The document is the winter 2012 issue of SEAT, a publication of the Association of Luxury Suite Directors. It includes the schedule and topics for the upcoming ALSD conference in Minneapolis, articles on premium seating sales strategies and trends in food and beverage concessions. It also highlights new technologies being used at venues like Gillette Stadium for wireless connectivity and video delivery to fans.
1. THE 2012 ALSD CONFERENCE PROGRAM: Begin Planning Your Experience Now PAGE 38
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CAN YOU BELIEVE IN?
PAGE 14
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7. winter
S E A T 2012
Published by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors
FEATURES
38 ALSD 2012 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
2012 has arrived, and with it, the preliminary lineup for the 22nd
Annual ALSD Conference and Tradeshow. This year’s show, themed
The Community, will bring attendees sessions, roundtables, events,
interactivity, participatory learning, and tours and receptions at three
of the most top-notch venues in the country. Begin planning your
experience in Minneapolis.
60 WHY SOCCER? WHY SALES?
As part of its mission to grow a soccer nation, Major League Soccer is
shaking out of the grassroots its own sales talent at its National Sales
Center in Blaine, Minnesota.
BY RYAN MIRABEDINI
64 PREMIUM SEAT SALES STRATEGIES
AND BEST PRACTICES FROM A TEAM PERSPECTIVE 38
Last year, an ALSD survey was completed by 48 teams from MLB, the
NBA, the NFL and the NHL to better understand today’s sales best
practices. Is your organization following the industry standards?
BY DR. PETER TITLEBAUM
AND TODD C. KOESTERS, MSA, JD
68 CONCESSIONS, CATERING & HOSPITALITY TRENDS
New concessions and catering solutions and products support the
leading stadium and arena concessionaires, caterers and consultants to
increase revenue for teams, clubs and venues.
BY STEVE TRAIMAN
SPORTS TECHNOLOGY CORNER
48 GILLETTE STADIUM’S PUTNAM CLUB INDULGES
GUESTS IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE WI-FI
At the home of the New England Patriots, a new wireless architecture 56
is enabling the creation and delivery of video content to mobile devices
exclusively to members of the Putnam Club.
50 IT COLLABORATES WITH THE WORLD
The ALSD has officially formed the Venue Technology Group (VTG).
This year’s VTG program trains all the areas of the premium and gen-
eral facility markets to better understand technology and to collaborate
with IT Departments.
56 IPTV: THE INTERSECTION OF FAN EXPERIENCE
AND SPONSOR EXCLUSIVITY
Whether installed in an aging facility or a brand new, state-of-the-art
venue, IPTV technology adds value to both corporate partnerships and
the fan experience.
BY BOB ROBLE 60
About the Cover: The new Marlins Park in Miami showcases many of the trends reported in
this issue, including Sales, Technology, F&B, Design, and Customer Service innovations. Contents continues on overleaf
#SEATWinter2012 | www.alsd.com | S E A T | 5
8. winter
S E A T 2012
ASSociATion of Luxury
SuiTE DirEcTorS
Chairman Bill Dorsey
Executive Director Amanda Verhoff
President Jennifer Ark, Green Bay Packers
Published by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors VP, Business Development Pat McCaffrey
Director, Sponsor and Partnership Development Dene Shiels
Editor of SEAT and ALSD.com Jared Frank
National Sales Manager Scott Hinzman
Membership Director Ryan Mirabedini
Design Carole Winters Art + Design
Director of Finance Dan Lindeman
Financial Account Manager Vickie Henke
Director of Interactive Media John Tymoski
ExECuTIVE CoMMITTEE
Chris Bigelow, Bigelow Companies
Brian Bucciarelli, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts
Greg Hanrahan, united Center
Tom Kaucic, Southern Wine & Spirits
Pat McCaffrey, ALSD
32 Kim Reckley, Detroit Red Wings & olympia Entertainment
BoARD oF DIRECToRS
DEPARTMENTS Janie Boles, Auburn university
Natalie Burbank, utah Jazz / Salt Lake Bees
8 NEW ALSD MEMBERS
Richard Dobransky, Delaware North Companies
Trent Dutry, uS Airways Center
12 ALSD STAFF EDITORIAL
Chris Granger, National Basketball Association
Editor’s Note MIke Guiffre
BY JARED FRANK Adam Kellner, Chicago Bears
State of the Association Gerald Kissel
BY AMANDA VERHOFF Debbie Massa, RoI Consulting
Trends in the Venue Marketplace from Scott O’Connell, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club
2011: Changes You Can Believe In? Mike Ondrejko, Legends Premium Sales
24
BY BILL DORSEY Richard Searls
Tom Sheridan, Chicago White Sox
Peter Titlebaum, university of Dayton
20 ALSD MEMBER Q&A
VEnuE TEcHnoLoGy GrouP ALSD 2012 STEERING CoMMITTEE
22 INDUSTRY 2012 STEErinG AnD Sue Brown, Levy Restaurants
AND ASSOCIATION NEWS
Ticketmaster Facebook feature enhances
confErEncE coMMiTTEE Britt Carlson, Minnesota Timberwolves
Richard Dobransky, Delaware North Companies
fan experience Matt Lukens, FanVision Rachael Johnson, Minnesota Wild
ALSD evaluates FanVision in Cleveland’s Jim Ibister, Minnesota Wild Scott O’Connell, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club
Dawg Pound Scott Jablonski, National Hockey League Tanesha Wade, university of Minnesota Athletics
Mark DiMaurizio, Comcast-Spectacor
Feature Recipe: TD Garden chef has
John Tymoski, ALSD Published by Venue Pub. Inc. Copyright 2012. (All rights
championship taste reserved). SEAT is a registered trademark of the Association
Ron Contorno, Full House Entertainment Database of Luxury Suite Directors. SEAT is published quarterly and is
