • SEPtEMBEr 12, 2010 • 4:15 PMGAME 2 • SEPtEMBEr 2, 2010 • 7:30 PMGAME 1 • auguSt 13, 2010 • 7:30 PM GAME 9 • DEcEMBEr 26, 2010 • 1:00 PM GAME 10 • JanuarY 2, 2011 • 1:00 PMgame time subject to change due to flex scheduling game time subject to change due to flex scheduling

it’s an exhilarating time to be an eagles fan. there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this season, from the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1960 championship to the young corp of players taking the field with their sights set on the ultimate goal of a super bowl victory.

generation after generation your dedication to this team is what makes you the most remarkable fans in the nfl.

that is why we’re dedicating this year’s season tickets to you. We reached out to you to share your eagles stories with us and we were touched by the depths of your passion for eagles football. all ten of this year’s tickets feature fans with a unique perspective on what it means to be an eagles fan.

Who could put it better than Ryan, who wrote in to tell us about his grandfather, hank:

my grandfather is dedicated to two things in life...family and the eagles. every sunday bundled up in what is now “collector’s item” apparel, heat packs in his socks and binoculars strapped over his shoulder, he trucks down darien street and into the stadium. he’s telling me that ‘he’s excited about the fresh start and looking forward to the team’s future.’ hank is 87 years old. most people his age don’t use the word “futuRe”, as the present days are invaluable. hank is different. he’s a winner...a warrior.

Hank is an Eagles fan.

2 0 1 0 P H I L A D E L P H I A E A G L E S S E A S O N T I C K E T S

2010 SEASON TICKET HOLDER I.D.

A M E S S A G E F R O M

JEffrEY LuriE chriStina wEiSS LuriE JoE BannEr

RYAN W. | SECTION 240

CellPhoneDrive

MilitaryAppreciation Day

FoodDrive


��



on alSd.Com

Connect with the ALSD on LinkedIn:

Association of Luxury Suite Directors Group Page:www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=918457

Bill Dorsey:www.linkedin.com/pub/bill-dorsey/6/125/76a

Amanda Verhoff:www.linkedin.com/in/amandakuntzverhoff

Jennifer Ark:www.linkedin.com/pub/jennifer-ark/6/44b/1b5

Pat McCaffrey:www.linkedin.com/pub/pat-mccaffrey/9/27b/54b

Jared Frank:www.linkedin.com/in/jaredfrank

Dene Shiels:www.linkedin.com/pub/dene-shiels/10/b97/b8

Ryan Mirabedini:www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmirabedini

Follow the ALSD on Twitter:

Jared Frank:www.twitter.com/SEAT_Editor

Ryan Mirabedini:www.twitter.com/Ryan_ALSD

Like the ALSD on Facebook:

Association of Luxury Suite Directors Group Page:www.facebook.com/pages/Association-of-Luxury-Suite-Direc-tors/112032714717

alSd SoCIal medIa

from faCeBookwww.facebook.com/pages/association-of-luxury-Suite-directors/112032714717alSd on loCatIon: dallaS, tXThe Cheeseheads Stand Alone: Congratulations to ALSD President Jennifer Ark, her premium seat holders and the entire Packers organiza-tion for their Super Bowl XLV victory.

alSd on loCatIon: kanSaS CIty, mo Hail to the Chiefs: Jared’s visit to Kansas City included trips to LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, the Sprint Center and Arrowhead Stadium, home of ALSD member Kerrie Bryant and the Kansas City Chiefs.

uP-to-tHe-mInute InduStry and aSSoCIatIon neWS www.alsd.com/news

keyBank benefits from partnership with Portland timbers The bank has its brand affixed to the club seats at the "new" Jeld-Wen Field.www.alsd.com/content/keybank-benefits-partnership-portland-timbers

amway Center and orlando magic go for gold The new home of the Magic becomes the first newly constructed NBA LEED gold standard arena.www.alsd.com/content/amway-center-and-orlando-magic-go-gold

university of Wisconsin regents approve kohl Center renovation The project will convert the Nicholas suites into club seating.www.alsd.com/content/university-wiscon-sin-regents-approve-kohl-center-renova-tion

Cleveland Browns club seat holder sues over nfl lockout The plaintiff cites the work stoppage violates the terms of his PSL.www.alsd.com/content/cleveland-browns-club-seat-holder-sues-over-nfl-lockout

ConferenCe neWS www.alsd.com/content/conference

tim leiweke, President & Ceo of aeg, to speak at alSd 2011 www.alsd.com/content/tim-leiweke-president-ceo-aeg-speak-alsd-2011

robb Heineman, Sporting kC Ceo, to keynote alSd 2011 www.alsd.com/content/robb-heineman-sport-ing-kc-ceo-keynote-alsd-2011

STAPLES Center


A Conversation with Frank Hubach Vice President, Suite Sales and Service, American Airlines Center

With his sinewy frame and Bill Gates spectacles, without knowing the man, you might peg him for a linear algebra

professor who teaches abstract algorithms at SMU in Dallas. But do not let Frank Hubach fool you. He might look like Clark Kent, but he sells like Superman.

Learn how this sales superhero balances tee ball games with 18 holes while watching always over the premium revenues for American Airlines Center, a top-ten arena worldwide.

ALSD: How does American Airlines Center maintain such a high level of sales and service after ten years?Hubach: We have been lucky that both [the Mavericks and Stars] ownership groups have given us the capital dollars necessary to keep American Airlines Center current. Mark [Cuban] goes to every Mavericks road game. He is seeing the newest and best of every arena in the NBA. So he challenges our group to make sure we are staying relevant and keeping up with any new trends in the marketplace. We have only been open for ten years, and we have already had three major reno-vations. That is probably unheard of for a building that is still as relatively young as we are.

ALSD: What advice can you offer fellow ALSD members for selling in the current environment?Hubach: More and more when we talk to our suite holders, they are looking for a return on investment. Early on, that question was not asked a whole lot. Now when we are in front of our existing clients or trying to secure new ones, that question is brought up in just about every conver-sation. To help provide ROI, we make sure we are continuing to deliver our suite holders experiences that they cannot deliver to their clients on their own. Specifically, we do locker room tours at al-most every Mavericks game. At the end of the first quarter and right after halftime, they can come down and take pictures with their clients in front of Dirk [Nowitzki]’s stall and get a tour of all the facilities the players use. We can usually do two or three of those a game. We also have the High-Five Line where our clients can come down before the game and get a high-five from our players.

ALSD: How has the sales process changed in the past ten years?Hubach: Specific to the long-term suite sale, it is a process that is taking longer than ever. In past years, it seemed like a two to three month process. We just completed a handful of sales that were six to seven month sales cycles. So it is a different selling environment. We have to reinvent how we are selling. I cannot speak to one thing specifically, but it is more interaction with a client. It is using available inventory to entertain them at a game. Even though we know who the decision makers are, we also have to utilize the venue to go three or four levels above those individuals to help them sell up the ladder.

In general, sales is still a numbers game. But I think it is up to each team or facility to provide training, because things are constantly changing.

The way I sold ten years ago is a lot different than the way people sell now. There is less interpersonal communication. Now it is social media and Twit-ter. So people are doing things differently.

ALSD: How does a longer sales cycle affect how you manage your sales staff?Hubach: I try to keep our salespeople motivated and morale high. We are doing more sales contests than we ever have before. We are doing more fun incentives to generate new leads. Primarily, it is trying to keep our sales team happy. And when I say happy, I mean keeping the level of frustration low, because they are getting more “no’s” than they ever have before.

ALSD: What do you look for in a new hire?Hubach: I believe passion equals success. Things that people enjoy doing, they are usually going to be more successful at than others. So I look for passion first. We do not hire anyone with less than five years of sales experience. I look for a blend of people with experience in sports and outside of sports. Our staff is about half and half. Half have previous sports sales backgrounds. The other half might have a radio and TV background. Sometimes it is nice having someone who has not worked in our industry for a fresh set of eyes.

ALSD: Outside of your Superman cape at Ameri-can Airlines Center, what keeps you busy?Hubach: I have twins who recently just turned seven. So during most of my evenings, when I am not at the arena, I am going to tee ball, flag football and soccer games which is a huge enjoy-ment for me.

I have been playing basketball with the same 10-12 guys for over ten years now on Tuesday nights, and I like to play golf on the weekends. So I enjoy staying active. Our family also has trips planned to Mexico and St. Thomas, so we are looking forward to those. But first, I am looking forward to a long Mavericks playoff run.

INduSTRy ANd ASSocIATIoN NEwS: ALSd MEMbER HIGHLIGHT

By Jared Frank, Editor, SEAT Magazine

“We just completed a handful of sales that were six to seven month sales cycles. So it is a different selling environment. We have to reinvent how we are selling.”

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INduSTRy ANd ASSocIATIoN NEwS: ALSd MEMbER VENuE HIGHLIGHT

I do not want SEAT Magazine to ever talk to you; I want it to always talk with you. It is meant to be a dialogue. To accomplish that

intention, I need to see what ALSD members see and hear what ALSD members hear first-hand. So why not put myself in a suite director’s shoes for a couple days? I am a firm believer that one only learns by doing.

Enter the American Airlines Center… all 840,000 square-feet and over one million bricks of it. It is a building on everyone’s annual top-ten list of arenas. It is a building that has been continu-ously renovated to stay relevant in a crowded marketplace. If there is a place to learn the venue marketplace, this is as good as any. It provides more than an education. With so much going on, call it a baptism by fire.

This past March 18th and 19th, I was privi-leged to obtain a first-person perspective of Ameri-can Airlines Center during a Mavericks game and a Stars game. Throw in a Vigilantes AFL game sandwiched in between, and that is three events in 24 hours all on the heels of a Lady Gaga concert four days earlier. So it was just another day at the office for a building and a staff that hosts over 200 events and 3.5 million guests each year. “We’re always busy,” explains Alain Laroche, Manager of Premium Services at American Airlines Center. “This month, we have more events than days.”

My instruction began a day earlier in a com-pletely different city. I followed Frank Hubach, Brad Mayne and a contingency of American Airlines Center suite holders and sponsors to Las Vegas. You will have to read the sidebar on page 30 to learn what that trip was all about. For now, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. After an early morning flight from Vegas to Dallas, a short nap and a 5-hour ENERGY shot, I was off to American Airlines Center.

MARCH 18: MAVERICKS VS. SPURS PREMIUM SERVICESThe doors opened at 6:00 for a 7:30 tip-off. My day started right around the time the Fan Shop doors opened at 5:30. The event began with a bevy of ancillary details to address. It reminded me of the ALSD Conference on steroids. To put it simply, we were busy. When I first joined Laroche, him and his concierge team were attaching stickers to programs and placing cupcakes in suites. At the nightly deployment meeting, all details and anticipated questions were covered. Caron Butler was signing autographs pregame; J.J. Barea was signing autographs postgame; because it was a big game (attendance was over 19,000), SRO tickets were sold in the Audi Club; two vendor samplings were taking place in the Audi Club with a wine tasting upstairs in the Admiral Room; and girl scouts were selling cookies in front of sections 121 and 122. I resisted the urge to grab a box of thin mints.

Just prior to tip-off, Laroche and I ventured down to the Event Level and posted up outside the Mavs locker room. Alongside us were 150 very anxious Mavs fans who were a combination of Mavericks season ticket and American Airlines Center premium seat holders. The only reason I knew we were not waiting on Santa Claus was because the adults were as excited as the kids (and some more so). We were observing the Mavs High-Five Line, a reward program created by the Mavericks for season ticket and premium seat holders. Our industry has gravitated towards ways to bring fans as close to the game and to the game’s players as possible. Well it does not get much closer than this. The team meandered their way through the fan line, a formation strategically placed before each game between the locker room and the tunnel leading to the team bench. A high-five from Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, Tyson Chandler and others created quite the emotional high for customers and customers’

Going Undercover to Reintroduce American Airlines Center:The Education of an EditorThe editor of SEAT traveled to the depths of American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas to investigate how the sports venue industry really operates and to acquire a first-hand account of what it is really like to work in sports and enter-tainment. After two cities and three events in 24 hours, the pedagogy only began. By Jared Frank, Editor, SEAT Magazine

Big D NYE: AT&T Plaza is fast becoming a popular New Year’s Eve tradition in Dallas. This past NYE, approximately 40,000 people flocked to American Airlines Center’s front door for music, food and fireworks.

“We’re always busy. This month, we have more events than days.”

– Alain Laroche

customers. My education continued during

the game. I made rounds with Laroche who usually wants to see his staff at their posts at least three times during an event. What I could have seen was a world of chaos. There was a prob-lem with club seat holder’s food and beverage cards; the printer would not cooperate when a makeshift suite sign needed to be made; this happened; and that happened.

Chaos is what I could have seen. But with an invisible fire extinguisher attached to his back and walkie talkie glued to his ear, what I did see was La-roche easily maneuver through any and all circumstances with grace under fire. Even while trying as hard as humanly possible to be in two places at once for three hours, he did not blink once. By the end of the night, I was ready for a complimentary massage from one of the Essence of Life masseuses who are set up throughout the Platinum Levels to serve premium customers. But there was no rest for the weary. I was onto my next modular install – Operations.

OPERATIONSThe heart that keeps the blood pumping through the arena is the operations department. Opera-tions Manager Kevin Melsby and his assistant manager with their staff of four full-time supervi-sors, five other full-time and 56 part-time employ-ees are charged with setting up American Airlines Center for all events booked on the calendar. And a haphazard job will never cut it. “Operations pro-vides the foundation for each event,” says Melsby. “If there’s a problem with the foundation, things can go wrong quickly, and it’s our job to make sure that doesn’t happen. Avoiding problems or catching them when they’re small is what makes us successful.”

American Airlines Center events might be Dallas Stars; they might be tabloid stars. Besides the Stars and Mavs, the arena books many third-party events that operations is responsible for, including concerts large and small. Concerts vary in scale from acts that bring two or three trucks to Lady Gaga who brought an astonishing 27 trucks. That is a lot of wardrobe changes.

With the Mavs game complete and the Vigi-lantes noon kickoff looming tomorrow, Melsby’s crews wasted no time pulling up the 1,200 folding

chairs and 225 pieces of Mavs basketball floor. There was a long night ahead. When I left Melsby around 11:30pm, he was hoping to leave by 3:00am and return to American Airlines Center around 9:00am. The previous weekend, he was out by 5:00am and back by 9:00am. So again, it was just another day at the office.

Changeover time depends on the event. It requires two hours of setup and 1,000+ gallons of water applied to the ice rink each game-day going into hockey, two and a half to three hours going into basketball, three to three and a half hours going into football and depending on the stage building requirements, between two and five hours going into concerts. “Our fastest changeover we’ve ever had was last season when we went from Stars to Mavs in one hour and eleven minutes,” says Melsby. Pretty impressive.

MARCH 19: STARS VS. FlyERSPARKING SERVICESThere are 5,300 parking spaces at American Airlines Center, divided into two parking garages

and nine surface lots. These spaces fall under the leadership of Larry Buersmeyer, Director of Parking Services, who started at American Airlines Center in March 2001.

About three hours before an event, lots are open and Buersmeyer is fully staffed with 45 employees, which is not to say Buersmeyer only works for those three hours prior to events. “In parking, you also deal with finances and record keeping. You deal with mechanical issues – gate arms, lights and signs,” explains Buersmeyer. “You’re dealing with employ-ees, and you’re also dealing with guests. So you need to be versatile. You need to know a variety of information to handle different things.”

Buersmeyer takes a common sense approach to his position, which includes pricing. The Mavs and Stars pre-sell a lot of parking, so they determine prices in large part for whatever cash parking remains available for those events. For third-party events, American Airlines Center prices parking on an event-by-event basis. “Parking rates vary based

on the event, attendance size and audience,” Buersmeyer states. “For patrons looking for conve-nience, we have a parking garage located across the street from the Center, and for those looking for more economical options, we have several surface lots to choose from.”

Ingress and egress traffic is directed by off-duty police officers. Once all traffic is in, they go to as-signed lots and provide security, monitoring those lots during an event. Post-event, they go back to their intersections to control outbound traffic.

GUEST SERVICESGuest Services at American Airlines Center falls under the direction of Gina Chapa who manages six full-time employees on the guest services management team and 400 part-time employees. Guest Services at American Airlines Center covers ushers, ticket takers, event security, guest service reps, tours and wardrobe.

When dealing with a mass audience, inevita-bly, there are occasional shows where challenges arise, including situations where people drink too much or are looking for a fight. “You never know what’s going to happen,” Chapa says. “Some events are more challenging than others. And you never know which events those will be.”

When handling circumstances when guests

Sweets in a Suite: American Airlines Center trades out with The Cupcakery (seats for cupcakes) who can put suite holder company logos on the treats, a small but impactful impression on those being entertained.



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VIVA lAS VEGASOn March 16th and 17th, the American Airlines Center treated 60 suite holders and sponsors to a two-day getaway in Las Vegas. This was the fourth such trip American Airlines Center has organized, and over the years, they have had participation from top executives to some smaller sponsors to partial suite holders. “We think the best chance we have at getting in front of these people is to limit it to a quick two-night in and out,” says Frank Hubach, VP of Suite Sales and Service at American Airlines Center. “[A getaway trip] provides us the opportunity to talk one-on-one with our suite hold-ers.”

The trip began on Wednesday morning when the 60 guests and 15 American Airlines Center staff members met at a private Dallas-area airport and boarded Mark Cuban’s private plane. “That’s one of the neatest things for the group is travelling on the Mavericks team plane,” Hubach recalls.