Marketing complimentary to all members of the Association of Luxury
28 ON ALSD.COM Bobby Whitson, Whitson Sports Suite Directors.
Jason Koettel, Legends Hospitality Management
30 MEMBER HIGHLIGHT John Avenson, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club
SEAT visits with: Jason Coleman, orlando Magic
Andrew Silverman Russell Scibetti, New York Jets
Senior Vice President of Sales & Service
Miami Marlins
Association of Luxury Suite Directors
BY JARED FRANK 10017 McKelvey Road, Cincinnati, oH 45231
513 674 0555
amanda@alsd.com
78 COMING ATTRACTIONS
Please Recycle This Magazine
6 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
10. nEW ALSD MEMbErS WinTEr 2012
Mike Setser Jarrod Dillon Scott McGinn
Director of Corporate Suite Sales Vice President, Ticket Sales & Services Director of Sales
San Antonio Spurs San Diego Padres Madison Square Garden
one AT&T Center 100 Park Road 2 Penn Plaza, 14th Floor
San Antonio, Tx 78219 San Diego, CA 92101 New York, NY 10121
P: 210-444-5644 P: 619-795-5080 P: 212-465-6647
msetser@attcenter.com jdillon@gmail.com scott.mcginn@thegarden.com
Dustin Boyer Charlie Hillis Amy Hobbs
Event Coordinator – Premium Seating Gift Card Manager Suite Services Manager
university of Illinois Nike San Diego Chargers
1700 South Fourth Street one Bowerman Drive Po Box 609100
Champaign, IL 61820 Beaverton, oR 97005-6453 San Diego, CA 92160
P: 217-333-0516 P: 503-671-5819 P: 619-641-5117
dmboyer2@illinois.edu charlie.hillis@nike.com amy.hobbs@chargers.nfl.com
Stan Macko Mitch Kluska Christina Leonard
Group Sales & Premium Services Manager Premium Seating Sales Executive Premium Seating Specialist
university of Central Florida Green Bay Packers Columbus Blue Jackets
uCF Arena 1265 Lombardi Avenue Nationwide Arena
Po Box 161500 Green Bay, WI 54304 200 W. Nationwide Blvd, Suite Level
orlando, FL 32816 P: 920-569-7253 Columbus, oH 43215
P: 407-823-6062 kluskam@packers.com P: 614-246-4312
stan.macko@ucf.edu cleonard2@bluejackets.com
Cherylee Cruz
Valerie Mirelman National Accounts Specialist Kimberly Hobbs
Group and Suite Service Coordinator Rosseto Director of Corporate Sales & Services
Tampa Bay Rays 3600 West Pratt Avenue Sprint Center AEG
one Tropicana Drive Lincolnwood, IL 60712 1407 Grand Boulevard
St. Petersburg, FL 33705 cherylee@rosseto.com Kansas City, Mo 64106
P: 727-825-3345 P: 816-949-7146
vmirelman@raysbaseball.com Wayne Boydstun khobbs@sprintcenter.com
Coo
Chad Collard Fusion Imaging Mark Fasching
Director of Group and Suite Sales 601 Boro Street Suite Sales Manager
Tampa Bay Rays Kaysville, uT 84037 Minnesota Wild/MSE
one Tropicana Drive wayneb@fusion-imaging.com 317 Washington Street
St. Petersburg, FL 33705 St. Paul, MN 55102
P: 727-825-3238 Tamala Levin P: 651-602-5739
ccollard@raysbaseball.com Client Service Manager – Premium Club mfasching@wild.com
TD Garden
Brian Richeson 100 Legends Way Brittany Hilton
Vice President of Sales & Service Boston, MA 02114 Premier Gameday Experiences
Tampa Bay Rays P: 617-624-1825 Chicago Cubs
one Tropicana Drive tlevin@dncboston.com 1060 W. Addison
St. Petersburg, FL 33705 Chicago, IL 60613
P: 727-825-3193 Marissa Guziec P: 773-404-4142
bricheson@raysbaseball.com Suite Services Coordinator bhilton@cubs.com
St. Louis Rams
Justin Buck 901 N. Broadway Linda Deckard
Suite Sales Account Executive St. Louis, Mo 63101 Publisher
Tampa Bay Rays P: 314-425-0513 Venues Today Magazine
one Tropicana Drive mguziec@rams.nfl.com Po Box 2540
St. Petersburg, FL 33705 Huntington Beach, CA 92647
P: 727-825-3361 Marc Sandoval linda@venuestoday.com
jbuck@raysbaseball.com Director of Suites & Hospitality
Kansas City Chiefs Greg Sweeny
Leigh Castergine Arrowhead Stadium Design Director
Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service one Arrowhead Drive Rossetti Architects
New York Mets Kansas City, Mo 64129 Two Towne Square, Suite 20
Citi Field P: 816-920-4815 Southfield, MI 48076
New York, NY 11368 msandoval@chiefs.nfl.com P: 248-262-8300
P: 718-559-3134 gsweeny@rossetti.com
lcastergine@nymets.com Jackie Norrie
Manager of Partnerships Tony Reiner
Trade Centre Limited Senior Designer
1800 Argyle Street, Suite 416 Rossetti Architects
Halifax, NS B3J 2V9 Two Towne Square, Suite 20
Canada Southfield, MI 48076
P: 902-421-1302 x2246 P: 248-262-8300
jackie@tclns.com treiner@rossetti.com
8 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
12. nEW ALSD MEMbErS WinTEr 2012
Matt Hathorne Christina Brandt Brian Sandy
Senior Designer President Senior Director, Premium Sales and Service
Rossetti Architects Service Ideas, Inc. Portland Trail Blazers
Two Towne Square, Suite 20 2354 Ventura Drive one North Center Court, Suite 200
Southfield, MI 48076 Woodbury, MN 55125 Portland, oR 97227
P: 248-262-8300 P: 651-730-8800 P: 503-797-9656
mhathorne@rossetti.com tina@serviceideas.com brian.sandy@trailblazers.com
Dima Daimi Andy Krawczyk Jared Kozinn
Junior Designer Regional Sales Manager Manager, Ticket Sales & Service
Rossetti Architects Service Ideas, Inc. San Francisco 49ers
Two Towne Square, Suite 20 2354 Ventura Drive Candlestick Park
Southfield, MI 48076 Woodbury, MN 55125 490 Jamestown Avenue, Suite 400
P: 248-262-8300 P: 651-379-3139 San Francisco, CA 94124
ddaimi@rossetti.com andy@serviceideas.com P: 415-494-0518
jared.kozinn@niners.nfl.net
Tony Giacco Joe Krawczyk
Junior Designer Director – Multi-Channel Sales Rob McCalebb
Rossetti Architects Service Ideas, Inc. Director of Suite Sales & Service
Two Towne Square, Suite 20 2354 Ventura Drive Palace Sports and Entertainment
Southfield, MI 48076 Woodbury, MN 55125 4 Championship Drive
P: 248-262-8300 P: 651-379-3127 Auburn Hills, MI 48236
tgiacco@rossetti.com joe@serviceideas.com P: 248-375-4062
rmccalebb@palacenet.com
Sarah Bentley Melinda Coyer
Restaurantware Director of Sales and Marketing David Frieberg
360 W. Illinois St, #605 CenturyLink Center/SMG Systems Administrator
Chicago, IL 60654 2000 CenturyLink Center Drive oakland Athletics Baseball Co.