Every year it varies, but American Airlines Center also always brings top team executives and former players along as hosts. “[Former Mav] Rolando Blackman joined us this year,” says Hubach. “We’ve had [Stars play-by-play announcer] Ralph Strangis, [former Star] Brett Hull, [Mavs President] Terdema Ussery and [Mavs GM] Donnie Nelson join us in the past.”

Upon arrival, there was no need to check in at the host hotel (Bellagio) as Ameri-can Airlines Center had arranged VIP pre-check in. The group headed poolside to a cabana for a couple hours of drinks and frivolity. Then as is traditionally the case, the American Airlines Center hosted a networking function centered around some sort of gaming event at the Bellagio to provide sponsors and suite holders an opportunity to get to know one another. Wednesday night’s event was a poker tournament. I was not able to stick around to see who ended up winning, but Hubach was down to the felt pretty quick. Could there have been a bounty placed on him by his clients? Nah, the event was all in the spirit of good times. After the poker tournament, it was a free skate, and suite holders and sponsors could do whatever they wanted to after about 9:30pm.

Thursday morning began at 8:00am with a golf outing at the exclusive golf course Southern Highlands. “This group loves to play golf,” states Hubach. “It was a great ex-perience. Each group had caddies, and that was another one of the highlights of the trip.” Those who do not golf were provided with spa access.

Overall the trip was a great success, a true tangible reward of unique access for suite holders. And for me, it was a great preamble to the weekend ahead.

have had too much to drink, Mike Ebow, Manag-er of Event Security Operations at American Air-lines Center, coaches the staff to go to the guest’s companion and politely suggest he or she take his or her friend home. From Ebow’s experience, nine times out of ten, the guests will comply. By going to the friend first, minor situations do not turn into major ones. “[Ejection] is a very last resort,” affirms Chapa. “We never want to kick anybody out. We want all guests to enjoy themselves and have a great time.”

Guest services is just as much about manag-ing employees as managing guests. According to Chapa, American Airlines Center puts much em-phasis on recognizing employees when things go well and not just when they go wrong. Employees are given “Scorecards” as recognition which enters them into a monthly raffle, where two winners are rewarded with a $25 gift certificate. Chapa also re-wards two guest services employees of the month with two tickets to an event and a parking pass.

Chapa also sends everyone a birthday card. “We’ve gotten more feedback [from birthday cards] than from anything else we’ve ever done,” says Chapa. “It’s a personal touch that people love. And everyone loves getting mail.”

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOlD FOR AMERICAN AIRlINES CENTER?It is a time of transition at American Airlines Cen-ter with uncertainty surrounding Stars ownership and a potential NBA labor dispute. With regards to the Stars, a handful of prospective ownership groups are completing their due diligence. Accord-ing to Hubach, the team’s interim leadership is hoping to have a sale wrapped up by the end of June in time for the beginning of the NHL free agency period which begins July 1.

Furthermore, American Airlines Center is eye-ing another transformation. The arena, as success-ful as it is year in, year out, has open suites. “Our internal research is telling us we have too much of one type of inventory,” reveals Hubach. “And one thing that we can tell from our existing guests is that we need a different type of offering. Many people still want the suite experience, but maybe can’t do it with 12-18 people. So certainly the loge concept is one that we’re interested in.”

One thing American Airlines Center looks to continue doing on the premium levels is adding value by listening to its guests. Recently on the Platinum Level, the arena has had huge success with new food and beverage cards which come with a dollar amount pre-loaded on them. The cards are a response to the concerns of club seat

Up High: Mavs fans young and old are greeted pregame in the Mavs High-Five Line by Shawn Marion and the rest of the team.

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patrons who expressed that F&B was becoming too expensive of an amenity. “[Club seat patrons] wanted to see F&B included in the ticket price,” Hubach says. “And ownership allowed us to be creative and package that within the new offerings to our Platinum seat holders.”

EVERyTHING IS CONNECTEDMy education wrapped up with a 3-2 Stars loss, albeit in a thrilling shootout. What did I learn from the whole experience? Many small lessons and two big things I will share here. 1) The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The sports and entertainment business is a system with many different moving parts functioning simultane-ously. And all are needed to function properly. For example, if a guest has a bad parking experience, guest services suffers. If operations drops the ball on something, a premium patron might leave the arena disappointed. Everything is connected. 2) The more you know, the more you know you do not know. I learned much from my American Air-lines Center experience. But most importantly, I learned there is a whole heckuva lot left for me to learn which is the human condition in a nutshell. I look forward to visiting more venues, meeting new people and attempting to crack that nut even though I know it to be impossible.

I want to take a moment to thank American Airlines Center and all the great people who helped make my education possible and enjoyable. Keep up the good work. #

Want to network with American Airlines Center?Here Is Frank Hubach’s Business Card

Frank HubachVP, Suite Sales and ServiceAmerican Airlines Center2500 Victory AvenueDallas, TX 75219(O): [email protected]

INduSTRy ANd ASSocIATIoN NEwS: ALSd MEMbER VENuE HIGHLIGHT“Many people still want the suite experience, but maybe

can’t do it with 12-18 people. So certainly the loge concept is one that we’re interested in.”

– Frank Hubach

Quick Change: In less time than it takes one to drive from Dallas to Austin, American Airlines Center transforms from court to ice.


COMING UP NEXT:#AlSD2011- AEG, TIM lEIWEKE,STAPlES CENTERAND MORE.

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ORDERS AND INQUIRIES

Call: 877.220.6453Email: [email protected]

Sunday, June 26, 20118:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration Open

11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Exhibitor Set Up (subject to change)

2:00 p.m. Board of Directors MeetingHosted by: ALSD Chairman and Executive Director

3:00 p.m.New Attendee Welcome MeetingHosted by: Jennifer Ark, ALSD President, Director of Premium Sales and Guest Services, Green Bay Packers

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open: Opening Reception with Food, Drinks and Entertainment

Amanda VerhoffBill Dorsey Jennifer Ark

2011 ALSD Conference Proposed Program and Schedule of Events*Please note: The program will be continually updated with information on sessions, events, speakers and panelists and is subject to change.

THE SOLuTiONSEvOLvEThe 2011 ALSD Conference and Tradeshow program, entitled “The Solutions,” is evolving. Panelists are confirming; presenters are tweaking their content; and you are preparing for the sessions that your venue will benefit most from. Check out the developing program on the following pages and do not forget to sign up to attend ALSD 2011.


Tom Sheridan Janie Boles Patti Kimbrough Rich SearlsBrian Bucciarelli

On Twitter, follow the hash tag #ALSD2011 for conference news and updates leading up to and through the duration of the ALSD Conference and Tradeshow.

Monday, June 27, 2011

7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration Open

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.League Day and All-League Lunch and Award Show*All-League Lunch and Award Show 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

NatioNal BasketBall associatioNNatioNal Hockey league NatioNal FootBall leagueMajor league BaseBallModerator: Tom Sheridan, Director of Ticket Sales, Chicago White Sox

MiNor league: Hockey, BaseBall aNd coNcert VeNuesModerator: Brian Bucciarelli, Director of Corporate Partnerships/Premium Seating, Giant Center/Hershey Bears

college aNd uNiVersity Moderator: Janie Boles, Director of Donor Services and Annual Giv-ing, Tigers Unlimited, Auburn University Athletics DepartmentModerator: Patti Kimbrough, Director of Guest Services, University of Arkansas Razorbacks

soccerModerator: Rich Searls, Director of Sales & Fan Services, New York Red Bulls

raciNg

Food aNd BeVerageModerator: Chris Bigelow, President, Bigelow Companies

iNForMatioN tecHNology Division Leader: Christine Stoffel, Founder and Executive Director, S.E.A.T.Division Leader: Chris Wood, Chief Technologist, S.E.A.T.

*Minor League, College, Soccer and Racing: Watch for venue tour and customer service and sales training

**Food and Beverage: Watch for a presentation by Nona Sivley, winner of Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen, now Head Chef at LA Market in the JW Marriott

***Information Technology: Look for full IT program starting on page 64

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.All-League Lunch and Award ShowKeynote Address: “The Buyer’s Buyer”

Presented by: Ray Bednar, Corporate Sponsorship Expert

Ray Bednar is considered the guru of the cor-porate sponsorship side, one of the world’s true experts in evaluating sponsorships. As Senior Vice President and Global Sponsorships Executive at

Bank of America, Bednar specialized in understanding exactly what corporations received from their return on sponsorship investment. Bednar created a methodology outlined in his book, Sponsorship’s Holy Grail, which allows corporations, i.e., the buyers, to evaluate sponsorship in light of their specific business goals.

At Bank of America, Bednar managed sponsorships with Major League Baseball, NASCAR, NFL, US Olympic Team, the Chicago Marathon and others. Before his work at BOA, Bednar was CEO for PRISM North and South America, a global agency focused on spon-sorship and event strategy and activation. During his time at PRISM, Bednar developed comprehensive marketing strategies for clients such as DuPont, Xerox, HSBC and Samsung to name a few. Prior to his involvement in PRISM, Bednar served as General Manager and Pres-ident with General Electric, where he gained extensive experience in the marketing application of Six Sigma. Bednar is a graduate of West Point United States Military Academy and Harvard Business School.

Bednar will keynote a “working luncheon” for the ALSD’s league day meetings. The idea here is to show suite directors and suite sales-people exactly how and why corporations make a premium seat and sponsorship investment.

Award Ceremony: “ALSD visionary Award”Presented to: Tom Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Olympia Entertainment

President and CEO of Olympia Entertainment, Tom Wilson, will receive the first-ever ALSD Vi-sionary Award, to be given annually to visionary

leaders in the premium seat market. “Without Tom and his vision, I sometimes wonder how many of us in this business would have a job,” says Bill Dorsey, Chairman of the ALSD. “Yes, there were luxu-ry suites before Tom Wilson, but Tom was the one who transformed the marketplace from almost a curiosity with VIP boxes for the rich and famous to a real business.”

Wilson had an illustrious 32-year career with the Detroit Pistons, including the last 22 years as President and CEO of Palace Sports & Entertainment, Inc. (PS&E). Wilson oversaw the Detroit Pistons and the organization’s three venues: The Palace, DTE Energy Music The-atre and Meadow Brook Music Festival.

In 2010, Wilson became President and CEO of Olympia En-tertainment. Olympia Entertainment is the owner and operator of Detroit’s Fox Theatre and the intimate City Theatre at Hockeytown Cafe, books and operates Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena and books Comerica Park. The company also handles business operations for the Detroit Red Wings, an Original Six member of the National Hockey League, and collaborates with the Detroit Tigers and other Ilitch companies.


Chris WoodChristine Stoffel

Ray Bednar

Tom Wilson

Chris Bigelow

4:00 p.m.Keynote Address: “How to Overcome the Challenges Facing Our industry Today”Design Better, Sell Smarter, Market More Creatively and Work Harder

Presented by: Tim Leiweke, President and Chief Executive Officer, AEGTim Leiweke serves as President and CEO of AEG, a collection of companies owned or oper-ated by the organization considered to be one of the world’s leading presenters of sports and entertainment programming. Now in his 15th year with AEG, and recently selected by the L.A. Times as one of the 100 most influential people

in southern California and by the Sports Business Journal as Sports Executive of the Year, Leiweke has acquired or merged more than 50 divisions and companies, whose alliances create a global live enter-tainment organization capable of developing, producing, promoting, marketing and managing sports and entertainment programming in both facilities owned and operated by AEG as well as other venues. AEG includes divisions such as AEG Live, devoted to all aspects of creating, producing and promoting live entertainment and AEG Facilities, developers and operators of more than 100 of the world’s preeminent venues.

As President of STAPLES Center, Leiweke was responsible for the overall development of the downtown showplace for major events and performances. Built under his direction in a record 18 months, STAPLES Center is home to four professional sports franchises – the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Sparks – and the most prestigious concerts and shows. Leiweke played a major role in bringing events to Los Angeles and STAPLES Center such as the 2002 NHL All-Star Game, the 2004 and 2011 NBA All-Star Games and eleven of the last twelve Annual Grammy Awards shows.

Leiweke also guided the creation of The Home Depot Center, built on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA. The $150 million development was the largest-ever private investment in amateur athletics. Leiweke now turns his atten-tion to overseeing the overall management of L.A. LIVE, the AEG-developed four million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los An-geles sports and entertainment district adjacent to STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center, which features Club Nokia, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, The Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott hotels, Regal Cinemas, 19 world-class restaurants, entertainment clubs and lounges and “broadcast” facilities for ESPN. The nation’s most active “live content and event district,” L.A. LIVE showcases more events, award shows, sporting competitions and concerts than any other des-tination in the world.

Stay Ahead of the News – Hear it First on ALSD Social Media

From SEAT_Editor’s Twitter Feed on March 14th:Privileged to announce @AEGworldwide President & CEO Tim Leiweke as a 2011 ALSD Conference Keynote Speaker #ALSD2011

4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open; Cocktails Served

7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.Tour and Reception: Nokia Theatre and STAPLES CenterWhat Will you see at Nokia Theatre?A world-class, $120 million, 7,100-seat live performance venue, of-fering mid-sized intimacy with no seat further than 220 feet from the stage. Nokia Theatre, which opened in 2007, hosts over 120 events a year, allowing over 500,000 patrons to pass through the doors annu-ally. Pollstar named Nokia Theatre, “Theatre of the Year,” three years in a row. The venue includes 12 luxury suites, 250 luxury seats, a two-level private VIP Lounge with its own patio, 12,000 square-feet of VIP and hospitality areas and over 5,000 feet of LED screens. What Will you see at staPles center?A four-tenant sports and entertainment venue with some of the most upscale, A-list club and hospitality areas in the country. The exclusive Chairman’s Room is frequented by stars like Jack Nicholson, while the courtside seats are no strangers to David Beckham or Denzel Washington. The $407 million STAPLES Center, that has been named “Arena of the Year,” is the center of the L.A. LIVE complex and includes 160 luxury suites, 18 event suites and 2,500 premium seats. Over 2,400 events have been held at STAPLES Center since 1999, hosting over 34 million fans. The Hyde Lounge, San Manuel Club and Lexus Club will be hot spots during the ALSD tour and reception.


Tim Leiweke

June 26 – June 29, 2011 Los Angeles

Monday, June 27, 2011 continued

Tuesday, June 28, 20118:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Registration Open

8:30 a.m. Keynote Address: “The Experience Matrix”

Presented by: Robb Heineman, CEO, Sporting Club, parent organization of Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

Robb Heineman serves as the CEO of Sporting Club, the parent organization of Sporting Kansas City, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company and is a part of the ownership group. He sits on the Board of Governors of Ma-

jor League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing, LLC. Heineman is also an owner/operator of the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Devel-opment League.

Heineman has been the driving force behind the transformation of Sporting Kansas City, including the recent rebrand from the Kansas City Wizards, since taking over the organization in 2006, begin-ning with the opening of a $5 million training facility for the team at Swope Park in 2007. Heineman was instrumental in securing the agreement with the Kansas City, KS Board of Commissioners for the new $200 million stadium to open near Village West this June. The development is expected to create over 8,000 new jobs in Wyandotte County and is estimated to have an economic impact of over $500 million annually. Sporting Kansas City will open its brand new, state-of-the-art LIVEstroNg Sporting Park on June 9, 2011.

“The Experience Matrix” breaks down LIVEstroNg Sport-ing Park into 150 interior spaces, each administered with a series of 20-minute scripts while the building is open.

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open; Brunch Served


Robb Heineman

10:00 a.m. - 10:55 a.m.

Case Studies Case studies are an extension of the ALSD Tradeshow this year. Explore the hall and hear case studies about what is working in venues today. Choose from concurrent sessions:

Case History: High-TechThe New age of Video: Portable, multi-use game-day viewing platformsTeam Case Study, Sponsored by: FanVisiondigital seat selection: seeing the game from many visual perspectives Team Case Study, Sponsored by: IOMEDIAThe coming age of loyalty cards and online F&B and mer-chandise orderingTeam Case Study, Sponsored

Case History: PersonalizationThe trend to personalization in the premium marketplaceTeam Case Study, Sponsored The art of gifting: How to get the best deals on your amenity purchasesTeam Case Study, Sponsored by: Boundless Network

11:00 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.

Choose from concurrent sessions:

Case History: Suite Servicesticket management for your customersTeam Case Study, Sponsored by: Spotlight Ticket ManagementThe New gold club: Prospecting in a new wayTeam Case Study, Sponsored by: Full House Entertainment Database Marketingticketing: Branding and selection Team Case Study, Sponsored

Case History: Architectural and venue Development

case study: custom design and Build WorkAmway Center Case Study, Sponsored by: RipBangcase study: stadium clubs: What to offer; how many; what to buildTeam Case Study, Sponsored by: Populous case study: The Big renovationTeam Case Study, Sponsored

* Case Study Presentations are sponsored sessions.

ALSD General Program Begins 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Combined Session: Sales and Food and BeverageChanging the Nature of Hospitality: What to include in Your Premium PackagesSession Synopsis: Your customers want more. Food and Beverage may be the answer.

What you will learn in this session:• What you can and should include in your suite package to attract

customers• All-inclusive F&B packages• Tiered F&B packages• How the caterer can help sell suites and club seats• How F&B prices will change to fit into the suite pricePanelist: Greg Karl, President & Chief Operating Officer, Epicurean Culinary GroupPanelist: Rich Searls, Director, Sales & Fan Services, New York Red BullsPanelist: Brian Byrnes, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Oklahoma City ThunderPanelist: Mark Stedman, Vice President of Food Services, Utah Jazz

Combined Session: Sales and Customer ServiceThe New Face of Club SeatingSession Synopsis: Club Seats account for approximately $6 billion in revenue in U.S. sports venues. How can you best maximize this inventory?