P: 800-851-9273 Bossier City, LA 71112 7000 Coliseum Drive
sarah@restaurantware.com P: 318-752-6730 oakland, CA 94621
mcoyer@centurylinkcenter.com P: 510-638-4900
Richard Rinella dfrieberg@oaklandathletics.com
President Jake Wood
Restaurantware Marketing Coordinator Arthur Bartell
360 W. Illinois St, #605 CenturyLink Center/SMG Group President
Chicago, IL 60654 2000 CenturyLink Center Drive Proforma Big Dog Branding
P: 800-851-9273 Bossier City, LA 71112 6550A East Bayaud Avenue
rich@restaurantware.com P: 318-752-6731 Denver, Co 80224
jwood@centurylinkcenter.com P: 303-953-8104
Declan Duggan artbart@msn.com
CEo/CMo Lorna Pierno
Ellickson uSA Director, Marketing Programs Louis Pullano
9518 Deereco Road xirrus Assistant Professor
Timonium, MD 21093 2101 Corporate Center Drive Johnson and Wales university
P: 215-219-9203 Thousand oaks, CA 91320 8 Abbott Park Place
declan@ellicksonusa.com P: 805-262-1652 Providence, RI 02903
lorna.pierno@xirrus.com P: 401-598-1358
Josh Goodman lpullano@jwu.edu
CEo/Coo Nicola Meti
Ellickson uSA D. English Tonatiuh Mejia Moysen
9518 Deereco Road 2520 St. Joseph Boulevard Managing Director
Timonium, MD 21093 East Montreal, QC H1Y 2A2 Estadio de Futbol Monterrey
josh@ellicksonusa.com Canada AV. Fundidora #501, Col obrera
P: 514-890-1745 CINTERMEx Suite 43
Chris Blum nicola@denglish.com Monterrey, Nuevo Leon 64010
VP, Business Development – West MExICo
Ellickson uSA Mario Struffolino P: 14481900
9518 Deereco Road D. English tonatiuh.mejia@femsa.com.mx
Timonium, MD 21093 2520 St. Joseph Boulevard
chris@ellicksonusa.com East Montreal, QC H1Y 2A2 Bob Beasley
Canada Director of Sales
Lindsay Valenty P: 514-890-1745 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Marketing Communications mario@denglish.com 4790 West 16th Street
Service Ideas, Inc. Indianapolis, IN 46222
2354 Ventura Drive P: 317-492-6550
Woodbury, MN 55125 bbeasley@brickyard.com
P: 651-379-3123
lindsay@serviceideas.com
10 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
14. Editor’s notE by JarEd Frank
Don’t accept decision science at face value
T
his first issue of SEAT in 2012 is
what we’re calling our Trends Issue. Connect with me on
Instead of addressing the State of the www.linkedin.com/in/jaredfrank
Industry within the confines of 700 and follow me on
words, as is normally done with this note this www.twitter.com/SEAT_Editor
time of year, we’re summarizing those notewor-
for daily updates.
thy changes and new additions worth checking
out in the marketplace throughout most of our
Here is a sampling of my tweets:
editorial and feature articles.
A broad swab of these changes is found in
Bill’s editorial (Trends in the Venue Market- The San Jose Earthquakes are selling suites for their
place from 2011: Changes You Can Believe In?) proposed new stadium. The 12 field level suites will
starting on page 14. Branching out from there, be a first in MLS and international football.
we have articles on food and beverage trends,
facility trends, social media trends, sales trends University of Louisville Athletics grew over 30% in
and technology trends. I should point out that the past three years. The increase is largely due to
we are not separating the wheat from the chaff luxury suite revenues at the KFC Yum! Center and
in each story. Trends are meant to be tested, as Anything that contributes to the deterioration Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
the quality of all of them is yet to be determined. of imagination should be handled with care.
To an extent, we’re throwing them all up on the Understanding that a prospect that scores a five
wall, and we’ll have to wait and see what sticks should be solicited before one that scores a two, Atletico Madrid unveils plans for new 70,000-seat
as the year unfolds. Or as Bill likes to say, we in but not understanding the theory of how the stadium to replace Vicente Calderon starting in 2015.
the industry need to “kick the tires” before any statistic is derived, or in some cases, why it is
trend can be considered a best practice. derived doesn’t cut the mustard. How and why
TD Ameritrade Park opens to profitability in its first
I’d like to discuss another specific sportsbiz we do what we do is more important than what year. The new home of the College World Series
trend made popular in 2011 – Moneyball. The we do. produced a $5.6 million net operating profit for the
term, and the practice for that matter, isn’t new. So what’s the lesson here? Don’t use analyt- 2010-2011 fiscal year.
Moneyball, the book, was first published in ics? Of course not. But don’t only take analytics
2003. But movies starring Brad Pitt have a way at face value. Use automated technology as an
of achieving greater mainstream success than accelerator of business, not an igniter of busi- STAPLES Center was the top grossing arena in North
books written by Michael Lewis. Now everyone, ness. Decisions should remain a blend of art and America in 2011 and the 7th highest in the world.
including my mother, knows what Moneyball is. science and of human judgment and algorithms. In addition to its main tenants, the arena hosted 36
My take on the popularity of Moneyball – the Else our ability to reason and see beyond the concerts with 30 sellouts.
practice, not the movie – is decidedly unpopular. superficial is lost.
It glamorizes “decision science” – the belief that So be careful. If you have the magic bullet, The Texas Rangers are raising ticket prices for the
analytics alone make the best business decisions. if you have the recipe for the secret sauce, you 2012 season. Club level seats are increasing to $66
Empirical gauges are very helpful in a number won’t forever. Old problems will always be for regular games, $74 for premier games.
of ways. For example, for any business reliant on replaced by the same problems in new forms.
sales for success (which is all of them), analytics And if we get to the point where we only know
are vital for “scoring” leads and determining what button to push and when to push it, but we Cambodia’s first indoor stadium nears completion.
those prospects most likely to buy. Any salesper- don’t know why we’re pushing it, when we “kick It includes a mezzanine level with lounge bar which
son will tell you that they can’t survive without the new tires,” we won’t know what we’re even flanks a VIP box.
picking from the low hanging fruit first. What testing for.
bothers me is the thought that analytics alone
USL’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds announce new 3,500-
are increasingly responsible for decision-making. seat, multi-sport stadium project in Station Square.
Eliminating bias and subjectivity from impor- How do you balance human judgment with analytics when
tant decisions usually leads to positive outcomes. making decisions?
I am the first to admit this verity. However, the Email me at jared@alsd.com. ALSD is going global! The ALSD will launch a new
shine of Moneyball blinds us from an unstated global division and Premium Seat Seminar in
admonition – numbers have a way of diminish- Also connect with me on social media (See Sidebar). partnership with TheStadiumBusiness Summit 2012
ing human curiosity. Accepting the numbers in Turin on May 15.
isn’t enough for me. And frankly, it scares me.
12 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
15. statE oF thE associaton by amanda vErhoFF
The more we stay the same…
The more we have to change
A
ssociations appear to outsiders to living in a vacuum. We have to recreate our own
steadfastly stay the same. Year after touch point calendars and reinvest in our own
year, it’s a show and membership improved benefits. It’s a balancing act for us, like
and publications. But what outsiders it is for the teams, to not only hear all our clients
don’t know is that the more things do remain but actually listen to them.
the same, the more they actually have to change.
And the reason is to keep you engaged. The overall PICTure
It’s true – the ALSD will run a conference The association is healthy. Sure we’re tighten-
this year; we will continue to produce SEAT ing our belt like anyone else these days. But we
and Between the SEATs; we will continue to are on track for a great year. It’s up to us, at the
ask for your venue’s contribution to the refer- ALSD, however to become the change we want
ence manual; we will further develop our Venue to see. It’s why we send member questions; it’s
Technology Group; and we will have all the why we have reinvented our technology division;
leagues in attendance this year at a kick-ass it’s why we reach out to you even though we
Minneapolis show. So what changes? Well noth- know you’re in-season and have more club seats
ing… except everything. to sell than minutes in the day; and it’s why we
Let me explain something first. An associa- will attend enough meeting planner shows to
tion’s goal is two-fold: 1) To be the source for stay ahead of the curve. The goal is to exceed as-
industry trends and best practices and 2) To sociation status quo, to reinvent our association
be the leader in event planning. The ALSD for your benefit year after year.
could put on a helluva fun show but fall short In the end, the change we’re after is going
on content, or we could research all the right to knock your socks off. And contrary to what
material but put on a bone dry event. The point weather reports are telling us now, you really
is we have to master both and to do so, requires
"sure we’re tightening our won’t need them in Minneapolis in July anyway!
change each and every year. belt like anyone else these
Think of the association this way:
days. But we are on track
The ConferenCe for a great year… The goal What other changes would you like to see in your association?
The ALSD recreates dozens of conference ses- Write to Amanda at amanda@alsd.com, and connect with
sions each year. Figuring out the most relevant is to exceed association her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/amandakuntzverhoff.
content comes first; finding fresh speakers fol-
lows. Placing sessions into timeslots that make status quo, to reinvent our
sense seems like an easy next step, but it’s a jug- association for your benefit
gling act deciding which renewal session should
compete with which loyalty session, and which year after year."
food and beverage session should compete with
which new technology session. We reinvent the
show’s structure and content each year; if you
look closely, it’s hardly ever the same. Add to
that, we have to change the venue tours each Service departments are pining for client loyalty
year; admittedly, that’s the fun part though! We and turning to technology for customer man-
love picking new cities, and the best venues tend agement tools. Food and beverage companies
to lead us in the right direction every year. are encouraging patrons to order from digital
menu boards and pay on mobile devices. Venues
The IndusTry are transforming unsold suites into all-inclusive
Something’s going on. It’s like the next genera- clubs or loges.
tion of premium seating has arrived. Gone are Ultimately, the way teams are operating is just
the days of sold-out suites and waiting lists for different than only a few years ago. Perhaps it’s
50-yard line seats. What’s going on just might the economy and its struggle to rebound from CoMInG uP neXT:
be the paradigm shift we’ve been talking about 2008, but it seems as though the industry is try- The IndusTry Trends
for a few years now. In 2012, suites and sponsor- ing to work smarter not harder. The ALSD has To TesT ouT In 2012
ships are becoming one department for some. to embrace that axiom too, and we can’t do so by
#SEATWinter2012 | www.alsd.com | S E A T | 13
16. EdiToriAl by bill dorSEy
Trends in the venue marketplace from 2011:
Changes you can believe in?
C
hange often sneaks up on you. Un- important because, as mentioned, many venues
less a major event occurs, change do not have enough broadband capacity.
has a way of slowly moving forward On premium levels, companies such as Xirrus
step by step. Then, almost out of have added bandwidth for the club levels at the
nowhere, something happens that everyone home of the New England Patriots, Gillette
notices – a tipping point occurs. The Berlin Wall Stadium. By adding this additional streaming
falls. So do Twin Towers. And change comes out power, club seat holders can now access in-game
of the rubble. content and instant replays from multiple angles
Change is very much like that in the venue on their mobile devices without worrying about
and sports marketplaces. On the team side, having to buffer. It’s a terrific customer service
teams keep changing players until out of the and one that appears to be the future for many
rubble of a bad season, comes a winning com- venues across the country. Additional informa-
bination. tion on Xirrus’ work at Gillette Stadium can be
On the facility side, change happens found on page 48.
incrementally too. But it might not be called
“change.” Rather, on the facility side, it’s called TICkeTInG
a “trend.” But what is a trend other than a series The Skinny: Ticketing is undergoing a renais-
of incremental changes? sance. There are so many new things to consider:
The following article takes a look at those paperless, phone tickets, seat upgrading, etc.