What you will learn in this session:• Differentiating general bowl seating from more upscale club seats• Whether to include F&B in a premium club and/or premium

seating• Should you offer suite night upgrades as an amenity to renewal

customers? • What are the best incentives?• Should you consider payment plans? • Maximizing revenues in a small market city• What club seating trends are architects seeing in new venue devel-

opments or renovations? Moderator: Evan Karasick, President, Channel 1 Media Solutions, Inc. Panelist: Paige Farragut, Vice President, Suite & Group Sales, Texas Rangers Baseball Club

Panelist: Andy Silverman, Senior Vice President, Sales and Service, Florida MarlinsPanelist: Chris Faulkner, Manager of Club Seat Sales and Service, Denver Broncos

Customer Service SessionLeveraging Your Brand: Auburn university and GameDay Consulting: A Case StudySession Synopsis: In 2010, Dr. Brian Crow of GameDay Consulting conducted a series of guest service workshops for several front-line staff groups at Auburn University. Hear what training methods you can take back to your venue.What you will learn in this session:Case study: Among those trained were game-day employees who work directly with Scholarship Donors and Executive Suite Members in the premium seating areas of Jordan-Hare Stadium and the Au-burn Arena. The training program focused on several training compo-nents, the trainees’ reactions to the curriculum and how the training guidelines were implemented on game-day. Learn about: Motivation, Brand, Perception, Good to Great, Consistency, Dealing with Diverse Populations, Dealing with Distractions and Self-evaluation.Presenter: Dr. Brian Crow, Associate Professor, Slippery Rock Univer-sity; President/CEO, GameDay ConsultingPresenter: Janie Boles, Director of Donor Services and Annual Giv-ing, Tiger Unlimited, Auburn University

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. *Note early start time .Combined Session: Information Technology, Sales and Marketing Mobile Technologies to improve Fan Experience and Drive RevenueSession Synopsis: A technology-based session detailing what the title suggests.What you will learn in this session:

• Various types of mobile technologies and applications to improve the fan experience

• Types of mobile technologies and applications to drive revenue• Venue case studies Moderator: Shane Harmon, GM of Marketing and Communications, New Zealand 2011 World Rugby Cup


Paige FarragutEvan KarasickChris FaulknerAndy Silverman Dr. Brian CrowGreg Karl Mark StedmanBrian Byrnes


Tuesday, June 28, 2011 continued


Option One:Executive Sales Training, presented by: Kennen Williams, President, Noll MediaLeading in a Time of Rapid Change

•Whyhavecustomersgonefromlustingafterour products to avoiding them?•Whatcanwedotocreatevalueforcustomers who keep changing the value proposition?•Whycan’tourcustomersmakeadecision?•Whathashappenedtothe“spark”inoursalesorganization?•Whathappenedtothe“goodolddays”?If you have been asking yourself these questions more frequently:

A. You are normalB. You will want to participate in “Leading in a Time of Rapid Change” The “business” of Luxury Suite Sales has changed in a way that mandates new leadership skills. Most leaders today cut their teeth in an abundant marketplace and today must lead in a market of scar-city. Fewer resources, more demanding customers, smarter competi-tors and declining demand all create an atmosphere of uncertainty for employees. Employees no longer want to know what to do; today they want to know WHY! Since there are no simple solutions, we must all work to create “new solutions”. During this highly in-teractive session, participants will learn:

• The business growth curve – how challenges shift as the business matures

• The core concepts of change leadership – how to respond when necessary change makes key people “lost” and less productive

• Why superstars of the past may be holding your organization back today

• The transformative individual – the role of the courageous inno-vator when it becomes clear it is time for us to move on

• How to identify ineffective leadership or management activities and replace them with the appropriate ones for this moment in the company’s history

Participants will leave this session with actionable steps to take im-mediately upon returning to their sales and marketing organizations and more confidence in their ability to lead.

“I’m excited to see Kennen Williams at the 2011 ALSD Conference in L.A. He came to HP Pavilion at San Jose prior to the start of our 2009-10 season and provided great tools for our corporate partnership and premium sales teams. The seminar was productive, dynamic, engaging and fun. Many of Kennen’s terms and practices are now incorporated into our dialogue and sales process. Things like the need to ask “challenge questions” early on and work to identify your “coach and blocker” undoubtedly helped us achieve new business results from prospect to close as well as renewal rates that are critical to annual budget goals for revenue. The knowledge Kennen has gained from real-life experience in relevant industry solidified his ability to walk-the-walk, not talk-the-talk.”

Bruce Ross, Director of Suite Sales and Service, San Jose Sharks

Option Two:Executive Leadership and Brand Excellence Training, presented by: Leonardo G. Inghilleri, Executive Vice President and Managing Partner, West Paces Consulting A Playbook for Brand and Service Excellence

This workshop has been designed to nurture and refine your leadership principles, philoso-phy and core values. These tools are essential to create a cultural foundation that translates into exceptionally high levels of guest satisfac-tion and loyalty. You will have the opportunity to learn proven techniques, concepts and best practices that will help you create and maintain a superior guest experience, as well as augment

strong workforce engagement, commitment, execution and satisfac-tion.During the three-hour interactive workshop, you will understand how to:

• Reinforce and elevate brand loyalty and connection • Establish a distinctive culture of service excellence for your venue• Build lifetime customer relationships with transparent brand

integrity• Go from ordinary to extraordinary guest service and business

results• Use service recovery and guest problem resolution to enhance

brand loyalty• Practice the essential elements of leadership in a successful enter-

prise• Transform the work environment and workforce• Sustain high performance through accountability, motivation and

recognitionTeam and individual exercises are designed to help you adapt the best practices to the unique characteristics and challenges of your venue and to create effective roadmaps for successful implementa-tion.

“West Paces was a great asset during our transition from Mellon Arena to CONSOL Energy Center for several reasons. First of all, the staff really responded to Leonardo’s style of presentation. Second, his philosophy of garnering input from all levels of the organiza-tion to create our Guest Service Principles, Service Model and Service Approach was tremendous. And, equally as important, this was a very customized program. Instead of utilizing the same basic program he used in other venues and operations, he spent a great deal of time with the Pens, SMG and Aramark executive teams, managers and front-line staffs to help develop our program. Leonardo worked with our internal design committee to tailor the program approach to our unique situation and staff needs. In the end, we ended up with all three of our organizations focusing on the same Guest Service promise. The guest, client and sponsor response from our new Guest Service Initiative has been nothing less than fantastic. Comments from all parties have been glowing. More than one travelling show manager has specifically mentioned that we have the best front of house staff in the country.”

Jay Roberts, General Manager, CONSOL Energy Center/SMG

Kennen Williams

Leonardo G. Inghilleri

ALSD Presents: Training DaysThe ALSD has selected dynamic instructors for a series of training presentations. Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning bring comprehensive, interactive sessions with take-aways that you can present to your staff and venue leaders.

1:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Choose from three concurrent Training Presentations Tuesday afternoon:

4:30 p.m.Buses Depart for Angel Stadium

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.Private Reception: Angel Stadium

7:30 p.m.Los Angeles Angels vs. Washington Nationals Baseball GameBuses depart starting 7:30, ending 10:00 p.m.What Will you see at angel stadium?

A stadium that has been home to the Angels since their move from Los Angeles in 1965 that underwent a $100 million renovation in the ‘90s. Now Angel Stadium of Anaheim seats over 45,000 and includes three full-service restaurants and a youth-oriented game area. Ten Dugout suites allow patrons to not only sit on the dugout level just 50 feet from the batter’s box, but they also have access to the Angels’ and visiting teams’ underground batting cages. 68 suites are located on the club level, including the exclusive platinum suites located behind home plate and the gold, silver and bronze suites, which of-fer two rows of open-air seating in front of a comfortably appointed lounge. Party suites and diamond club patio seating are also available. The true gem is the diamond field box with seats right on the field adjacent to the home and visitors dugouts and just 70 feet from the mound.


ALSD Presents: Training Days, cont.Option Three:Executive Information Technology Training, presented by IT Executivesinformation Technology on the Premium LevelsFour separate sessions assert that information technology is a necessity on the premium levels. The two entities act as one in the promotion and functionality of your product. Learn how in-formation technology affects your premium levels. Choose from one, two, three, or all four.

1:15 p.m. – 2:05 p.m.Technology innovations for Premium LevelsThis session includes roundtable discussions and brainstorming sessions around leveraging the hot innovation trends to market your suites to premium customers and corporate sponsors.Moderator: John Avenson, Vice President of Technology, Min-nesota TwinsModerator: James Darrow, Director of Information Technology, Ilitch Holdings/Detroit Red Wings

2:15 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.CRM Case Study PresentationThis session will demonstrate how to leverage CRM to increase revenues, sell premium inventory and engage senior management with IT initiatives, including third-party applications integrating ticketing with parking and other stadium operations to improve efficiencies and fan experiences. Presenter: Mark DiMaurizio, Vice President of Technology Solu-tions, Comcast-Spectacor

2:40 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.CRM Case Study PresentationThis session is a real-life case study on how to implement stra-tegic campaigns to engage fans while increasing revenues and profitability, enhance lead management capabilities and deepen customer relationships. Co- Presenters: LA Kings & FanOne Marketing

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Leverage Technology to increase Per Caps RevenueDiscussions around how to leverage technology innovations such as loyalty cards, F&B mobile ordering, digital signage, venue customer data integration, text messaging, CRM and more.

James DarrowJohn Avenson Mark DiMaurizio



Executive Sales Training, presented by: Bill Guertin, CEO, The 800-Pound Guerilla What Business Are You in? The Six Fundamentals to Solving the Premium Seating Sales Challenge

If no one is buying the way we’re selling any longer, then something must change... and Bill Guertin knows what it should be. Come discover Bill’s six imperatives for the premium seating industry and how today’s selling professionals can face the new reality with confidence, conviction and success. CAUTION: If you’re in the room, be prepared to roll up your sleeves, dig in and get to work. There will be NO anonymous back-of-the-room loitering, in-and-out “floating” or interruption of the flow of ideas at this session!

Hey, Premium Seating Execs! What Business Do You Think You Are In?Remember what the first cellular phones looked like? When cell phones were first introduced in the mid-80s, you had either the “bag phone,” a full-size handset complete with curly cord in a carrying case the size of a child’s lunchbox, or the more expensive “brick phone,” an enormous walkie-talkie looking monstrosity. These early models seem laughable by today’s standards. If you were to see someone using one of those phones on the street today, you would probably point and stare. And yet there are still sales-based businesses that are operating on the same selling models that were put in place 25 years ago.

Sales has changed. And customers have changed dramatically. In fact, the value proposition of almost every kind of purchase has evolved into something that barely resembles what it was a generation ago, a decade ago or in some cases, even just a few years ago. Can the premium seating market survive using “brick phone” methods of selling and product representation?

“I think everyone can agree that we can’t use the ‘old’ model and continue to succeed in the luxury space as we once did,” says Bill Guertin, CEO of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a sports seating sales training and consulting company based near Chicago.

When Guertin presents his program at the ALSD Conference in June, he will outline six fun-damentals that teams can implement to begin to solve the premium seating sales challenge. The

premise “What Business Are You In?” will be a common thread throughout the presentation. One of the six fundamentals that will be laid out in detail during Guertin’s conference session is the different ways in which teams can constantly educate prospects and customers with new ideas on how to use their suites to generate a higher return on objective.

“The two things businesses are hungry for today are new ideas and new answers,” stresses Guertin. “We have to inspire our clients’ own creativity to help them move the needle. They won’t be as active in pursuing these ideas as we will be. So if we want to see them choose us or see their renewal year after year, it’s up to us.”

As an award-winning media advertising executive, sales manager and General Manager of radio stations over the past 25 years, Guertin trained dozens of successful account reps in the broadcast advertising industry. “The most successful reps I trained never considered themselves in the radio business,” Guertin reveals. “They considered themselves in whatever business their clients were in, whether that was insurance, furniture or automobiles.”

The premium seat industry must look at itself in the same way. It needs to work collabora-tively with clients to deliver the specific value needed to justify the investment. To accomplish this in part, as in radio, sports reps must learn to sell a combination of the tangible and the intangible. “Sports reps must be experts at selling conceptually as well as tangibly. If it’s all about the food and the freebies, that just won’t cut it. We must show our prospects a unique vision of what the future will be like with the power of our product on their side.”

Several years ago, Guertin started his company when he was hired by an NBA team that was looking for a fresh training voice for its class of new ticket sales reps. He created the curriculum from his sales training materials in the radio industry, combined it with the team-specific information he was supplied and put on a three-day bootcamp in the summer of 2004. The 800-Pound Gorilla has now worked with over 50 teams from nearly every major sports league in North America.

“We like Bill’s delivery, his presentation and his interactive [training] platform,” says Chris Gar-gani, VP/Managing Director of the Washington Nationals. “One of the things we really appreciate is that Bill does his homework. His understanding of our specific market challenges has helped us during our renewal and new sales campaigns. We’re ahead of last year in both those categories.”

“Bill has indeed helped in growing our business,” says Mike Humes, Chief Revenue Officer for Hoops LP, the parent company of the Memphis Grizzlies, who has brought in The 800-Pound Gorilla at the Grizzlies as well as in his previous role as Chief Operating Officer of the Chicago Fire. “His approach is not only practical, but his methodology allows his students to immediately apply what they just learned.”

– Bill Guertin

Bill Guertin

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

ALSD Presents: Training Days, cont.The ALSD has selected dynamic instructors for a series of training presentations. Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning bring comprehensive, interactive sessions with take-aways that you can present to your staff and venue leaders.

8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Choose to attend one Training Session on Wednesday morning


ALSD General Program continues

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Combined Session: Sales and Food and BeverageWhat F&B Means to Your Bottom LineSession Synopsis: Food and Beverage is a major component to your revenue generation. You need to learn why and how your F&B de-partment can become an arm of your sales team. What you will learn in this session:

• Concession rights fees on premium levels • Pricing F&B and seats for maximum revenues on both sides• Rebranding your F&B with the rebranding of premium space• Selling the Experience: Themed nights vs. Staples that workPanelist: Greg Karl, President & Chief Operating Officer, Epicurean Culinary GroupPanelist: Nick Kavalauskas, Vice President of Operations, Professional Sports CateringPanelist: Delaware North Companies

Customer Service SessionTouch Points: The CalendarSession Synopsis: Your customer needs to consider you a necessity, not an option. Stay top of their minds with relevant touch points. What you will learn in this session:

• How to best market your suites on your suite specific website, through physical mailers, on social networking sites and through email messages

• Create a one-stop shop for your clients using a suite specific website

• Learn the “Timberwolves Business Advantage” for customer touch point scheduling and ROO/ROI tracking

• When and what the right touch points are • Personalizing the message or gift for your customers • Why service is a sales function that builds brand loyalty• How touch points translate to effective game-day management

strategiesModerator: Kim Reckley, Premium Services Executive, Olympia Entertainment Panelist: Lindsay Lohrens, Premium Hospitality Service Coordinator, Chicago Bears Football Club

Panelist: Travis Smith, Premium Seating Coordinator, Minnesota Timberwolves Panelist: Valerie Toth, Premium Seating Manager, United Center

Architectural SessionThe Future of Building Premium SeatingDoes your venue bring together Sports, Entertainment, and Experi-ence. What is the future of premium seating that will keep the cus-tomer coming back?What you will learn in this session:

• Why a sports and entertainment complex trumps the option of watching the game from the comforts of home

• Renovations in a case study on the Rose Bowl• How to budget for the right premium model in your venue• New stadiums, new opportunities for premium seating • How unique programs like Equity Seat Rights are progressingPanelist: Darryl Dunn, General Manager, Rose Bowl Stadium Panelist: Shervin Mirhashemi, Chief Operating Officer, AEG Global Partnerships Panelist: Architect, to be announced

Combined Session: Information Technology, Sales, Marketing and Customer ServiceCase Study Presentations: Engage Your Fans and Create Revenue Streams through Social Media, “New” Media and Social NetworkingSession Synopsis: A technology-based session about the innovative ways of increasing revenue and brand awareness.What you will learn in this session:

• Case studies will demonstrate how social media, “new” media and social networking will:

- Engage your fans- Create enthusiasm of your sport/venue- Develop new revenue streams

Moderator/Presenter: Sean Callanan, SportsGeek

Shervin MirhashemiNick KavalauskasGreg Karl Lindsay LohrensKim Reckley Valerie TothTravis Smith


Wednesday, June 29, 2011 continued


10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Sales SessionRenewals and RetentionSession Synopsis: It’s ten times harder to find a new customer than keep an existing one. What are the secrets to retaining your clients? What you will learn in this session:

• Lease and contract terms; what’s right for your market and your venue

• Value-adds and incentives• Renewal and upselling strategies • Driving revenue in a still-recovering marketPanelist: Mike Ondrejko, Senior Vice President, Corporate Hospital-ity Sales and Service, Madison Square GardenPanelist: Michele Kajiwara, Senior Director of Premium Sales, AEG and STAPLES Center

Combined Session: Customer Service and Management Soup to Nuts: Hiring the Next Generation of ExecutivesSession Synopsis: Are you trying to set up the World’s Best Premium Department? Premium seating department are always looking to hire young people; you need to find the right young guns. What you will learn in this session:

• A Human Resources’ perspective on securing talent for suite and premium sales

• Who to hire and what to pay• How many to staff in long-term positions, intern roles, and game

day positions• How to utilize the staff you have• Whether to hire a Social Media Manager