incremental changes, or trends, which began There are new primary companies that have
occurring in 2011 and which are occurring as we emerged, and mergers that have occurred. There
write. There is no guarantee that the trends will are new secondary companies that are making
continue in 2012. Trends are like tires which are inroads in primary space. There are a fair number
kicked on a car; they are tested out before they of new value buys like Groupon, Goldstar,
are driven. Entrepreneurial companies are always ScoreBig, etc. There are pre-sells, package deals
kicking tires. for VIPs, fan travel companies, suite sharing and
That’s how to view the following article – as wants to be connected. Everyone is tweeting, fractionalization. In a word, ticketing is confus-
trends that are making headway into the sports facebooking, texting and emailing, and there are ing. It’s also complicated. But a couple trends
venue marketplace. It’s good to know them be- too many places and too many times where this seem to be catching on. Consider:
cause you may want to “kick some tires” on your can’t happen.
own. But then again, they are trends, not dogma. The situation is worse when the teams them- dynaMIC PrICInG
Read on and decide which trends you believe are selves rely on apps for their fans to order food, to The primary ticketing industry, as opposed to
worth testing. purchase tickets, to view replays, player updates the secondary market re-sellers, leave a great
We’ve broken up the trends into categories: and other scores from other games. If there is deal of money on the table by pricing their tick-
Technology, Ticketing, Food & Beverage, a trend that is nearly a certainty in the coming ets too low or too high. It’s extremely difficult to
Architecture/Design, Social Media, Sales and year(s), it is the need to increase bandwidth in judge supply and demand curves before a season
Customer Service/Retention. venues across the country. And there is a race to begins. But that’s what most primary ticket sell-
do so within the big infrastracture companies: ers have to do; they have to decide on the price
TeChnoloGy Cisco, Harris, AT&T, Xirrus, etc. of the game far in advance.
The Skinny: Technology is becoming the major There are many examples of successful Dynamic pricing – the ability to price a game
topic for the venue marketplace. Nearly every companies and/or venues adding broadband or ticket based on a game-by-game demand – is
part of the business requires technology, and IT/ Wi-Fi services to their venues. One example: clearly becoming more popular with teams. For
CIO types are prospering in the space. And if LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, Sport- one, by getting the ticket price more connected
there is one area that affects all other areas, it is: ing KC’s new stadium, has generally received with reality, it increases team revenues and de-
rave reviews for its many innovative ideas. So creases (at least theoretically) the demand on the
BroadBand for The Masses much so that the team recently formed its own secondary side. Barry Kahn’s Qcue is perhaps
Having trouble getting your cell phone to work technology division called Sporting Innovations. the best known of these types of companies, and
in large venues? You are not alone. This is clearly Reportedly, many teams and leagues have visited they claim a fairly high percentage of upsell. It’s
a case of broadband technology not being able the facility to see the latest and greatest in something that has started slowly but is clearly
to keep up with the huge number of people in technology. One area that has drawn particular gaining momentum.
venues. Think about the enormity of the issue interest is Sporting Innovations’ ability to pro-
these days. The games are long. And everyone vide broadband to the masses. This is extremely
14 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
17. food and BeveraGe
The Skinny: Food and Beverage is a $2.5 billion
line item for just the premium seat marketplace
alone. Big F&B companies, the really big ones,
are larger than the leagues they service. There is
probably no one area that potentially angers fans
more than bad customer service, or bad food,
or long lines, or outrageous pricing. This affects
how teams keep their customers happy. So
F&B is a huge deal. Below are the trends we see
continuing to develop in 2012…
There are a lot of F&B innovations with no
one area that clearly is the leader. In general,
the F&B innovations tend to revolve around
increasing customer satisfaction. Companies
like Grin On and Niagara Fast Tap speed up
the number of drinks that can be served thereby
decreasing wait times. Bypass Lane is another
company that helps speed up food ordering by
enabling fans to place food orders with their
smartphones and bypass the concession lines.
Food ordering systems in suites on mobile de-
vices and on video boards assist with helping the
consumer which makes processes quicker, more
efficient and easier.
Perhaps the major trend that has made its
way into most venues in some form is all-
inclusive food and beverage in premium areas.
This usually does not include alcohol except in
the most expensive sections. Some other new
trends include:
1. Andrew Shipe, VP of Culinary & Market-
ing at ARAMARK, says the company keeps
a very close watch on what is popular in a can create a great hanger steak versus a more Top: If a venue has enough broadband capacity, fans can use their
particular part of the country to try and please expensive cut. mobile devices to talk, text, tweet and access exclusive content only
their audience. For example: See what the local available at the live event, and not at home on the couch.
Bottom: Many venues are adding or have plans to add club areas
food trucks are doing, and try to either create 3. There is also a trend to go to comfort food
accessible to all fans, providing some kind of premium experience
something similar inside the venue or bring in "with a twist,” says Shipe. For example: Mac and
for all only available in the stadium or arena.
the actual brand itself. ARAMARK has brought Cheese with lobster, or grilled cheese topped
in popular trucks that make wood fire pizzas or with short ribs, or bread pudding combined with
tacos in particular markets. They capitalize on tasty cakes.
the trend to go open-air cooking as well, says
Shipe. The key is tracking what is popular and 4. Food trends also change depending upon
then re-creating the experience. who is being served. For example: Millenni-
als have grown up with flavored waters and
2. There are trends in the actual food served craft beers. As for wine, they like both reds
as well, says Shipe. For example: With high and whites with a sweet tooth. For reds, they
commodity prices, it's clear that many are cut- are trending away from traditional Pinots to
ting back on expensive food costs. According Malbecs, and for whites, to Moscatos. "This is
to Shipe though, if prepared properly, a chef what the Millennials are buying," says Shipe.
#SEATWinter2012 | www.alsd.com | S E A T | 15
18. at all. And further, many new buildings have
already been constructed, so there isn’t as great
a need for them. But the architectural industry
is the ultimate creator in the space. There is
not one other group that pays attention to new
developments more than Big Architecture. Their
livelihood depends upon it. So what is new in
the space? Read on…
The Brave new world of renovaTIons
With new stadium referendums not passing
these days, many new stadiums are choosing to
upgrade their existing venues with renovations.