Sales SessionDatabases, Dynamic Pricing and Yield Management: Where are Your Customers Hiding?Session Synopsis: Thousands, maybe even millions of people touch your brand each year. Those are the best leads, and they are not being captured. More synergistic sales funnels are needed from the market-ing and premium departments.What you will learn in this session:You need to utilize new models of ticket and database management

programs and more importantly get the right clients into your pre-mium seats. Learn about:

• Demand metrics• A model of selling excess inventory without cannibalizing your

existing customers• The Gold Club: A Case Study • Dynamic Pricing Panelist: Nic Barlage, Director, Suite and Premium Sales, Cleveland Cavaliers Panelist: Sezin Aksoy, Director of Analytics, Cleveland CavaliersPanelist: Ron Contorno, President, Full House Database MarketingPanelist: Mark DiMaurizio, Vice President of Technology Solutions, Comcast-Spectacor

Combined Session: Sales and Customer ServiceSocial Media: Your Audience, Your Touch Points, Your Potential Profits Session Synopsis: Social media is brimming in popularity on many levels. Discover how your venue can best utilize each social media outlet and how it can create relationships and revenues. What you will learn in this session:

• Generating increased suite sales, season ticket sales and sponsor-ships through social media strategies

• How to put social media into its proper perspective • Examining how to reach the target audience and move then to

action• How to integrate a marketing communications strategy to reinforce

its brandPanelist: Nathan C. Kievman, Founder and CEO, DemingHill, Cor-porate Social Media Consulting & Marketing

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Combined Session: Information Technology, Food and Beverage and SalesTD Garden Case Study: Digital Signage Phenomenon: The Real Story – Cost, ROi, Marketing and Sponsorship of Premium Consumers and Corporate SponsorsSession Synopsis: This technology-based session will expand on digital signage, and what it can mean for your venue’s bottom line.(Continues on the next page )

Sezin AksoyNic Barlage Mark DiMaurizioRon Contorno

(Continued from the previous page) This session will present the Delaware North Companies/TD Gar-den case study of their implementation of the Cisco Stadium Vision digital signage and menu board solution. It will demonstrate how TD Garden leverages this innovative technology solution to improve revenue streams and will provide an overview of considerations on the reality of cost, revenue opportunities, ROI and marketing/sponsor-ship of premium consumers and corporate sponsors.Moderator: Lorraine Spadaro, VP of Technology, DNC/TD Garden

11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Combined Session: Information Technology, Food and Beverage and SalesPortland Trail Blazers Case Study: Digital Signage Phenomenon: The Real Story – Cost, ROi, Marketing and Sponsorship of Premium Consumers and Corporate SponsorsSession Synopsis: This technology-based session will expand on digital signage, and what it can mean for your venue’s bottom line.This session will present the Portland Trail Blazers case study of their implementation of the Omnivex digital signage and menu board solution. It will demonstrate how the Trail Blazers leverage this in-novative technology solution to improve revenue streams and will provide an overview of considerations on the reality of cost, revenue opportunities, ROI and marketing/sponsorship of premium consum-ers and corporate sponsors.Moderator: Chris Dill, Vice President and CIO, Portland Trail Blazers

11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Break for Lunch on Own

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Combined Session: Sales and Customer Service When Suites and Sponsorship Collide: Giving Sponsors and Suite Holders More value and visibility Session Synopsis: The time has arrived where customers need value and visibility packaged as one. What you will learn in this session:

• Premium seating and sponsorship packages can become a single offer

• How to determine what packages your venue can put together• What the costs really amount to• How you can gain customers with this new offerPanelist: Dan Migala, Vice President, Creative Partnerships, San Di-ego PadresPanelist: Todd Goldstein, President, AEG Global Partnerships

Sales SessionMoving Distressed inventorySession Synopsis: When is your suite inventory considered distressed? What do you do about it? What you will learn in this session:

• Do you have too many open suites? • Are some of your suites in less than desirable locations? • If so, then here are some new ideas about how to market inventory

that is not moving

Combined Session: Customer Service and Food and Beverage under the influence: Training your Staff to Spot and Handle Over-Served Clients Session Synopsis: A fun and interactive session presented by the TEAM Coalition will teach you how to spot clients who have had too much to drink. What you will learn in this session:

• How, where and when to spot clients for whom over-service may be an issue

• Why handling premium clients is different than handling general admission patrons

• Calm and non-offensive methods to encourage responsible alcohol service with clients on premium levels

Presenter: Jill Pepper, Executive Director, TEAM Coalition

Wednesday, June 29, 2011, continued

ALSD General Program Continues



Dan Migala Todd Goldstein Jill Pepper Kim Reckley Dr. Peter TitlebaumLorraine Spadaro

Combined Session: Sales, Food and Beverage and Customer Service value-Added Programs: The Courageous innovator Session Synopsis: Your customers want more for the price of admis-sion. Provide them with more out-of-the-box value-adds.What you will learn in this session:

• “Don’t buy a seat, buy access”: Exclusive events your customers want to and can be part of

• Luxury products and services you cannot get anywhere else• Hotel stays and personalized trips• Loyalty cards • Concierge service outside the venueModerator: Bill Dorsey, Chairman, ALSD

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Combined Session: Architectural, Sales and Customer Service Experiential Marketing and Creative Reconfiguration Session Synopsis: Premium space is being reconfigured in countless venues, while other venues are creatively using the space they have. Find out which idea works best for your venue.

What you will learn in this session:• Traditional suites are becoming loge boxes, club seats, premium

clubs, and mini and super suites. Which is most effective for your venue?

• What trends are working in the industry today?• Suites that convert into conference space• Experiential marketing of premium clubs and suites • Entertainment complexes that keep the customer coming back Moderator: Kim Reckley, Premium Services Executive, Olympia Entertainment

General SessionCollective Bargaining: Hope for the Best; Prepare for the Worst Session Synopsis: In the next 21 months, all four of the major leagues will face expiring Collective Bargaining Agreements. Your sport and venue needs to keep abreast of what to do when a lockout or strike is imminent. What you will learn in this session:

• Make sure your lease language is accurate and up-to-date• Inform your sponsors of your plans and forecasted reactions • Keep your premium customers in the loop• Do your homework: Investigate the future of your sport’s overall

popularity and potential lost revenues • Learn from the other leagues

Sales SessionRound Table Forum: Best Practices in Premium Seat Selling Session Synopsis: If you are selling premium seats today, your strate-gies have no doubt changed over the last few years. Your profession needs to learn from the best and share what is working in order to reenergize and maintain the sales velocity of days gone by.

What you will learn in this session:• A “no-holds-barred discussion” detailing the results of a compre-

hensive sales survey • How the strategies for selling suites versus club seats are similar or

different Presenter: Dr. Peter Titlebaum, Director of Research, ALSD; Associ-ate Professor, University of Dayton Sport Management

Food and Beverage Session: iron Chef Roundtable: The Best Menu items of 2010Session Synopsis: Bring your best ideas to the table… literally. What you will learn in this session:

• Come with menus in hand and be ready to share your best concoc-tions to date

• From meals and snacks to cocktails to edible gifts, we want to hear it all

• Tell us what worked, what did not and why• Be prepared to share prices, recipes, customer reactions and future

plans

3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

General SessionAll- League Best Practices SessionSession Synopsis: All attendees join together for a mega closing ses-sion. Ideas from all leagues, all venues and all departments are shared in this comprehensive idea-sharing session. What you will learn in this session:

• Round tables will seat someone from each league/sport• Do your homework at the ALSD Conference• Each table will be asked to present the best idea from the year in

review

OR

General SessionTown Hall MeetingSession Synopsis: Similar to the Suite Holder Focus Group. Suite holders from different venues share their wants and needs, likes and dislikes with the crowd. What you will learn in this session:

• What do your premium clients want more of• What strategies work best for getting butts in seats• What complaints do premium clients have• Questions are submitted ahead of time to the moderator


Join the Discussion: Weigh in on which session you would like to see take place:Leave us a note on Facebook, Twitter or E-mail. Title it: “RE: Closing Session,” and tell us your pick.

One winner who submits a response will receive a prize at the conclusion of the session.

5:00 p.m. Buses depart for The Home Depot Center

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.Tour and Closing Party at The Home Depot Center

What Will you see at The Home depot center?

A 125-acre, $150 million development in Carson, featuring state-of-the art stadiums and facilities for soccer, tennis, track & field, cycling, lacrosse, rugby, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball and other sports. Designated as an “Official U.S. Olympic Training Site,” The Home Depot Center is the nation’s most complete training facil-ity for Olympic, amateur and professional athletes. The complex is created around a 27,000-seat soccer stadium with 42 luxury suites plus six event suites, 1,500 luxury seats and the American Express Stadium Club Restaurant overlooking the stadium. The complex also has an 8,000-seat tennis and boxing stadium with 19 luxury suites, a 10,000-seat track & field facility and a 2,450-seat indoor velodrome. Tennis courts, soccer training fields and a three-mile jogging trail with 12 fitness stations around the perimeter of the development is avail-able to local residents.



Photo by Juan Ocampo

Photo by Mora Photography

Registration fees include all seminars, course materials, venue tours, and hospitality receptions.

Attendee Sign-upPlease complete a registration form for each attendee. Payment information only needed once if paying for all attendees from a team/company.

CAnCellAtionThirty (30) or more days before show: 75% refund. Less than thirty (30) days before show: Credit for following year’s show; no monetary refund.

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*ALSD will have an opt-in Text Program. Texted updates/informa-tion sent to your cell phone (Ex. "ALSD buses depart 5:00 p.m for Venue Tour" or "2:30 Sales Session moved to Conference Room #2")

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the 21st AnnualAlSd Conference & tradeshowJune 26-June 29, 2011 JW Marriott los Angeles, California

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In recent years, the rapid convergence of sports and entertainment has been a key driver of our industry’s growth and financial success. Historically, stadiums and arenas were built solely for fans to attend sports and en-

tertainment events. Simply providing a seat for the show was enough. But today as fans demand a more experiential outing, venues need to provide a more convenient and complete event-day program, transforming mere events into memorable and satisfying experiences.

Modern entertainment destinations such as theme parks, resorts, retail lifestyle centers and fine dining establishments have become places where creating entertaining customer experiences is the business. In these places, every aspect of the environment is designed to support and enhance the guest experience and to generate incremental revenue for operators.

Now, the stadium and venue experience has gotten in on the act. It all revolves around the notion that fans want something more than what they have been getting. The need to create fan experiences is perhaps the hallmark of the 21st century venue marketplace. Thus, the emergence of a new breed of design/build company, one that is both an architec-tural company, graphic design firm and sponsorship branding firm; and one that is the storyteller and choreographer of entertainment experiences. Call it entertainment branding, where architects and graphics are simply the tools used to communicate stories.

As designers and venue operators, we have little control over the quality of the event being presented or whether the home team will win or lose. Our mission is to surprise and delight our guests by providing them with access to unique experiences. Simply put, if we create happy fans, these fans will spend more freely at events, come back more often and

tell their friends about it. As a result, happy fans are also highly desirable to sponsors.

WHEN THE FAN EXPERIENCE IS YOUR PRODUCTLet’s consider a new definition of success. The product or offer is not merely a seat (your couch is probably much better) rather a shared social event, a night on the town, a family outing or a day in the park. It is a driveway-to-driveway enter-tainment experience.

If we accept that our product is not just a seat, but an expe-rience, then we need to explore the development of authentic, new entertainment opportunities that combine premium seating options coupled with services, along with great food and beverage, in order to compete with our customers’ enter-tainment options. How do you contend with the neighbor-hood watering hole, a great local hamburger joint, a sports bar chain or an elegant restaurant? Because there are many different types of customers and many different entertainment options, one size does not fit all.

REDEFINING THE CUSTOMERAny discussion of the evolution of the fan experience must also acknowledge the shifting preferences of a growing, technologically savvy demographic whose habits include socializing on the move. Think Facebook mobile app meets pub culture. These fans often prefer standing to sitting and can be seen exploring the concourse or gathering in groups of like-minded “friends” with the event as a backdrop for their busy mobile lifestyle. These fans not only expect but are increasingly willing to pay a premium for an all-encompassing and upscale event-day experience, increasing indirect revenues through ticket sales and food and beverage. By acknowledg-ing this shift in guest preferences, we can now create a variety of amenities that appeal to an increasingly diverse set of demands and opportunities.

Contrast this scene with that of the mid-career profession-als who attend events as guests of corporations who are treated to an array of premium amenities as part of client service and business development efforts. While not necessarily true fans of the team, impressing these guests will improve your venue’s brand and generate future ticket sales as they return with their

Fan preferences are changing. To reflect those shifting demands, experiential premium seating options and services, including food and beverage, must be developed for all fan demographics. By creating new amenities, teams and venues improve fan happiness which reduces no-shows, improves per-caps and in-creases sponsorship revenues.

By Bob Bangham, Founding Partner & Creative Director, andTim Champ, Director of Brand Integration & Development, RipBang Studios

WHEN THE FAN EXPERIENCE IS THE LUXURY

We need to understand that going to a concert or a ballgame is a luxury, regardless of whether you are sitting on the court or in the upper bowl… We want to treat every general admission fan to an enhanced experience that exceeds their expectations.


Family fan environments that provide a suite of amenities for children, teenagers and parents, like the APC Greenhouse in Phoenix, help expand the concept of club membership to new audiences.

friends and family. Let’s challenge conventions and take a hard look at our

current “event experience” to assess what is working and what is not. Suite directors need to experiment with developing a variety of cost-effective and targeted new products that offer “premium amenities” that support and enhance the fan experience for all ticket holders thus becoming the choreog-rapher of the fan experience and therefore on the front lines of leading change within the organization. Our challenge is not to create cookie cutter solutions that can be copied from venue-to-venue; rather it is to create and foster a culture of experimentation and innovation that leads to the develop-ment and implementation of unique solutions that address the shifting landscape of guest expectations, economic realities and the ongoing need to generate revenue. Recognizing that demand for traditional corporate suites is on the wane allows us to consider a wider mix of experiences and development opportunities within the suite level.

The following are some creative options, some successfully employed, others untested, that demonstrate how suites and premium packages can be combined to create unique guest experiences targeted to a wide variety of customer types and ticket prices. The goals are simple – increase direct revenue through sponsorships, reduce no-shows and improve per-cap spending with compelling amenities, enhancing your venue’s brand and improving guest satisfaction with the right mix of innovative inclusive and exclusive offerings.

A TASTE OF LUXURYDo you remember the first time you got upgraded to the first class cabin? I will bet after that experience, you were deter-mined to fly first class again. It can be the same with an event. We need to understand that going to a concert or a ballgame is a luxury, regardless of whether you are sitting on the court or in the upper bowl. That being said, we want to treat every general admission fan to an enhanced experience that exceeds their expectations.

See the photos on pages 49 and 50 for examples of “taste of luxury” amenities. Other examples of “taste of luxury” amenities are:

• Mommy Suite – Think day spa environment, family restrooms, toddler toys and a glass of chardonnay for Mom.

• The Front Row Experience• Gourmet Concessions• Sponsor Decks

LUXURY A LA CARTELuxury experiences that combine bundled or configurable packages with exclusive amenities can also be used to graduate single game ticket holders to season ticket holders and season

The Gentleman Jack Terrace at the Amway Center in Orlando provides general admission audiences with a styl-ishly appointed and entertaining lounge environment to socialize before, during and after events.

An upper deck fan zone like Amway Center’s Ozone provides highly visible club-like amenities to patrons unac-customed to such luxury, greatly enhancing the fan experience.


ticket holders to premium packages or club memberships.See the photos on page 51 for examples of “luxury a la

carte” amenities. Other examples of “luxury a la carte” ameni-ties are:

•AroundtheWorldSuitePass•MiniClubs•Clubs/Restaurants

A SEAT AT THE TABLE OF LUXURYNot to overlook the oft overlooked super-wealthy customer, but there are even some things that we can do here. For these patrons, it is all about exclusive access. Creating opportuni-ties that may include unique dining experiences presented by celebrity guest chefs or amenities with adjacencies to player areas like postgame news conference spaces puts super pre-mium clients in close proximity to players, performers and the exclusive accoutrements they are accustomed to.

Examples of “table of luxury” amenities include:•TheaterBoxes•SpeciallyDesignedMenusCreatedbyCelebrityChefs•PopUpRestaurants•ExclusiveAccessClubsThe wild-card with amenity (re-)development is of course

sponsorship. Teams and venues need sponsorship revenue and the added marketing reach sponsors can deliver. Marketers want access to sports properties’ brand equity, sponsorable inventory and activation opportunities. Venue operators seek affiliation with brands that will complement but not over-shadow their own brand identity. Meanwhile, sponsors are under increasing pressure to prove ROI and therefore seek an ever-more dominant presence for their brands, both in terms of media and physical in-venue visibility. Organizations that focus on sponsorship planning achieve success by integrating the goals and objectives of ownership, operations, ticket sales, marketing and sponsorship sales to develop engaging ameni-ties that allow sponsors to become true stakeholders in the fan

experience. More than just another venue amenity, these “ex-perience zones” become inventory that is highly sellable and ideal for sponsor activation and fan engagement once again putting the suite director at the center of the discussion.

The past few years have been a thrilling period for stadium and arena development. New venues such as Cowboys Stadium, Citi Field and Amway Center have advanced the state-of-the-art in design, sightlines, fan amenities, food and beverage and sponsorable inventory. Today however, the chal-lenge is not necessarily to build something new, but rather to make the most of what already exists with the redevelopment of unsold suites, underutilized areas and underperforming assets to create unique one-of-a-kind amenities that create happy fans to attract top sponsors and complement the day’s entertainment program. #

Would you like more information on experiential premium seating or more information on the concepts discussed in this article?Write to Bob at [email protected]. Write to Tim at [email protected].

Perhaps the most innovative project RipBang is working on at present is the Fan CanTM. The Fan CanTM is a new seating product developed in partnership with Seating Solutions. It offers a highly visible suite experience in non-traditional environments. As a customizable modular product, it can be tailored to fit in both existing and new facilities. RipBang is currently prototyping the product and talking with several major consumer brands regarding exclusive sponsorship rights.

COMING UP NEXT:EXPERIENTIAL PREMIUMSEATING COMES TO LIFE IN NEW MLS STADIUM

“Delaware North realizes that food and beverage is one of the most significant and impactful ways to enhance the fan experience.”

– Bob Bangham


RipBang solves many problems in many different areas in a venue. The company created “entitle-ment zones” throughout Amway Center which are sponsored areas within the arena that are revenue enhancements to the venue/team and sponsor. Pictured here is the AirTran Flight Deck which offers great in-bowl visibility for sponsors while providing a suite-like amenity experience for general admission fans.

RipBang has worked with manyF&B concessionaires such as DNCSportservice to create newbranded restaurant conceptsand to develop a variety of renovation proposals featuring food and beverage offerings.

“Delaware North realizesthat food and beverage is oneof the most significant andimpactful ways to enhance thefan experience,” says Bangham.

Pictured here is an artist rendering of the Food Network Bistro, an outdoor “sidewalk bistro” with great ballpark food with a twist – it is prepared in the Food Network’s unique, entertaining and educational way by cooks trained as presenters at the Food Network’s kitchens in New York.

DNC Sportservice


The new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City is a game-changer. It is bringing a dramatic shift to both the local community and the collective standards of best practices across all of the premium

seating industry. Scheduled to open June 9th later this year, it is part of a larger brand redefinition, identifying Sporting Kansas City outside of just a soccer club. And it raises the bar for the entire venue marketplace from its communal premium areas to robust technology backbone to amenities for all seg-ments of club supporters to cause marketing naming rights.

Sporting KC, formerly known as the Kansas City Wizards, is a Rorschach Test in which some see pragmatism, some see idealism, some see optimism, some see cynicism and some see all of the above (if that is possible). But in any case, no one just sees black inkblots. The intrepid Sporting KC ownership group is forcing us to look beyond the surface of their club. And if they fall flat on their faces, well, it will not be in an empty room. People are paying attention. Even if Sporting KC is risking a face plant with huge ambitions and contrarian concepts in a small market, let’s not make Charlie Sheens out of the organization. We are paying attention to them for all the right reasons.

Some of “The Solutions”, to be presented at this year’s ALSD Conference, are truly coming to life in Kansas City. For the premium seat industry, it is exciting to witness the new ideas and progressive conversations from the past couple years actually happening in practice. The status quo is bending. “We’re constantly looking for how to go beyond what’s been done before,” says Jon Knight, Senior Principal at Populous, the lead design architect of the project. “You can benchmark to the point that you benchmark yourself into doing something that’s only five percent better than the last thing that’s been done.”

Clearly, the Sporting KC ownership group, which consists of five leaders in the local Kansas City business community, has no interest in its club making the generic, standard five percent improvement around the margins. Owners Cliff Illig

and Neal Patterson, both co-founders of the Kansas City-based Cerner Corporation, which offers clinical and health-care management solutions, have their fingerprints all over LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. They are disciples of Disney and improvement through technology. They never met a risk they did not fall in love with all in the name of the customer experience, which not coincidently found its way into the premium seating plans at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.

The Vegas-sTyle BuffeTAll suites at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park are on one side of the stadium, mostly because of the scale of the building, and less because of an attempt to reenergize the Philips Arena model in Atlanta or recent NFL stadium concept designs. While the motivation for the design strategy was not to first and foremost put all premium patrons on one side of the building, it does lend itself to greater operational efficiencies and consolidation of parts, all of which assist with managing budgets. “Putting all the suites on one side of the stadium was a response to how to most effectively use the construction budget,” Knight explains. “We found a lot of economy and efficiency in stacking it the way we did.”

There are four premium levels stacked within the stadium, each with its own distinctive personality and flexibility to accommodate various scenarios, from game-day to speaker presentations to banquets. But no matter the level or scenario, the anchor principle is the same for all – a platform that captures and promotes an atmosphere for social interactions. “What we’ve tried to do with our suites is remove the experi-ence we’ve all had where you and another couple go out to a game; you’ve got tickets in different suites; you go up the suite elevator; you walk down the hallway; I’m in Suite 14; you’re in Suite 22; we go behind our hermetically-sealed doors; and we don’t see each other for the next three hours,” summarizes Robb Heineman, CEO of Sporting Club, the parent organi-zation of Sporting KC.

To shift the behavioral pattern, the backs of the second level of suites, the Cabana Suites, are fitted with removable glass, which will be open upon arrival on game-day and do not come fixed with induction burners. So if patrons want to eat, they will have to visit the adjacent lounge. Furthermore, patrons are encouraged to move their furniture out onto a little patio built into the back of each suite that extends into the common area. Cabana Suite leases include all events at

LIVESTRONG Sporting Park redefines the standard for soccer venues in North America. Through unique innovations in technology and communal premium seating, the home of Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City equally caters to all levels of its customers.

By Jared Frank, Editor of SEAT, ALSD

RemoVing PRemium seaTing’s heRmeTic seal

“We weren’t necessarily interested in building the best soccer stadium…We wanted to build the best sports experience possible.”

– Robb Heineman, Sporting KC


Tour de Force: The new home of Sporting KC is an exceptional achievement on many levels, including its naming rights partnership with the Lance Armstrong Foundation LIVESTRONG.


LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, and at $64,000-$68,000, al-low mid-sized corporations an effective suite option.

The namesake is derived from the idea that all the suites open up into the aforementioned lounge that acts as a large pre-function space very much like a Vegas-style buffet, com-plete with mixologists and engaging light and sound, inviting suite holders out to what amounts to a big networking event. This entire environment is all-inclusive with beer, wine and high-quality food. “People can go from suite to suite, drink other people’s wine, eat other people’s food and not feel invasive, because F&B is all-inclusive for everyone,” says Todd Adams, Director of Sales for Sporting KC. Premium liquor bottle service is also available for charge.

oTheR PRemium oPTionsDescending one level to the Executive Suites, home to Fortune 500-level corporations, the communal nature of the premium experience does not dissolve. This level is also not just a corridor lined with suites, but, like the Cabana Suite Level, incorporates a lounge. “These suite levels will be some-thing we see more and more of in terms of how the suites are connected to lounges,” Knight predicts. “[LIVESTRONG Sporting Park] is going to change the way we think about suites.”

On both suite levels, there is a martini deck that overlooks the 124,000 square-foot event plaza outside the stadium. Constructing a large video board on the event plaza, which would play host to movies and smaller concerts, is in the pipe-line. Suite holders would have access to their suites for such events. (See sidebar on page 60 for specifics on all premium levels at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park).

The memBeRs cluBWhen it comes to premium amenities, Sporting KC is at-

tempting to provide something special for everybody and bring all seat holders as close to the game and the players as possible without actually letting them don a jersey and shin guards or occupy a roster spot (although Chad Ochocinco is having a nice trial run). Fans will be as close if not closer to the pitch than in any other MLS facility. As part of this initia-tive on the low ticket price end, Sporting KC is introducing the first Members Club in Major League Soccer, which is centered on their ardent supporters group, known as the KC Cauldron, that beat the drums, wear the scarves and passion-ately embrace the gentle hum of the vuvuzela.

The Club, which holds 2,000 people, whose Member’s Stand seating occupies the entire north end of the stadium and wraps around to almost midfield, is a slice of soccer heaven. It is a highly advanced audio-visual experience with 85 42-inch TV screens, a DJ booth and all sorts of interactive gaming components.

The team is rolling out a new membership model. The Members Club is the nucleus for this concept offline. Online, fans are encouraged to sign up for free membership via the team’s website and social media outlets. Benefits of member-ship include free tickets for all away matches, free admittance to the Members Club for three home matches, access to a community of fellow supporters (identified on Twitter with the hash tag, #IamLSP) and discounts on products from Sporting KC marketing partners.

Also as a benefit, the Members Club is open to members 365 days a year. So if it is 10:00am, and there is an English Premier League match on TV, the Members Club will be the place to be.

The setting is also a subsidized environment. Patrons are able to buy food, drink and merchandise cheaper than other places in the stadium. The idea behind this thinking, besides being a perk of being in the club, is to capitalize on the

Atlas Shrugged: The communal suite level lounges represent a monumental shift in the world of premium seating, depicted here in this early artist rendering of the Cabana Suite Level.

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tailgate-centric nature of the Kansas City community. “What we wanted to try to do was go to our supporters and say ‘hey, let’s bring the tailgate inside for you,’” Heineman explains. “‘We know one of the reasons that you do the tailgate is it gives you a cheap option. So let’s give you a cheap option inside [the stadium].’”

The exPeRience maTRixAs mentioned previously, the Sporting KC owners adhere to the Disney principle of creating magic moments. This philosophy pervaded the design process from start to finish. Experience was the number one priority. “If we started talking about what color that wall is going to be, or that floor is going to be XYZ,” details Knight, “we’d always stop and consider the experience the customer is going to have rather than how big, how wide, how tall.”

Emerging out of this thinking is an incredibly detailed Experience Matrix built into LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, which breaks down the building not only by different neighborhoods, but also by different experiences for different ages and demographics. “What we’ve tried to do conceptu-ally with this building is think about all the different spaces,” Heineman says. Basically, Sporting KC has identified and split up the building into 150 interior spaces, each administered with a series of 20-minute scripts for the duration of time the

neW sPoRTing Kc logo (FoRmeRly tHe KanSaS City WizaRdS): •the middle separation represents the bor-

der of Kansas and missouri•the lines on the left represent the 11 players

on the field•the typography of the SC on the right

represents the serpent entwined with the Rod of asclepius, the common medical and health symbol

•the entire shield represents the aerial view of the Greater Kansas City metro area

More on MLS and Populous on ALSD.com:

Houston Dynamo and Populous create intimate environment in new stadium

www.alsd.com/content/hous-ton-dynamo-and-populous-create-intimate-environment-new-stadium

Interior rendering of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.

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building is open. “So if the building opens at 4:00 and shuts down at midnight, every one of those spaces has segments of 20-minute scripts, trying to think through exactly what’s going on in that space.”

a WeB 3.0 Building When it comes to technology, Sporting KC is aiming high. “The component where we really have an opportunity to change things in the industry is the core technology backbone that we’re putting in the building,” says Heineman.

Sporting KC is partnering with Cisco to help form ideas for technology capabilities and infrastructure. Included in LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is an advanced distributed antenna system (DAS) and a high-end Wi-Fi backbone to de-liver many rich applications for handsets and tablets. iPads are being used as suite controllers able to adjust lighting, sound and temperature, to order food and merchandise, to log into the club’s membership platform, to control camera angles on TVs, essentially to help pilot the entire experience for suite holders. “We want this to be a very Web 2.0/3.0 building and figure out how to have many of our members create commu-nities whether it’s inside the building or whether it’s at home watching on TV,” Heineman states. “Whatever the case, we want the building to be very interactive.”

inTimaTe yeT PoWeRfulWith a price tag of $200 million, LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is not of the same ilk as say the $1.6 billion New Mead-owlands Stadium, but it is still very effective nonetheless and certainly cutting-edge. It is at an advantage in solving some of the industry’s issues as planning occurred over the course of three years, the lengthy period required to secure the neces-sary public funding for construction. “We weren’t necessarily interested in building the best soccer stadium in the United States. That wasn’t our goal,” states Heineman. “We wanted to build the best sports experience possible and think through how we can serve a number of different constituents and create a number of different fan environments that would be

unique and different.” The conceptual design started by looking at not only the

growing number of soccer stadiums built recently in North America, but also by attempting to mimic the soccer experi-ence in South America and Europe. Based on these observa-tions, intimacy of the stadium itself and the retention of sound were the key components at the onset. “[The Sport-ing KC owners] wanted something intimate yet powerful,” Knight reveals. “Sometimes when I come here, it feels really small; sometimes when I’m here, it feels really big.”

Sales Tax Revenue (STAR) bonds were used to finance the entire original area surrounding LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, which includes Kansas Speedway and a vibrant mixed retail district. The bonds were originally scheduled to be paid off by 2016, but because the area has burgeoned so quickly, those debts have already been re-paid. $147 million in STAR bonds from Kansas City, KS were allocated towards build-ing the new soccer stadium. The Sporting KC ownership is handling all overages to the stadium construction.

The Body and The BallWhen Populous started working with Sporting KC on the design process, it was really important to the ownership group that there be a bigger story behind the building. The story being told is centered on the sport of soccer itself, “The Beau-tiful Game”, and the deep-rooted connection between the sport, its players and its fans. “In the beginning, [the story] was the body and the ball, with the roof representing the ball, and the base of the building being the body.”

“We wanted to do a lot of different things that were eye-catching and artistic and really have a story around it,” affirms Heineman.

The inside application of the bowl was predicated on rid-ding some of the traditional stadium attributes that separate fans from the playing surface. With this governing philoso-phy, Populous and Sporting KC are creating as fan-friendly a confine as is found in professional sports with sightlines that are second to none. An interesting characteristic of

Bend It Like Beckham: The roof spirals up 38 feet around LIVESTRONG Sporting Park to mimic the flight of a soccer ball.

#ALSD2011:

Robb Heineman

CEO of Sporting Club

Keynote Address

Tuesday, June 28

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LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is that it does not have many corner seats, a directive of the ownership group. Occupying the corners of the stadium is a unique visual experience of terrace seats backed up by a bar in two corners, the Members Club in the third and the owner’s suite in the fourth. These sections are at different angles, all of them with a little bit dif-ferent character and their own unique geometry.

Around the exterior, the entire stadium is wrapped in glass and aluminum fins, organized in a creative pattern to give the illusion to those walking or driving by of a bouncing ball. Another design aesthetic in reverence to “the Body and the Ball” is the asymmetrical, cylindrical roof, which spirals up 38 feet and mimics the unique flight of a soccer ball.

WhaT’s in a name?A large part of the core purpose of the redefined Sporting KC brand is generating social awareness and change for the betterment of the health of the Kansas City community. This for-the-good-of-the-community approach has led to a unique, counter-intuitive business partnership – cause marketing naming rights. On March 8th, Sporting KC announced a partnership with LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation made famous by the yellow silicone gel wrist-bands developed by Nike as a fundraiser for Armstrong’s mission to win the fight against cancer.

Now there is community service, and then there is doing what Sporting KC recently announced – giving a percentage of total team revenue to LIVESTRONG. A substantial per-centage. A minimum of $7.5 million over the next six years. “A portion of all stadium revenues, whether it’s a ticket to a match, whether it’s a box of popcorn, whether it’s you buying a jersey or shirt online, whatever it is,” explains Heineman, “a portion of those proceeds will go to the fight against cancer.”

The club did fish for a traditional naming rights deal, but found no suitable partners. Sans Sprint, Kansas City just is not saturated with Fortune 500 corporate headquarters capable of forking out the marketing dollars associated with stadium naming rights. So the club is trading an estimated $1–$2 million in annual naming rights revenue for the stan-dard charitable contribution tax break.

Is it risky? I believe it is. Is it crazy? Hard to argue. But is it innovative? I believe it is. Is it original? Hard to argue. And that is just how the organization seems to like it. They are simply not afraid of the unknown or unconventional thought. As Illig explains, “We are setting what I think is going to be a brand new standard for how professional sports engages worthwhile causes.”

While this is a first-of-its-kind initiative, it is not the first

PRemium seaTing highlighTs By The numBeRs

stadium capacity: • 18,467 for soccer• 25,000 for concerts• 36 suites • 5 clubs:

Field Club (Capacity: 400)Members Club (Capacity: 2,000)Stadium Club (Capacity: 1,000)Suite Level 1 Club LoungeSuite Level 2 Club Lounge

suite level 2:• 14 suites • Cabana Suites: 5-year lease terms, $68,000/year• Cabana Loft Suites: 5-year lease terms, $64,000/year • One Party Suite (Capacity: 50)• All-Inclusive F&B• Access to Suite Level 2 Club Lounge

suite level 1:• 22 suites• Executive Suites: 5-year lease terms, $85,000/year• Executive Loft Suites: 5-year lease terms, $52,500 and $60,000/year• Private bartender/concierge in each suite• Access to Suite Level 1 Club Lounge

stadium club seats• 1,000 seats• $1,250/year• 20 events: 17 MLS matches and 3 other soccer events• Right of First Refusal for all other events• Upgrades available for all other events

field club seats:• 388 seats• $3,250/year (Row 1)• $2,750/year (Rows 2-4)• 20 events: 17 MLS matches and 3 other soccer events• Right of First Refusal for all other events• All-Inclusive F&B• Team benches are built into this seating level• Access to Field Club:

Players walk through the club from the locker rooms to the pitchPress conferences occur in the press room adjacent to the club

members club seats:• 2,000 seats• 20 events: 17 MLS matches and 3 other soccer events• Right of First Refusal for all other events • Access to club 365 days a year

“[liVesTRong sporting Park] is going to change the way we think about suites.”