This has been going on for several years now, but
if there is a trend in the business now, it is that
the renovation work is getting better. In many
cases, if not most, the refurbished space is better
than the original.
Witness the recent renovations in Kansas
City for the Chiefs and the Royals – beautiful
new concourses and beautiful new spaces in the
same building. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in
the midst of completing a similar terrific renova-
tion, as outlined in the Fall 2011 issue of SEAT.
It’s not only entire buildings and huge reno-
vations that are taking place in the space. There
are a number of new design/build firms who are
making their mark in many buildings. These are
companies who might be hired by teams, F&B
companies or even sponsors of spaces to build
out areas in the venue. Leaders in this space
include Dimensional Innovations, Rip Bang and
Top: Teams, such as the Cleveland Indians and their “Social Suite” “We continually check with restaurants, wine Mortenson along with the usual suspects from
seen here, are embracing social media to generate new sales, new and spirits stores to see what is selling.” the architectural companies: Populous, Rossetti,
uses for excess inventory, and new experiences for their fans. Aecom, DLR, HKS, 360, Brook Beynon Mur-
Bottom: The design side of the marketplace is being driven by 5. F&B companies are increasing the number of ray, HNTB, Heery, etc.
renovation. Large-scale projects as well as smaller areas, such as the chefs they are hiring.
one seen here at Lucas Oil Stadium, are being built out by teams, soCIal MedIa
F&B companies and sponsors to engage fans.
6. Teams are using F&B as a loss leader to sell The Skinny: Reaching the world’s customer base
tickets. has changed, and sports, only in the past year or
two, are catching up. There’s still a long way to
7. There has been a growth of “Every Man’s go, but clearly, the best teams are those who can
Clubs,” giving the average fan a place to meet, navigate these social media trends:
have a drink and watch the game from this club
rather than in arena bowl seats. The rIse of soCIal MedIa
Social media usage to fill seats is on the rise and
arChITeCTure/desIGn is truly becoming a great way to generate new
The Skinny: The days of multiple major building business. For example: The Cleveland Indians
openings have been over for the past four or five not only keep an active Twitter and Facebook
years. The public, in most cases, will no longer presence but also created the “Indians Social
cover a majority of the financing, and in some Suite.” In this suite, six fans and their guests get
cases, they won’t contribute to a new building to attend a game for free in exchange for posting
16 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
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20. mium seat customer and expect to retain his or
her business is no longer a sure thing. Teams are
becoming more and more creative – especially
on the premium side of the business – to provide
customers with real added-value programs. Most
of these programs revolve around access to the
team’s players or access to events such as the
Super Bowl or other major events within the
team’s sport. Indeed, in an effort to justify high
ticket prices and to combat against 21st Century
high-definition TV, there has been an experien-
tial component added for the fan at game time
in which only the fan who attends can partake.
Lightning Rod: Added-value amenities continue to be used by teams to divert attention away from high ticket prices in a still slow economy. L.A. LIVE, site of the 2011 ALSD Conference,
The Tampa Bay Lightning provide jerseys with a micro-chip embedded in the sleeve that provides merchandise and F&B discounts. is a leader in this area by adding in an entire
“city” of restaurants, bars and entertainment op-
their great experience to their personal online ouTsourCInG sales tions for fans before and after the game. Inside
communities – an innovative use of excess Time was, most teams relied on their in-house the venue, fans willing to pay a few dollars more
inventory for sure. To read more on the Indians sales teams to control ticket and premium sales. (or a lot of dollars more) have access to exclusive
Social Suite, revisit the Summer 2011 issue of But a new trend, especially prominent in the dining areas far from the madding crowd.
SEAT. college market, brings in outside sales teams to
The Tribe is not the only team latching onto assist in the process. The service makes a great added value: aMenITIes Grow uP
the social media craze though. At the New deal of sense for colleges who previously relied and Grow ouT
Jersey Devils’ Prudential Center, they have on untested or untrained young salespeople to But there are other added-value programs
created a social media “Mission Control” room. make the calls. These outside groups specialize that have been developed by teams that go far
Within the confines of this room, the Devils in this process. beyond this. For example: The LA Dodgers al-
manage, observe and evaluate the club’s online Companies such as The Aspire Group from low club seat holders access to the teams empty
brand engagements. It is run by a team of 24 Atlanta, Playbook International, IMG and suites a couple of times a year. And at Amway
socially adept fans who use outlets like Twitter, Legends utilize their own sales groups to sell Center, suites include an audio-visual set up for
Facebook and others to reach out and expand a specific product or service. One of the most presentations before, during or after the game.
the Devils brand. established of these firms, Leerfield, with a Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning provide seat
Our final example, but certainly not last in recent capital injection from investors, is also holders merchandise and F&B discounts if they
the industry, is the activation of the New York making inroads in this space. Even the leagues wear a team jersey with a mirco-chip embedded
Jets social media outreach. According to Neilson are getting into the act with Major League Soc- in its sleeve.
research, the Jets rank tops in the NFL with an cer starting its own sales training center. Most
11.9% share of all NFL-related social media of its graduates end up selling for MLS teams. So there you have it – an overview of the trends
activity. This is due to dedicated content on their Additional information on the MLS National to test out this year. Now go kick some tires.
official website and daily interactions with fans Sales Center can be found on page 60.
via Twitter and Facebook.
CusToMer servICe:
sales reTenTIon and renewals What new trends are you seeing in the venue marketplace?
The Skinny: Not much happens in the world The Skinny: Did you notice that college bowl Write to Bill at bill@alsd.com, and connect with him on
until someone sells something to someone else. game attendance is down? Did you notice that LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/pub/bill-dorsey/6/125/76a.
Nothing is more important to an organization teams are worried about the high price of tickets
than sales – ticket sales, sponsorship sales, F&B in a bad economy? The answer to gaining at-
sales, premium leases, radio and TV rights sales, tendance is adding value for the customer. It’s
national broadcasting sales, etc. It is the engine a huge trend and it takes on many, many forms.
that drives Team Machine. So it goes as no Here are some of them:
surprise that sales is always the top priority for
any team, and that teams can and do pay for the eXPerIenTIal MarkeTInG:
CoMInG uP neXT:
best salespeople. There is always something new keePInG fans haPPy
alsd MeMBer Q&a
in the sales area. This year, we select… The days when you can provide a jersey to a pre-
18 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
21. always the best seat...