– Jon Knight, Populous


coming uP nexT:connecTing WiTh fans Via social media doWn undeR

INSIGHT IS PROUD TO BE THE OFFICIAL IT PARTNER

The Team Behind Your Technology In today’s high-tech world, premium seat holders expect more. Count on Insight to help you implement game-changing technologies that elevate the fan experience. Think handheld viewing devices that provide statistics, instant replays and camera views. Expansive HD video and digital displays that deliver visual drama on a grand scale. And, of course, new tools to add convenience and revenue.

Find out why professional teams in every major sports league and leading sports and entertainment venues count on Insight. Isn’t it time you made Insight your go-to technology team?

© 2011 Insight Direct USA, Inc. All rights reserved. Insight is a registered trademark of Insight Direct USA, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

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sports geek Connects Sports, Fans and Sponsors Using Social Media

Sports Geek, founded by Sean Callanan, is Australia’s leading sports digital marketing consultancy. Based in Melbourne, a city with a population of just over four

million people, multiple football franchises, including nine Australian Football League (AFL) teams, one National Rugby League (NRL) team and two Hyundai A-League soccer teams, competing year round as well as a plethora of major events, such as the Australian Open, Formula 1 Grand Prix racing and the President’s Cup, Sports Geek hails from where some consider to be the sports capital of the world.

Working with franchises such as the Collingwood Magpies (AFL) and the Manly Sea Eagles (NRL), Sports Geek has developed the expertise to assist teams in understanding what each digital platform offers, and how they can use them to engage fans. “You need to understand how you want to utilize the platforms and what the fans require from you,” says Cal-lanan. “Listen first, sell second; that’s the key.”

The first thing Sports Geek does is gets the digital team and the social media executioners (Sports Geek’s term for the staff executing the digital strategy) to understand the value of what they are doing. One question Callanan poses to all clients at the onset of a project is, “If they are simply ‘playing’ on Facebook and Twitter and showing little regard for what, when and how information is published, then how will the team executives or sponsors see value in it?”

Collingwood Magpies, aFl: letting the Fans in The Collingwood Magpies provide a great example of the position many sports teams find themselves in with Facebook. Collingwood had accumulated a modest 55,000 Facebook fans without much effort. But under the guidance of Sports Geek, changes to the team’s website were made to ensure web traffic was capitalized. In addition, the focus for all Facebook posts was revised to center on fan engagement, a strategy welcomed by the fans over the 2010 AFL Finals campaign to the tune of double the amount of Facebook fans. “Thanks to help from Sports Geek, in six weeks, Collingwood reached 100,000 Facebook fans,” affirms Jonathon Bernard, Digital Media Coordinator at Collingwood. And amazingly, 94% of those fans engaged during the crucial month of September.

Manly sea eagles, nrl: telling the MeMbership storyThe Manly Sea Eagles set an ambitious goal of 10,000 members (season ticket holders) for the 2011 season. This goal represented an increase of 300%. Sports Geek developed the 2011 membership website to present a clear message as to why Manly supporters should become Manly members. This approach was combined with a strong off-season social media strategy focused on the membership story. Manly recently tweeted to announce they have reached 9,500 members, so the 2011 membership goal of 10,000 is well on track.

Through many conversations and by seeing the work that Sports Geek is doing across the international community of sports and entertainment, it is clear that Callanan understands the sports digital landscape, also apparent in the fact that he has built the Sports Geek brand using predominantly digital marketing and social media. He works with athletes, sports executives, business owners, teams and leagues to develop a connection with their fan bases to deliver results.

Be a part of the international sports community and register for the 2011 S.E.A.T. Conference and Tradeshow so you can have the opportunity to network, learn and share the experiences of U.S. and worldwide technology, market-ing, venue operations and sales executives. Hear more from Sean Callanan who will present how to leverage technology to improve revenues, market to your corporate partners, explore new ways to enhance the fan experience and more. For more information on the 2011 conference technology tracks, visit www.seatconsortium.com. #

Would you like more information on the Sports & Entertainment Alliance in Technology? Email Christine at christine. [email protected].

For more information on Sports Geek, visit www.sportsgeek.com.au or www.facebook.com/sportsgeek. Sean Callanan and Sports Geek can also be found on Twitter at @SportsGeekHQ and @seancallanan.

Social networks, digital media, Facebook, Twitter and the list goes on. We know what these new media assets are, but are we educated on how to monetize them or how to use them to connect with fans to improve their experience?

SPoRTS TEchNoloGy coRNER by chRISTINE SToffEl

Christine Stoffel, Founder and Executive Director,

S.E.A.T.

CoMing Up neXt:the 2011 s.e.a.t.ConFerenCeprograM

“listen first, sell second; that’s the key.” – sean Callanan

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program agenda*Program is subject to change.

sunday, June 26, 20118:00 am – 6:00 pm Registration Open

9:00 am – 3:30 pm Exhibitor Set-up/OrientationSubject to change; please check back.

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm technology Vendor showcase

Moderator: Chris Wood, Chief Technology Strategist, S.E.A.T.Moderator: Casey Bookout, Director of Athletics IT, University of Oklahoma

Technology companies, whom are dedicated to providing innovative solutions to your challenges, will provide 15-minute presentations.

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open: Opening Reception with Food, Drinks and Entertainment.

Monday, June 27, 2011 8:00 am – 1:00 pm Registration Open

8:00 am – 9:00 am technology track: Kickoff IT Roundtable and Breakfast Buffet

Moderator: Chris Dill, Vice President and CIO, Portland Trail BlazersModerator: Roger Baugh, 2012 London Olympics

This is a sports and entertainment industry peer-to-peer networking session with no vendors allowed. IT professionals across sports and entertainment have the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics and share ideas and strategies with their peers. (Closed Session)

9:00 am – 9:15 am welcome and opening

Moderator: Christine Stoffel, Founder and Executive Director, S.E.A.T.Moderator: Chris Wood, Chief Technology Strategist, S.E.A.T.

9:15 am – 9:45 am keynote speaker

stephen M. rossMajority Owner, Miami DolphinsChairman, CEO and Founder, Related CompaniesChairman, FanVision

10:00 am – 11:05 am technology/Venue operations track:

The Process and Pitfalls of New Construction and Technology Renovations in Stadiums, Arenas and Entertainment VenuesModerator: Dennis Mills, Chief Executive, Major Events International

Engage in a lively discussion with leading industry experts centered on the process and pitfalls of new construction and technology reno-vations. Learn the top-five things you need to know about design, architecture and technology decisions for stadiums, arenas and ven-ues. (Open Session)

11:15 am – 12:00 pm technology/Venue operations/broadcast track: Convergence of Technology, Digital Media and Broadcast… What does the future hold?Moderator: Sasha Puric, Senior Director of IT, Toronto Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.Enter the new age of facility control rooms, the convergence of tech-nology and broadcast with in-venue systems. Hear from top execu-tives in the broadcast industry and gain their insights into how the convergence of technology and broadcast is changing the business of broadcast in sports.

Sports & Entertainment Alliance in Technology 2011 Conference

held in conjunction with the 2011 ALSD Conference and Tradeshow

June 26 – June 29, 2011 JW Marriott, Los Angeles

Chris Wood Casey Bookout

Christine Stoffel

Dennis Mills

Chris Dill

Stephen M. Ross

What’s yourWi-Fi done for you lately?

©2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

AT&T Wi-Fi Services provides the KEY to a complete integrated Wi-Fi infrastructure providing smooth, continuous connectivity throughout your stadium to keep your fans connected and offer the ultimate alternative to “Home Theater”.

Wi-Fi connectivity is a critical necessity for all stadiums today. Designing, implementing and managing a vital network can be costly, labor-intensive and time consuming. AT&T Wi-Fi Services is your technology partner providing extensive Wi-Fi connectivity expertise and removing the burden from you!

AT&T Wi-Fi Services designs, delivers and manages the proven AT&T Wi-Fi Area Network—a highly efficient Wi-Fi network for the 21st century that stadiums need to ensure optimal connectivity and fans experience. What’s your Wi-Fi doing for you?

Contact Chris Smith at 214-712-7640 for more details on how AT&T Wi-Fi can help improve the experience at your facility.

Visit www.att.com/retailwi-fi for more information.


Monday, June 27, 2011, continued

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch/Sponsor Presentation

1:45 pm – 2:15 pm technology Vendor showcaseModerator: Chris Wood, Chief Technology Strategist, S.E.A.T.Moderator: Casey Bookout, Director of Athletics IT, University of Oklahoma Technology companies, whom are dedicated to providing innovative solutions to your challenges, will provide 15-minute presentations.

2:20 pm – 3:20 pm technology/Venue operations/broadcast track:

Case Studies on Emerging Technologies in Stadium/Arena Scoreboards and Video BoardsModerator: Wayne Wichlacz, Senior Director of Information Technology, Green Bay Packers How big is too big? Or is there such a thing when it comes to scoreboards and the fan experi-ence? Discuss the latest technologies integrating scoreboards and in-stadium systems, as well as

understand the manufacturers and the innovations that are leading the next generation. (Open Session)

3:25 pm – 4:00 pm technology/Venue operations/Marketing/sales track:

Intranet Technologies Case Studies: Business Intelligence, KPI’s and Dashboards Presenter: Craig Neeb, CIO, International Speedway Corporation This session will present case studies and discus-sions around dashboards and reporting from financial systems, ticketing systems and CRM,

using balanced scorecards to communicate metrics and measurements against corporate strategic initiatives and KPI’s.

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm keynote speaker

tim leiwekePresident & CEO, AEG

4:30 pm – 7:30 pm Exhibit Hall Open

7:30 pm – 10:30 pm staples Center and nokia theatre: Reception and Venue Tours

tuesday, June 28, 2011 8:00 am – 1:00 pm Registration Open

8:00 am – 9:00 am technology track: IT Roundtable and Breakfast Buffet

Moderator: Dan O’Neal, Director of IT Project Management, NHLModerator: Peter Surhoff, Vice President of IT, Technical Operations and Support, MLBThis is a sports and entertainment industry peer-to-peer networking session with no vendors allowed. IT professionals across sports and enter-tainment have the opportunity to discuss a vari-ety of topics and share ideas and strategies with their peers. (Closed Session)

9:00 am – 9:45 am technology/Venue operations/Marketing/sales track: Building Wireless/Wi-Fi Networks to Support Fan Facing Mobile Applications

One of the biggest challenges facing sports and entertainment organi-zations is supporting the multitude of fan mobile devices. This session discusses the complexity of the environments and defines the solu-tions required to ensure success. (Open Session)

10:00 am – 12:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open/Brunch Served

11:30 am – 1:00 pm technology/Venue operations/Marketing/sales track: Mobile Technologies to Improve Fan Experience and Drive RevenueModerator: Shane Harmon, GM of Marketing and Communications, New Zealand 2011 World Rugby CupHear case studies and discuss various types of mobile technologies and applications to improve the fan experience and drive revenue. (Open Session)

1:15 pm – 2:05 pm technology/Venue operations/Marketing/sales track: Technology Innovation for Premium Levels

Moderator: John Avenson, Vice President, Minnesota TwinsModerator: James Darrow, Director of Information Technology, Ilitch Holdings/Detroit Red Wings

This session includes roundtable discussions and brainstorming ses-sions around leveraging the hot innovation trends to market your suites to premium customers and corporate sponsors. (Open Session)

s.e.a.t. 2011 Conference agenda

Peter Surhoff

John Avenson James Darrow

Craig Neeb

Wayne Wichlacz

Tim Leiweke

job number:

date:

client:

advertiser:

please contact thelab at 212-209-1333 with any questions or concerns regarding these materials.

dtp: color: cs: acct: client:

48372_H1_C2-4

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SHA


tuesday, June 28, 2011, continued

2:15 pm – 2:40 pm technology/Marketing/sales track:

CRM Case Study PresentationPresenter: Mark DiMaurizio, VP of Technology Solutions, Comcast-Spectacor This session will demonstrate how to leverage CRM to increase revenues, sell premium inven-tory and engage senior management with IT initiatives, including third-party applications inte-grating ticketing with parking and other stadium operations to improve efficiencies and fan experi-ences. (Open Session)

2:40 pm – 3:00 pm technology/Marketing/sales track: CRM Case Study PresentationPresenter: Los Angeles LakersPresenter: FanOne Marketing

This session is a real-life case study on how to implement strategic campaigns to engage fans while increasing revenues and profitability, enhance lead management capabilities and deepen customer relation-ships. (Open Session)

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm technology/Venue operations/Marketing/sales track: Leveraging Technology to Increase Per-Caps RevenueThis session will discuss how to leverage technology innovations, such as wireless applications, loyalty cards, F&B mobile ordering, digital menu boards, digital signage, venue customer data integration, text messaging, CRM and more. (Open Session)

4:30 pm buses depart for los angeles angels game

5:30 pm – 7:30 pmprivate reception: angel stadium

7:30 pmlos angeles angels of anaheim vs. washington nationals baseball gameBuses depart Angel Stadium starting at 7:30, ending at 10:00 pm

wednesday, June 29, 2011 8:00 am – 9:00 am Registration Open

8:00 am – 8:45 am technology track: IT Roundtable and Breakfast BuffetModerator: Steve Conley, Information Technology Director, Boston Red SoxModerator: James Darrow, Director of Information Technology, Ilitch Holdings/Detroit Red WingsThis is a sports and entertainment industry peer-to-peer networking session with no vendors allowed. IT professionals across sports and entertainment have the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics and share ideas and strategies with their peers. (Closed Session)

9:00 am – 10:30 am

technology/Marketing/sales track: Case Study Presentations: Engage Your Fans and Create Revenue Streams through Social Media, New Media and Social NetworkingModerator: Sean Callanan, Sports Geek This session includes discussions and case study presentations on how to engage your fans, increase brand awareness, monetize social media and create enthusiasm of your sport/venue, while developing new revenue streams through social media, new media and social network-ing. (Open Session)

10:45 am – 11:15 am technology/Venue operations/Marketing/sales track:

TD Garden Case Study: Digital Signage Phenomenon: The Real Story – Cost, ROI, Marketing and Sponsorship of Premium Consumers and Corporate SponsorsModerator: Lorraine Spadaro, VP of Technology, DNC/TD GardenThis session will present the Delaware North Companies/TD Garden case study of their imple-mentation of the Cisco Stadium Vision digital

signage and menu board solution. It will demonstrate how TD Gar-den leverages this innovative technology solution to improve revenue streams and will provide an overview of considerations on the reality of cost, revenue opportunities, ROI and marketing/sponsorship of premium consumers and corporate sponsors.

11:15 am – 11:45 am technology/Venue operations/Marketing/sales track:Portland Trail Blazers Case Study: Digital Signage Phenomenon: The Real Story – Cost, ROI, Marketing and Sponsorship of Premium Consumers and Corporate SponsorsModerator: Chris Dill, Vice President and CIO Portland Trail BlazersThis session will present the Portland Trail Blazers case study of their implementation of the Omnivex digital signage and menu board solution. It will demonstrate how the Trail Blazers leverage this in-novative technology solution to improve revenue streams and will provide an overview of considerations on the reality of cost, revenue opportunities, ROI and marketing/sponsorship of premium consum-ers and corporate sponsors

Lorraine Spadaro


Mark DiMaurizio


Never let your boards be boring!

www.txdigital.com | [email protected] | 800.693.2628

Enhance your menu boards with dynamic graphics, videos, TV feeds and more to drive sales and entertain your customers.

VitalCAST™ Indoor/Outdoor Digital Signage


©2011 S5 Enterprises, LLC. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this document without the express written consent of S5 Enterprise, LLC. is expressly prohibited.

11:50 am – 12:30 pm technology/Venue operations track: Smart Buildings – Green, LEED Efficiencies and Automation: Best Practices and Case StudiesSession attendees will learn to design, build and manage high perfor-mance building systems that add value while controlling costs and meeting the needs of the occupants and the environmental require-ments. (Open Session)

12:30 pm – 1:15 pm 2011 s.e.a.t. Conference Closing session – roundtable discussion and sponsored lunch

Moderator: Christine Stoffel, Founder and Execu-tive Director, S.E.A.T. Moderator: Tod Caflisch, Vice President of Infor-mation Technology, New Orleans HornetsEnjoy an open roundtable discussion on the 2011 conference. Provide feedback to scope next year’s conference program…what worked, what did not, suggestions for next year. This session will define the S.E.A.T. Conference Program for 2012.

1:30 pm – 4:45 pm private Conference rooms reserved for league specific it MeetingsPrivate conference rooms sponsored by S.E.A.T. and ALSD will be of-fered to all leagues for league-based IT meetings. Rooms are reserved for the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and Race Teams for industry meet-ings.

5:00 pm buses depart for the home depot Center

5:30 pm – 7:30 pmtour and Closing party at the home depot Center

Tod Caflisch

wednesday, June 29, 2011, continued

To learn how Omnivex can help you achieveyour goals, visit our website or contact us today!

www.omnivex.com | [email protected]© 2011 Omnivex Corporation. All rights reserved. Omnivex is registered trademarks of Omnivex Corporation.

Omnivex digital signage software is used in stadiums around the world for:

Design Preview Schedule Deploy

• Scoreboards • Luxury suites • Menuboards• Video walls • Retail signage • Wayfinding• Live game streaming • Sponsor advertising • And more…

Omnivex software is usedat the Air Canada Centre tomanage over 360 displays.

Omnivex software is usedat the Air Canada Centre tomanage over 360 displays.

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CM

MY

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CMY

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Omnivex SEAT Magazine Apr-2011.pdf 1 4/8/2011 11:39:08 AM


MLB TeaMs score Big in The suiTe MarkeT

Editor’s Note: Suite pricing across a multi-variant landscape is further investigated in this article, the last of a four part series. The low and high cost of a suite for each team is sourced from the ALSD Reference Manual; however, the research does not take into account how many suites are priced at each price point, slightly misrepresenting accurate averages, but still providing a credible means of comparison. Addressed fourth in this issue is Major League Baseball, following up our NFL, NBA and NHL analyses from previous issues of SEAT. Check back in the summer issue for a summary of the findings across all leagues.

This final installment of our series on how profes-sional sports teams in each of the four major leagues stack up to each other in the suite market takes a swing at MLB. The data provides useful informa-

tion that should be considered when pricing a suite; however, it is important to realize that this is only a gauge, and the research does not take into account variables that have not been reported. For instance, the number of suites at each listed price or if teams are offering all-inclusive food and beverage with the purchase of the suite. But it does provide teams, venues and sports business professionals a tool to make more informed decisions concerning suite ownership and marketing.

The MLB 2011 season is underway, and soon the San Francisco Giants will try to defend their World Series title.

While they could find themselves as the best performing team again this season on the field, they have a long way to go to challenge for the Forbes crown of most valuable MLB team. Forbes values the Giants at an impressive $563 million, which includes an increase in financial “score” of $80 million, stemming from winning the 2010 World Series. But the top honor continues to be held by the New York Yankees at $1.7 billion. At the bottom of the list is the Pittsburgh Pirates at $304 million.

All sport franchises are not equal, but the reasons for the imbalance vary considerably. They could range from a team’s success on the field to the age of a team’s facility or even their geographic location. Some might analyze the variables and see no relationship at all to team value. Or in years such as the current one, unique variables associated with two of the league’s highest revenue generating clubs – the Dodgers and the Mets – are impacting those teams and trickling down to others, affecting the league as a whole. Frank and Jamie McCourt, owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, are fighting a custody battle for the franchise as part of a bitter divorce pro-ceeding; while the New York Mets ownership is in financial trouble as a result of investments involved with the Bernie Madoff fraud scandal. The value of the Mets dropped $111 million from 2010 to 2011.

As reported by industry leaders, the variables taken into account impact the demand for suites and are likely to change

Team

2011 Forbes Team Value

($mil)

2010 Arbitron

Population Number of Suites

Low Cost of a Suite

High Cost of a Suite

Maximum Suite Seating Capacity for

All Suites Facility

Capacity

Suite Seating % of Facility Capacity

Full House Marketing: Number of

Fortune 1000 Companies

New York Yankees 1,700 15,669,500 67 $600,000 $850,000 978 52,325 1.87% 126

Boston Red Sox 912 3,977,400 50 $250,000 $350,000 1,066 37,402 2.85% 23

Texas Rangers 561 5,216,100 123 $60,000 $225,000 1,756 49,115 3.58% 44

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 554 10,999,100 80 $50,000 $240,000 1,094 45,257 2.42% 35

Chicago White Sox 526 7,862,200 95 $100,000 $135,000 2,008 40,615 4.94% 53

Minnesota Twins 490 2,712,500 54 $100,000 $200,000 940 40,000 2.35% 28

Seattle Mariners 449 3,390,900 61 $87,150 $199,000 1,214 47,447 2.56% 12

Baltimore Orioles 411 2,261,000 72 $90,000 $280,000 676 48,290 1.40% 5

Detroit Tigers 385 3,831,100 93 $100,000 $200,000 1,823 41,782 4.36% 15

Cleveland Indians 353 1,763,000 132 $70,000 $190,000 1,348 43,415 3.10% 18

Kansas City Royals 351 1,607,500 19 $55,000 $80,000 380 40,785 0.93% 10

Toronto Blue Jays 337 ~2,503,281 131 $95,000 $95,000 2,500 50,000 5.00% *7

Tampa Bay Rays 331 2,379,300 61 NA NA 1,112 44,000 2.53% 7

Oakland Athletics 307 6,145,800 147 $50,000 $102,000 2,560 34,007 7.53% 26

AVE FOR AMERICAN LEAGUE 548 5,216,569 85 $131,319 $242,000 1,390 43,889 3.00% 31 NA = Not Available ~http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/what_is_the_population_of_toronto_canada_in_2010 * http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2010/

TaBLe 1: aMerican League VariaBLes

By Peter Titlebaum, Ed.D, University of Dayton and Debbie Titlebaum, MBA


by geographic market. The game plan for this article is to organize data across many variables in tables, allowing trends to emerge that shed light on why some teams can charge more than others for a seemingly comparable product.

The following list includes the variables chosen with the sources in bold type.• Forbes – Team value of the total franchise• Forbes – Team value ranking among all 30 MLB

teams• Arbitron – Population of metropolitan area• Arbitron – Market ranking compared to other metro-

politan areas• Fortune – Listing of the top 1,000 companies in the

United States and listing of Fortune 500 worldwide• FullHouseEntertainmentDatabaseMarket-

ing – Breakdown of the number of Fortune 1,000 companies by metropolitan area

• MLB – American League or National League• ALSD – Low and high cost of a suite• ALSD – Maximum suite seating capacity for all suites• ALSD – Suite seating percentage of the total facility

capacitySimilarities are found among teams when studied across

these criteria as well as some large discrepancies. As an example, with the help of Full House Entertainment Data-base Marketing, we see disparities in corporate presence by

market. The markets surrounding the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals include only 12 and 18 major corpora-tions, respectively, as defined by the number of Fortune 1,000 companies. Given these smaller corporate presences as well as metropolitan populations and number of suites available, one might assume the overall value of the Mariners and Cardinals to be toward the bottom of the pack, but that is not the case. The teams are in the top half of the list for overall team value despite the factors that might lead you to believe otherwise. The Mariners do fall below the mean for the American League (AL), and the Cardinals are virtually right at the mean in the National League (NL), but the Yankees in the AL at $1.7 bil-lion and Dodgers in the NL at $800 million strongly skew the data upward, the Yankees at a rate of three times the average value for a team.

Leading the pack of corporate powerhouse cities is New York. The Yankees and Mets metropolitan area includes 126 major corporations. This fact contributes to team value; they are two of the top-five valued franchises on the Forbes list of valuations. Tables 1 and 2 show team standings, broken down by league, on all criteria.

Presently, the most affordable suite can be found at Angel Stadium of Anaheim and Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Both charge $50,000 per season for one of their suite offerings. In contrast, the New York Yankees have a suite offering that commands $850,000 annually.

Team

2011 Forbes Team Value

($mil)

2010 Arbitron

Population Number of Suites

Low Cost of a Suite

High Cost of a Suite

Maximum Suite Seating Capacity for

All Suites Facility

Capacity

Suite Seating % of Facility Capacity

Full House Marketing: Number of

Fortune 1000 Companies

Los Angeles Dodgers 800 10,999,100 35 $125,000 $300,000 655 56,000 1.17% 35

Chicago Cubs 773 7,862,200 60 NA NA 900 41,118 2.19% 53

New York Mets 747 15,669,500 54 $250,000 $500,000 939 41,800 2.25% 126

Philadelphia Phillies 609 4,357,600 72 $145,000 $245,000 1,944 43,500 4.47% 28

San Francisco Giants 563 6,145,800 63 $85,000 $185,000 792 41,806 1.89% 26

St. Louis Cardinals 518 1,979,400 64 $105,000 $225,000 1,134 46,000 2.47% 18

Atlanta Braves 482 4,413,800 60 $75,000 $200,000 1,188 49,743 2.39% 27

Houston Astros 474 4,815,700 63 $90,000 $170,000 1,164 40,976 2.84% 53

Washington Nationals 417 4,279,900 69 $160,000 $475,000 1,350 41,546 3.25% 27

Colorado Rockies 414 2,336,100 59 $85,000 $150,000 1,561 50,200 3.11% 11

San Diego Padres 406 2,578,900 62 $91,000 $143,000 1,300 42,445 3.06% 5

Arizona Diamondbacks 396 3,300,300 58 $125,000 $155,000 908 49,033 1.85% 11

Milwaukee Brewers 376 1,453,300 66 $128,000 $200,000 1,656 42,200 3.92% 15

Cincinnati Reds 375 1,790,300 56 $92,700 $195,700 912 42,271 2.15% 15

Florida Marlins 360 3,580,000 195 $77,000 $750,000 3,480 38,000 9.16% 13

Pittsburgh Pirates 304 1,979,400 61 $60,000 $175,000 915 38,496 2.38% 16

AVE FOR NATIONAL LEAGUE 501 4,846,331 69 $112,913 $271,247 1,300 44,191 3.03% 30

NA = Not Available

TaBLe 2: naTionaL League VariaBLes

More on MLB on ALSD.com:

White Sox reach agreement with Gold Coast Tickets

www.alsd.com/content/white-sox-reach-agreement-gold-coast-tickets

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURIM A T C B U I L D I N G

3421 MERRIAM LANEOVERLAND PARK, KS 66203

P: 913.384.3488F: 913.384.1074

WWW.DIMIN.COM

INTERACTION & EXPERIENCE DESIGN BRANDED ENVIRONMENTS SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING DESIGN SPECIALTY FABRICATIONENGINEERING INSTALLATION

DESIGN: DIMENSIONAL INNOVATIONS, POPULOUS

C O M P L E T E A T H L E T E R E C R U I T I N G E X P E R I E N C E


In terms of population, New York was also ranked highest by Arbitron in 2010 with 15,669,500 people. The small-est MLB metropolitan area was Milwaukee with 1,453,300 residents. As a whole, the NL plays in a smaller marketplace, averaging 4,846,331 people, versus the AL, which averages 5,216,569 people in its cumulative regions.

The American League is still referenced as the Junior Circuit, because it was elevated second to Major League status in 1901, 25 years after the formation of the National League. However, the data shows that it is the AL that currently casts a shadow over the NL.

How does the American League manage to command more value? Is it the fact that the AL has won the World Series 62 times and the NL only 43 times? Or is it because one team drives this wedge between the league averages? The Yankees $1.7 billion valuation largely contributes to the fact that AL teams are worth on average $47 million more than teams from the NL. It is interesting to note while the AL wins out on most every metric considered, their average highest-cost

suite is not as high as in the NL. It stands to reason that they could command more. Table 3 displays the lead the AL has over the NL in most variables.

The insights, taken from all tables, show how teams stack up against each other in terms of suite pricing in MLB. A great deal of energy goes into the business side of suites and how teams justify setting their suite prices. Many factors con-tribute to the final pricing structure that teams employ. Teams do not want to leave potential untapped revenue, but how do teams know how they compare unless they consider the variables and how they stack up against others in the league?

This concludes our study of leagues within each of the four major professional sports in North America. Next we will evaluate marketplace as the primary differentiating factor and not limit consideration to a single sport. #

Do you have questions about or insights into this MLB research?Write to Dr. Titlebaum at [email protected].

American League Variables National League Difference 548 Average 2011 Forbes Team Value

($mil) 501 47

5,216,569 Average 2010 Arbitron Population

4,846,331 370,238

85 Average Number of Suites 69 16 $131,319 Average Low Cost of a Suite $112,913 $18,406 $242,000 Average High Cost of a Suite $271,247 $29,247

1,390 Average Maximum Suite Seating Capacity

1,300 90

43,889 Average Facility Seating Capacity 44,191 302 3.00% Average Suite Seating % of

Facility Capacity 3.03% 0.03%

31 Average Fortune 1000 Companies in Market

30 1

American League Variables National League Difference 548 Average 2011 Forbes Team Value

($mil) 501 47

5,216,569 Average 2010 Arbitron Population

4,846,331 370,238

85 Average Number of Suites 69 16 $131,319 Average Low Cost of a Suite $112,913 $18,406 $242,000 Average High Cost of a Suite $271,247 $29,247

1,390 Average Maximum Suite Seating Capacity

1,300 90

43,889 Average Facility Seating Capacity 44,191 302 3.00% Average Suite Seating % of

Facility Capacity 3.03% 0.03%

31 Average Fortune 1000 Companies in Market

30 1

TaBLe 3: TaLe of The Tape

coMing up neXT:seLLing anD serVicing in TheMinor Leagues

industry case study: aLsd member success

F L e X c o n www.FLEXcon.com

Branding the Box Leads to Branding the Office: Suite Branding Moves to Caterpillar’s Corporate Offices

When Minnesota Vikings Suite Sales Manger Nicole Santlemen began working with Caterpillar last year

to remodel its suite at Mall of America Field, the goal was to create a branded environment for its Paving Division by transforming its 50-yard-line suite into a personalized CAT branded experience. She had no idea that the concept would morph into an entire office decoration project, but the enthusiastic response from guests made it apparent to Caterpillar that similarly branding their corporate offices was the next logical step.

Why brand the suite? The current challenging economic climate has suite owners looking for ways to get better ROI. As such, suite decoration is being used to promote products, rather than to simply entertain guests in luxurious surroundings. Virtually any surface in a suite can be transformed with appealing graphics that promote the suite owner’s product or service, creating a branded environment that reinforces the brand’s message.

Vibrant floor to ceiling wall graphics can be found at every turn...

To develop the new suite design, Caterpillar worked with FLEXcon, a leading self-adhesive film manufacturer. SUITE-art®, FLEXcon’s line of self-adhesive products designed for this specific purpose, was chosen for the job. SUITE-art® products offer superior printability, adhere well to a variety of surfaces, and remove cleanly at the end of the promotion.

Specifically, Caterpillar chose FLEXcon’s new non-PVC self-adhesive fabric printed with vibrant equipment images as well as FLEXcon’s silver diamond plate material. The soft matte finish of the environmentally-friendly, inkjet-printable fabric creates a rich feel, and the printability of the product allows the graphics to really pop like the equipment

lounge, even as one steps off the elevator. The new graphics carry the promotion in the suite through to their core facilities and provide a consistent look and feel to the various spaces. Santlemen notes, “They’re thrilled. They are like proud new parents.”

FLEXcon knows that a picture is worth 1,000 words, and advertising is no exception. So what’s next for Caterpillar’s branding campaign? That’s anybody’s guess, but you can be sure that if it involves self-adhesive graphics, FLEXcon will be ready to catch the opening kick-off and run with it.

To learn more about using SUITE-art® to brand suites, arenas, hotels, clubs, stores, restaurants and malls, contact Michael Chevalier, New Business Development Manager, FLEXcon: (508) 826-7204 or [email protected] or visit www.FLEXcon.com/SUITE-art.

is right there in the room. The silver diamond plate material, which lines the windows of the suite, creates an illusion of metal deck plate bumpers at guests’ feet.

Now Caterpillar’s suite is working overtime by providing a lush, inspiring experience for guests, while visually promoting its products in the branded atmosphere. They have successfully Branded the Box and it’s paying off. Caterpillar is thrilled with the results, and their guests love the atmosphere they have created, all at a price that kept Caterpillar within its remodeling budget which means Santlemen has one happy client.

The success of the suite prompted Caterpillar to decorate its new corporate offices and plant with similar imagery on the very same SUITE-art® materials. Vibrant floor to ceiling wall graphics can be found at every turn – in the reception area, the

– A D V E R T O R I A L –


Through The eyes of The Minor League suiTe DirecTor

We have all heard of the quirky $1 beer nights and “bring your pet to the park” promotions of minor league venues, but when looking more in-depth, there is true first-rate work

happening on a daily basis. Join four ALSD members, all with unique premium products, in the latest addition to the roundtable series with ALSD Membership Director Ryan Mirabedini.

MeeT The PaneL:

Kerry VickSenior Ticket & Premium Services ManagerIndianapolis Indians

Nancy GoldenDirector of Premium ServicesGwinnett Arena

Ryan Von SossanManager of Luxury SuitesSacramento River Cats

Brian BucciarelliDirector of Corporate Partnerships/ Premium SeatingGiant Center/Hershey Bears

aLsD: if you could explain to people what it is like work-ing in a minor league venue, what would you tell them?

Vick: I’d say it’s a grind during the baseball season of course, because we’ve got a whole bunch of events jammed into a 5-month time period, and our staffing is such that literally everybody has to work every hour of each game. So it can be grueling, but it’s certainly a blast. The main difference [between the minors and majors] is the staffing. We do things as high quality as we can. We really value all of our customers and clients and try to make sure we’re putting on a really good

show every single night. Throughout the course of a season, we’re bringing in about the same number of fans as the Colts or Pacers, but it’s spread over 72 days, and it’s just 37 of us staff members pulling everything off. That’s the thing I love the most. It’s definitely unique. I’ve always thought the MLB level to be an exciting place to work someday. Certainly their facilities are top notch, and I’d love to be a part of that, but we’ve got a gem here in Victory Field. It does a lot for us. The kind of work that we get to do in the minor leagues is not something I would trade for anything right now.

Golden: Our focus mainly is on concerts and special events here, but we also have minor league hockey and arena football. The hockey club is our main tenant right now, and they’ve been with us for eight years. Our responsibility is to ensure that all of my clients are taken care of for all of these events. I’m a single party here; I run the whole department myself. [The Gladiators] rent suites individually for individual games, but you have to be able to pull the reins on them sometimes. Obviously they’re a tenant of ours, but we don’t want to jeopardize the public safety that we’ve already had in place for every other event in addition to their games.

Von Sossan: I’m kind of a jack of all trades, which is pretty typical for minor league sports. I do have the title of sales and service manager at the suite level, but I kind of have my hands in everything that is being done. Obviously the suites are my main priority, but I work with partnerships, sales and spon-sorships as well. It helps from the standpoint that by working with a lot of different departments, I get to understand all about an event, whether I’m working with the ad department on putting a program in place or the box office directly to make sure things are going well there.