Find the perfect seat for every venue at Dauphin! Advanced in form and technology, we provide
innovative furnishing solutions to meet a variety of changing needs. Offer everyone superior
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22. AlSd MEMbEr Q&A
Question Topic:
how nBa TeaMs are A:
• It starts with communication, which we’ve
handlInG The end of been active doing, making personal calls and
The loCkouT setting appointments, so we can have face
time with the clients. We want to let them
Q: talk. It’s important for us to remain positive
and show excitement for the upcoming
Regarding the sales and service of suites and season.
club seats: • We moved forward with the loyalty rewards
• How is your team/venue regaining the program for partnerships, suite holders and
loyalty of your customers? season ticket holders. Some of the items we
• What make-goods, new incentives or ameni- offered were food & beverage credits, suite
ties (if any) are being offered? nights and money towards their 2012-2013
• Did you have to give any money back or renewal.
credits for lost games? Explain. • [Money back/credits] is an option accounts
• How much concern is there moving forward that made payments to us have.
regarding the retention of clients post- • For the number of clients we have, the dam-
lockout? • We continue working on our make-good age control has been minimal. The feedback
recommendations. Due to the wording in we’ve received from our loyalty offers has
A:
• We did not lose loyalty during the lockout.
our suite agreements, we have to see how
many playoff games are played between the
Bulls and Blackhawks to determine credits
been very positive. Our front office staff is
more than willing to speak with clients who
we feel may benefit from speaking with the
We continued to sell based on last year’s and refunds. Thereafter, we will discuss fur- decision makers.
excitement along with lowering prices, ther with our management team some of our
guaranteeing money back for lost games and potential make-goods for all our clients. do you have a QuesTIon you would
creating events for our season ticket holders • Each of our clients is different – suites will lIke To ask The alsd MeMBershIP?
to keep them engaged. receive license fee credits depending on Let the ALSD help you reach all your fellow
• For suite accounts, we provided four compli- how many playoff games are played in 2012; members at one time. We’ll help you find your
mentary SRO tickets for all events through Harris Club and Theater Boxes will receive answers. That’s the true benefit of membership
December 31, 2011. We created events at a 2012 playoff credit if games are played; – not ALSD Member Questions, but ALSD
our building for our season ticket holders otherwise, they will receive a credit for the Member Answers.
(basketball clinic, movie night, Halloween 2012-13 season. Here’s how to submit your questions:
event), and we treated them to the other • Two years ago we started a Charter Member • Send your Member Question exactly how
events we have at our building like concerts program for our long-time suite holders you want it posted to members to Amanda
and University of Memphis Tigers college who have been with us for all 18 years we Verhoff at amanda@alsd.com OR
basketball. have been at the United Center. Now we are • Visit us on the web and submit your Mem-
• Contractually, we were obligated to deduct building on this program and adding a new ber Question at www.alsd.com/content/
varying amounts for each Grizzlies game recognition program for 5/10/15-year suite member-questions. Please note - members
missed. holders, somewhat like a rewards program, must be logged in to www.ALSD.com to
• We are in a bit of a different situation be- but we don’t like calling it one. We are submit questions.
cause there is still so much excitement from still working on the amenities list for each • When submitting a question, include all
last year’s incredible playoff run. We are in category. contact information, including your Name,
the top three in new season ticket sales, and • We hope and believe with our great cus- Organization, Title, Address, Phone and
our team is basically intact from last year. The tomer service and, hopefully, with the success Email Address, so respondents can reach you
real damage control will be if the team does of the teams, we will continue to have a high in the way most appropriate to completely
not perform to expectations. renewal rate like we have had in the past answer the question.
years. We will meet individually with all of • ALSD tracks all responses and archives
A:
• We have had the good fortune of the
our suite holders up for renewal this year and
go over any concerns they may have about
this season and the future. We are always
answers on www.ALSD.com.
• Member Questions are sent to TEAM
AND VENUE MEMBERS ONLY to
Chicago Blackhawks playing here at the communicating with our clients, so we avoid solicitations.
start of the season as well as having some shouldn’t have any surprises when we meet
great special events/concerts. Our customers with them in the spring. CoMInG uP neXT:
have been here but just not for NBA games. TICkeTMasTer enhanCes
Therefore, we continue receiving their loyalty, fan eXPerIenCe wITh
and we continue servicing the heck out of all faCeBook feaTure
our accounts!
20 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
23. While your team is winning the game, Agilysys helps you win the crowd.
Wants a beer but doesn’t want to miss the action.
Use mobile POS to pre-order and bust the queue.
Halftime starting in four minutes and stadium network has just crashed.
Still serve three times as many customers off-line with easy-to-use POS.
Pre-ordered four vegetarian plates for luxury suite.
Automatically adjust catering inventory.
Agilysys solutions provide you with total control of your retail and food & beverage operations—so you can
simplify management and improve revenue stadium-wide. Provide faster, more accurate service in luxury suites
and club sections with mobile POS devices. Speed up concession lines and increase sales volumes with easy-to-use
POS terminals. Maintain accurate inventory of every concession, bar, restaurant, caterer and fan shop—in real time—
during your events. And improve planning with in-depth analytics and superior reporting capabilities. It’s everything
you need to simplify operations and boost your bottom line—only from Agilysys. Find out what Agilysys can do for you.
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Agilysys solutions include:
24. industry and association nEws
TD Garden chef has championship taste, p.26
Member Highlight: Andrew Silverman, p.30
Ticketmaster facebook feature enhances fan experience
The interactive seating map allows fans to control social aspects of the online buying experience
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Chuck Salter, Senior key is to think of social media investments in
according to Ticketmaster,
Writer, Fast Company (www.fastcompany.com) terms of the fan’s motivation to do four things*:
each time a ticket buyer
A
1. Connect
side from fan passion, what is the biggest 2. Create
influence on a fan’s decision to buy a 3. Consume shares with facebook
ticket? No, it’s not the price, the venue, 4. Control friends that he or she
the date or anything related to the event. Effective social media strategy motivates fans
With a qualified prospect willing, able and to connect with others, create content, and to is attending an event,
interested in buying, research tells us the biggest consume and control their online experiences.
factor is whether or not others close to the fan Each of these can be measured and linked to
the mention to others
want to attend. Over 98% of fans attend games purchases. Now there is an even better way to generates an average
with at least one other person. If no one else marry social media strategy with actual purchase
wants to go, neither will even the most passion- behavior. additional $5.30 in ticket
ate fan. Ticketmaster’s new Facebook interface allows
With the advent of digital social media, social fans to connect with friends, create content to
revenue.
effects are readily observed as fans post a Face- post, and control social aspects of the online
book status update (e.g. “Who else is going to buying experience. The interactive seating map
the game?”), upload pictures with others at the is available for events in over 300 entertainment Mr. Salter, whose article “Ticketmaster teams
event to Facebook or Flickr, and text or tweet venues. Chuck Salter, Senior Writer at Fast with Facebook so you can sit next to your
about the fun they’re having to impress others. Company, says Nathan Hubbard, Ticketmas- friends” recently appeared on www.fastcompany.
The question is, “How can sellers of sports ter’s CEO, expects the Ticketmaster Facebook com, we are able to present features and discuss
and entertainment capitalize on social media?” interface to be more widely used with sporting ways to make the application work for all teams
Expenditures on social media have uncertain events, because the seating maps don’t change and venues.
returns unless clear metrics are established. The the way they do with concerts. Working with
ConversIon
According to Ticketmaster, each time a ticket
buyer shares with Facebook friends that he
or she is attending an event, the mention to
others generates an average additional $5.30
in ticket revenue. Not unlike sporting events,
such as Major League Baseball, an estimated 40
percent of live event tickets go unsold. No mat-
ter the level of unsold inventory, the enhanced
Facebook connectivity increases the fan’s ability
to connect and control more of the social experi-
ence of attending an event. This digital word of
mouth converts into measurable incremental
revenue.
ConTrol
According to Debbie Hsu, Ticketmaster’s
Director of Product Management, the interac-
tive seat map allows fans to choose exact seats
instead of relying on “best available” options.
That level of control benefits Ticketmaster, the
venue and the customer. By connecting to Face-
book, fans can see where friends have purchased
tickets, if fans tag their seats. Through social
media campaigns, teams can encourage fans to
connect and post as a way to demonstrate pas-
[continued on page 76]
*Hoffman, Donna L. and Marek Fodor (2010), “Can
Under Control: Fans view a list of Facebook friends attending an event to the left of the venue's seat map, which displays Facebook flags in you measure the ROI of your social media marketing?”
the sections where friends are sitting. MIT Sloan Management Review, 52 (Fall), 41-49.
22 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
26. industry and association nEws
alsd evaluates fanvision in Cleveland’s dawg Pound
Ryan Mirabedini reports on his Cleveland Browns game experience with the fan-friendly handheld device
r
arely for better and usually for worse, I
am a Cleveland Browns fan. It’s no secret
regarding their on-field struggles. Having
said that, I love the team, and I love the
City of Cleveland. When I knew I would be
attending an October matchup against the Se-
attle Seahawks, I began to wonder how I could
improve my experience at the stadium. While
on the nerdy side, I have a fantasy football team
I care quite a bit about (they actually win), and
as many in this day and age do, I need to know
what’s happening across the league at all times.
Considering this, one name came to mind:
FanVision.
After a few email exchanges, Matt Lukens,
Vice President of Business Development at
FanVision, very kindly coordinated my use of
their handheld unit at the game. Upon receiving
the FanVision from Natalie Zamora, FanVision
Regional Manager, I was instantly mesmerized.
With a 4.3-inch LCD display, it fit comfortably
in my lap and was easy to hold in my hands.
While I had previously seen the product at the
2011 ALSD Conference and Tradeshow, this
was my first in-game experience with one.
As I settled into my seat in the Dawg Pound,
I began to notice the several features available.
With concern for the aforementioned fantasy
team, I was thrilled at what I saw. On the unit,
I was able to find each player on my team
and, subsequently, save them as my roster. My
assumption was that the stats would update,
which they did, but that’s not all. Throughout
the day, anytime one of “my players” scored, the
FanVision would buzz an alert, similar to a cell
phone notification. Complimented by access to
NFL Network’s Redzone, I was successfully able
to know what my players were doing and then
watch them do it. Talk about instant gratifica-
tion.
While the fantasy feature was great during be true for a suite holder or club seat patron Bring the House Down: FanVision’s camera angles and instant
those pesky TV timeouts, other capabilities of whose client he or she is entertaining is having replays are only available through a FanVision unit in the venue,
the FanVision were useful during the game, a great time but desperately wants to know if providing stiff competition for the ever-improving home viewing
including FanVision’s customized cameras. the rumor is true that Matt Ryan just broke his experience.
Not only could I watch instant replays of the ankle. While others struggle with lagging cell
action between the lines immediately after they service, the administrator simply reaches for
happened, but I could also look at shots of the their FanVision and shows that all is well with
sidelines as Colt McCoy wished aloud that he the Atlanta QB1.
was six inches taller or as Pete Carroll ran the So while the Browns 6-3 victory that day was
sidelines like Andy Dufresne running to free- widely considered a setback to modern football,
dom outside of Shawshank State Prison. Bottom my personal experience was one of enjoyment
line: I felt like I was sitting in every seat of the and entertainment. Roar with the crowd: Check.
stadium at once plus on my couch at home. Watch replays while the guy next to me scratch-
The home viewing experience seems to be a es his belly: Check. Have a fun fall afternoon by
common excuse for dwindling ticket sales where Lake Erie made that much better by FanVision:
they exist, but with FanVision, those objections Signed, Sealed and Delivered.
begin to disappear. I contend this would also – Ryan Mirabedini
24 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2012
27. GIVE YOUR FANS
10 MORE REASONS
TO CHEER.
FanVision enhances your fans’ game-day experience by
turning your venue into a smart venue. Now they can tap
into ten channels of instant replays, multiple camera views,
statistics, commentary and out-of-market games at your
venue, the moment the action happens. Which means they
get closer to the action than ever before, stay in their seats
and return season after season.
For more information, visit FanVision.com
Welcome to the Inside.