Bucciarelli: Working for Hershey [Entertainment and Resorts] is a great job. We have so many offerings from not only the Giant Center with minor league hockey, but also our resort properties, golf courses, the amusement park and nu-merous restaurants here. So it’s never a dull day. It gives you a different perspective on things, because you’re not just work-ing for a sports team; you’re working for a large company that caters to three or four million guests a year. What we do is try to entertain those guests the best way we can. My specific job is director of corporate sponsorships. That perspective of

We assembled a group of minor league suite directors from across multiple sports/venues and from across multiple geographies for a roundtable discussion to gain further insight into selling and servicing premium seating at the minor league level. Find out the highs and lows (mostly highs) of life in the minors.

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my job includes the Giant Center, the theatre, the amuse-ment park and various other special events like a wine tasting, marathon or anything that’s involved with sponsorship.

aLsD: What is the suite/premium area layout of your venue?

Vick: On our suite level, we have 32 different party areas. Three of those are open air party rentals for larger groups, and 29 of them are suites with indoor/outdoor seating. We sell seven of those 32 areas on a day-to-day basis, and those daily rentals have really picked up exponentially over the years. That’s becoming a really popular trend. The rest are seasonal sales. We also have two large picnic areas on the main concourse level which can collectively hold up to 2,000 people a game. We’re opening up our Captain Morgan Cove this year. On the backside, it’s open to the public for anyone to come up and get a cocktail, novelty food or drink item. On the front side, we’re doing a premium seating assortment with pub tables and drink rails. It’s kind of a hybrid between suite level and general stadium seating. It’s a little bit more upscale and exclusive but not completely private. We try to do something significant each year, and there’s nothing that’s generated as much buzz as the Cove has.

Golden: Our suites and our club seating are located on the second level of the arena, but there are only two levels, so every seat is quality. We have four rows of seats in our club level. The views are very, very good. There’s upscale seating in that area as well with leather seats and more room between the aisles. We have 30 suites on our club level and 1,300 club seats, and we’re nearly sold out on those.

Von Sossan: We have 36 suites with one 50-person party suite on the third base side. We reserve five suites for one night participation. Suites six through 35 are a combination of full-season, half-season and now, partial game leases. Multi-years are a thing of the past for us. With the economy, it’s difficult for people to not only justify the cost of a $40k-$50k suite rental but then also food and beverage on top of that. It’s a changing dynamic, that’s for sure.

Bucciarelli: We have 40 suites, three of which are held for a per-event basis, and 688 club seats located at center ice on one side with a club lounge connecting those club seats. We used to start at 3-year deals, but now they start at two. I do have some 1-year deals, but we’re starting to get away from that. Things are starting to come back. We’re starting to see more demand for the suites, and people are more willing to

do multi-year deals. With the club seats, we offer 1-, 3- and 5-year leases with the benefit that you’re locked into that price. So if you do a 3- or 5-year deal, there’s not an escalator clause. The good is that prices don’t increase, but the bad is prices don’t increase. In five years when you’re trying to renew, it’s tough to name a price. When you have that escalator in there, it softens the blow a little bit.

aLsD: What is your favorite premium area of the venue?

Vick: I’ve been conditioned to view [Victory Field] from the fan perspective, and what’s been selling well here over the years is our party terraces on the suite level. Those are booked up really fast, and people keep coming back year after year. Either they’re underpriced or wildly popular. I’d say that’s probably my number one, but I’m hoping once the Captain Morgan Cove becomes operational, it will slide into that slot.

Golden: We offer packages for club seating in the lower bowl. People think that being on the second level is too far away. So we do offer that option. It’s a right of first refusal for your seat, not necessarily a seat location that’s guaranteed for every event. If I was a patron for one of our sporting events, I would definitely love to sit on the club level. If it was a con-cert, I would definitely choose a seat in the lower bowl.

Von Sossan: If I had two choices, I would first pick behind home plate, because I was a pitcher in college, so I like seeing the action on the pitches. I enjoy that view, but otherwise, anywhere on the suite level, I’m a fan. It is a great perspective of the field and also a beautiful view of downtown.

Bucciarelli: [Our premium area] has two different experi-ences. If you’re coming as a fan, you want to be in the club area, because you’re close to the action. If you’re a company, there’s no other way than a suite. The club seats are great though, because you’re in with other people. In a suite, you’re in a very different setting. We have ten suite holders that have club seats too, because they want to be able to entertain both ways. We even have a customer that has a suite but also has on-the-glass seats that they can entertain clients with.

aLsD: What kind of suite holder incentives do you provide?

Vick: We do some of the more traditional things that other clubs do, but again with budget constraints, it may be to a lesser extent than the Major League folks. We host a couple

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“We try to do something significant each year, and there’s nothing that’s generated as much buzz as the

[captain Morgan] cove has.” — Kerry Vick

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of preseason luncheons, on-field batting practice, private IMAX screenings at a local venue and more. We also provide year-round access [to the suites]. If [our suite holders] want to use the facilities, we always oblige. As much as anything, we offer ease with very few restrictions to let them take as much advantage of their suites as possible.

Golden: One of the things that we’re very fortunate here for is that I am able to take each one of our suite holders on a trip each year. One of my suite holders renewed this year, because he did so much networking on the suite holder trip. Last year we went to Key West. We’ve been to Charleston and others. We go for a weekend someplace not too far away, so it doesn’t consume all of our time flying. To have the budget to do that is very fortunate for us.

Von Sossan: One thing we started a couple of years ago as an added-value was our “Taste Test Tuesday” program up on the suite level. Essentially, we took Tuesdays, because they usually have some inventory available. We brought out a couple win-eries, cheese makers and some other various companies, and we allowed them to go into a suite. We would tell our suite holders in advance that they could stop down to sample wine and whatever the food selection might be. The benefits are two-fold. It provides our suite holders with a nice opportu-nity, and from a sponsor standpoint, it helps them reach out to those high-level clientele.

Bucciarelli: The big thing right now is our suite packages are all-events-included. We’ll have a lot of other offerings for amusement park passes, golf, restaurants and so forth. Those offerings certainly are huge added-values.

aLsD: can you share a bit about the f&B offered in your facility? Do you offer all-inclusive packages?

Vick: All of our single game rental areas are built in with food and drink packages. Pretty much anything we do for our groups has the all-inclusive flavor to it. The alternative would be the seasonal suite holders who have the opportunity to pick and choose from a specialized menu and customize each individual game or home stand to their liking. Aramark is our provider. We’ve been with them for a long time and recently renewed our contract.

Golden: [F&B] is game-by-game, event-by-event. For our suites, if [suite holders] do rental packages, we will include food with that. [Caterer and food service management com-pany] Proof of the Pudding has been with [Gwinnett Center]

since we opened our doors 16 years ago, and they gravitated over to the arena once we opened our doors here.

Von Sossan: Ovations is our concessionaire out here. They not only handle the lower level but also the suite level cater-ing. They’re in their second season now and are great to work with. Things have been excellent. As far as all-inclusive, we really don’t do that up on the suite level. The only place we do that is with some of our group areas. We do offer packages that [suite holders] can choose from, but it’s mostly an a la carte, game-by-game situation.

Bucciarelli: We don’t have a specific all-inclusive package, but I’ll use it as a selling tool sometimes by saying, “Okay, here’s the cost of your suite, and it’s going to include a $5k or $10k F&B credit.” We gauge per-sale if we need to do that, and more are going that way. We’re having more strategic meetings to discuss what’s going into a package that includes food and beverage. ALSD is great to help answer those ques-tions. [The association] gives us access to those teams that currently do [all-inclusive packages] to ask them questions about them.

aLsD: What is the most important ingredient to a happy minor league suite holder?

Vick: We can make it a pretty easy decision for big compa-nies around town to spend $30k or $40k for a summer’s en-tertainment by taking care of them and all their special needs, issues and requirements throughout the season. Our suite holders seem to be pretty laid back, easygoing and use the ballpark to their advantage. They know they get a very good ROI, their guests will be well taken care of, the F&B will be high quality, and they know that the Indians are going to put on a good show. All our fans leave with a positive impression of the stadium and the entertainment, so very rarely does someone leave here disappointed.

Golden: We had a little bit of a lull in our events last year, so we saw a dip. But this year, it’s been much, much better. When we have good events here, it keeps people happy, so my renewals have been up a bit this year. We had Lady Gaga, Brad Paisley, Katy Perry, Kid Rock and more. Customers want this building more so for the concerts than the sporting events. If we didn’t have those, we’d definitely be in trouble. We’re doing very, very well this year, and we just need to keep it going.

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“Things are starting to come back. We’re starting to see more demand for the suites, and people are more willing to

do multi-year deals.” — Brian Bucciarelli

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Von Sossan: I really pride myself on customer service, and I think that’s really where it’s at. Not to say I give them ev-erything they ask for, but even if I have to say no, I will work with people and help them find another way to do things. Our facility is great, our suites are clean, and we have a great product on the field as well.

Bucciarelli: If you’re staying in touch and maintaining relationships with [suite holders], that’s the most important thing. Make sure you’re proactive, not reactive. We have current clients that are great sources for new clients, because we’ve done such a positive job. One of the biggest reasons people don’t renew is because they don’t activate the suite properly. That’s our job to educate and tell them how to use it.

aLsD: What are the current challenges within your marketplace?

Vick: We’re blessed to not only be in a really nice market but also in a thriving downtown. The good and the bad is that there are a lot of other things to do here. By Triple-A stan-dards, we have one of the biggest markets to work with, so it’s fantastic from a premium standpoint, because there’s a lot of corporate dollars here for entertaining. The flip side is that our media coverage is a little bit drowned out at times because of other major league teams and a handful of big time college programs within an hour’s drive.

Golden: Our facility is in a very family-orientated location, and we have a lot of competition from families that have their kids in football or baseball or something like that. It’s a family community here, where they are focused on their kids, schools and Friday night football.

Von Sossan: We’re somewhat unique in that we have plenty of people around here that come by our facility. Even though the [San Francisco] Giants are only an hour and a half away, we still have a pretty good local fan base that continues to support the club. You don’t have to be a baseball fan, and that’s really what we try to tell people.

Bucciarelli: We’ve seen a turnaround here, and it’s because of the building. People that have seen it say it is NHL quality. It’s a 10,500-seat venue, so we don’t get U2, but we get some pretty big acts like Elton John. Also, the Bears are back-to-back [Calder Cup] Champions and going for three in a row, so that certainly helps.

aLsD: What is the craziest promotion you have ever conducted or would like to conduct?

Vick: I wish I had a better answer for that. We’re not like a lot of typical minor league teams. We don’t really try a lot of wacky or zany promotions. We stick to our bread and butter which are things like the dollar hot dogs and fireworks. We’ve found those to be stable, talked through them with our fans and haven’t spent a lot of time being innovative trendsetters when it comes to promotional concepts. But we’ve found what works for us and our fans. We’ve done things over the years like “win a car” night. We’ve brought in several different traveling acts. We’ve found a system that works for us, and we’re happy to stick with that. Gimmicks work at a lot of places, but we haven’t really used them extensively in the past. We try to do what we know works, and that’s our philosophy.

Golden: They’ve actually started charging people for each giveaway, like $5 for a jersey, and they are still huge. People are lined up for them. They actually have been selling out and wanted to try and see if they could create another avenue for revenue.

Von Sossan: We really have not. We are different in that respect from some of the smaller franchises. We’re pretty buttoned-up with a lot of our promotions. We tried to model our business off of a major league franchise. We’re not at a level where we have to use things like that to fill the seats. But we are starting to loosen the reins a little bit. Have you ever seen little monkeys riding sheep dogs? Google it. That’s one of the things we’re looking at. We’re just now starting to get into some of the traditional minor league promotions. #

Are you interested in learning more about minor league premium seating?Write to Ryan at [email protected], connect with him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmirabedini or follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Ryan_ALSD.

More on the Minor Leagues on ALSD.com:Less than a month until completion of $24M renovation of Cheney Stadium www.alsd.com/content/less-month-until-completion-24m-renovation-cheney-stadium

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“We are starting to loosen the reins a little bit. have you ever seen little monkeys riding sheep dogs? google it.”

— ryan Von sossan

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MINNESOTA VIKINGSThe Minnesota Vikings are also getting into the fan-faced ticket act by conducting a similar fan contest. Fans can enter to become the “New Face of the Vikings” and be on the front of the 2011 Minnesota Vikings season tickets. To participate, fans simply must visit the Vikings official Face-book page, submit their name and email address, attach a photo that displays their Vikings loyalty and answer the question, “Why should you be selected to be on the Vikings season tickets?,” in 100 characters or less.

PErSONAlIzATION ON ThE PrEMIuM TIcKET lEVElAs is true for most teams, personalization is even more important on the premium levels, where cli-ents desire individual interaction. Theresa Coscia, Suites and Premium Seats Coordinator for the Jaguars, says that although the Jaguars ticket pro-motion does not include premium tickets this year, she strives to make her premium ticket program personalized each year. Coscia’s team visits clients’ offices and more times than not, sees customized ticket boxes sitting prominently in offices and lobbies. For Coscia it means, “Number one, clients value the box, and number two, the team stays top of the mind for clients.”

And although premium seat holder faces will not adorn tickets this year, the Jaguars came up with a unique gift to ensure that clients’ faces are noticed. Last year Coscia presented her suite holders with high-end digital cameras. “We asked the suite holders to leave the cameras in their suites and take photos throughout the season,” Coscia explains. “At the end of the season, we collected the photos and put together a slide show that was played during the end of season suite holder party.”

– Amanda Verhoff

time inventory has been donated to cause marketing. In 2006, FC Barcelona entered into a partnership with UNICEF, in which the football club agreed to pay the nonprofit organization 1.5 million euro annually to put the organization’s logo on its jerseys. Further, nearly all teams in North America and abroad have charitable causes. Giving to charity is a fairly common practice, just not with the same splash or attention as the LIVESTRONG

partnership. As explained by Bryant Pfeiffer, VP of Club Services at Major League Soccer, “All of our clubs are very good about giving back to the community, and this is something as a league we are very proud of.”

Sporting KC’s partnership with LIVESTRONG does not seem to be a red herring, or just talk with PR-driven syntax to cloak ulterior motives. It seems to embrace the spirit of the law of charity, rather than just the letter of the law of political correctness. But it should be reported that the venue is designed to host concerts, and with Lance Armstrong’s close ties with many musical acts, if more big-name performers play LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, those events could generate more revenue than a traditional naming rights deal. So at the end of the day, there is still no such thing as a free lunch. “I believe we’ll have entertainers who otherwise wouldn’t have played our venue,” Heineman contends.

The immediate response to the partnership was very positive, which included a spike in sales. As reported in other publications, in the 24 hours in the wake of the press conference announcing the deal, Sporting KC sold 400 season tickets, the most sold in any one day in club history.

I ASK AGAIN, WhAT’S IN A NAME?In Act II, Scene II of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the heroine asks, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” meaning what matters is what something is, not what it is called. But what if what it is called and what it is are mutually inclusive? This is one of the few Shakespearean lines that does not hold up in this anomaly of a circumstance. Miss Capulet clearly has never been to LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The unique name begins to tell the unique story, and by any other name would not live as strong.

LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is a shift in sports venue design. The future has arrived. A new benchmark has been introduced for the premium seating component. The venue’s other innovations in naming rights, amenities and technology are also leading-edge, and the an-ticipation for its opening is palpable throughout the Kansas City community and beyond. #

Which aspect of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park are you most excited for?Write to Jared at [email protected].

high quality. As long as the seller does not “cheat” by setting high prices for what turns out to be poor quality, buyers interpret quality on the basis of price. Offering huge discounts says two things – our normal price is too high, and we have too much supply.

WhAT ShOuld TEAMS dO?Most of us know an objection to price is really an issue with perceived value. So why not try to add value to your Groupon offer? Offering Groupon tickets at one-third of normal prices sends the wrong signal regarding ticket value, but the idea of adding a team shirt to the deal is creative. Why not offer a moderate discount (e.g. 22%), as did the Wrigley Field Rooftop Club in selling 2,381 tickets to some of the less desirable games in May, and add value with merchandise or parking passes? Since you are splitting revenue with Groupon, the higher price point will benefit both parties. And the modest discount signals relatively high demand.

The success of online group sales intermediaries is really just affirmation that organizations need to clearly identify price-sensitive segments in their own databases. Given the effects of price signals, a good motto is, “Never discount in public.” Since Groupon does not broadcast the discount via mass market media, they accomplish this; however, or-ganizations can gather relevant information about customers as inputs in their own CRM systems to do the same thing. For instance, you could ask customers, “When buying tickets, how likely are you to change what you planned to buy in order to take advantage of a lower price?” In our research, we found only about one-third of fans are price-sensitive for sporting events, but twice as many are price-sensitive for things like groceries, gas and other goods. That is why Gap generates over 40,000 responses to its Groupon deals.

– Kirk Wakefield

About the Author: Dr. Kirk Wakefield serves as the editor of The Migala Report and is the Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing in the Hankamer Business School at Baylor University. He is the creator of the renowned Sports, Sponsor-ship & Sales (S3) program housed in the Department of Market-ing. Email Dr. Wakefield at [email protected].

To read Part Two of Dr. Wakefield’s research on using Groupon to sell tickets, visit:www.migalareport.com/node/461.

Groupon[continued from page 18]

Fan-Faced Tickts[continued from page 20]

Sporting KC[continued from page 60]


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