Jared Smith Promoted To Ticketmaster Global Chairman, Amy Howe, Mark Yovich Named Global COO, Global President
Posted: 15 Aug 2020, 12:20 am
Pollstar has confirmed that Jared Smith, Ticketmaster Global
President, has been elevated to Global Chairman of Ticketmaster while
Amy Howe, the ticketing platform?s President of North America, and Mark
Yovich, President of International, have been promoted to Global Chief
Operating Officer and President of Global Business, respectively.
Streampunks: How Veeps, Via Good Charlotte's Joel & Benji Madden, Is Generating Millions For Artists
Posted: 15 Aug 2020, 12:00 am
Perhaps two of the last people you?d expect to be leading today?s livestreaming game are two pop punk stars who a few decades back were eliciting shrieks of tween joy on MTV?s ?TRL? and rocking the Warped Tour while sporting eyeliner, tats and spiky hair. But it?s their perspective as artists that makes all the difference.
Zach Williams, For King & Country, Kanye West Get Dove Noms
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 8:00 pm
Christian artist Zach Williams and For King & Country are the leading artist nominees at this year?s Dove Awards, while rapper Kanye West and singer Gloria Gaynor earned their first ever nominations.
25 Years After Jerry’s Passing, The Dead Remain Touring Legends
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 7:33 pm
When The Grateful Dead?s Jerry Garcia died 25 years ago this month on Aug. 9, 1995, it marked the end of one of the greatest rock ensembles and touring bands of the 20th century. The group that formed in Palo Alto, Calif., in 1965 ranked among the top five grossing tours in Pollstar for nine consecutive years ? 1987-1995 ? and twice at No. 1 (1991 and 1993).
Streampunks: How Veeps Is Generating Millions For Artists
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 3:30 pm
Perhaps two of the last people you?d expect to be leading today?s livestreaming game are two pop punk stars who a few decades back were eliciting shrieks of tween joy on MTV?s ?TRL? and rocking the Warped Tour while sporting eyeliner, tats and spiky hair. But it?s their perspective as artists that makes all the difference.
Live In The Time Of COVID-19: Streaming Concerts For Friday, August 14
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 12:00 pm
Concerts requiring mass, in-person gatherings have come to a halt thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but a germ can't stop the music. Artists across the globe are stepping up to perform in creative ways, most notably with livestreaming performances across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch and beyond.
Reopening Europe: UK Allows Indoor Concerts, Switzerland Lifts 1,000-Cap Limit From October UPDATE
Posted: 14 Aug 2020, 9:26 am
Indoor venues in the UK will finally be able to reopen at capacities that make sure people can maintain the mandated distance, which is one meter in England, and two meters in Scotland and Wales (with exceptions in some premises).
Unusual times call for unusual measures, and it?s unsurprising that the preternaturally gifted Bridgers has met the moment, whether going live from within Minecraft or doing donuts in a parking lot while her dash-cam filmed a performance of ?I See You? for a spot on ?The Late Late Show With James Corden.? But thanks to her musical strength and digital savvy, Bridgers? popularity has continued to skyrocket, even with physical touring off the table.
‘Ready to Play’ is the sports industry’s Arc Re-Entry
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 10:02 pm
By Kristen Fulmer
In recent months, COVID-19 has amplified the importance of air and water quality, effective communications and signage, equitable design and many other critical facets of the healthy buildings movement. The larger ?sustainable design? industry has leveraged this momentum and has begun to address healthy, safe, and sustainable strategies for the reopening of buildings that have been temporarily closed.
As research emerges and procedures evolve from recommendations to mandatory protocol, the green buildings movement is working in real time to validate that the protocol is healthy for all building occupants and will remain applicable to future-proof the operational resiliency, while promoting sustainable best practices.
The drive to reopen spans all industries and though the reopening of office, dining, and retail space has been a primary focus, the sports industry is also hard at work. As one of the last public spaces to reopen, these venues, arenas and stadiums have tremendous opportunity to leverage the #BuildBackBetter movement, integrating safe, resilient, and sustainable strategies into an enjoyable re-welcoming of fans back to stadiums. Of course, the balance to guarantee safety and health, including security, sustainability, and ease of enjoyment is not a simple task.
Historically, sustainability professionals have been advocates for the integration of healthy, sustainable strategies in building design, construction, and operations. A subset of those subject matter experts have been largely focused on the sports greening movement, which is the intersection between sustainable buildings, sustainable events, and the powerful platform of the sports industry. The Green Sports Alliance (GSA) is one of the largest networks of professional and collegiate-minded sports organizations, sustainable vendors, and sustainability professionals and has recently been heavily focused on supporting their members to reopen safely and sustainably.
In early June 2020, the GSA partnered with USGBC?s Arc?s Re-Entry Platform, as an effort to provide their members with an actionable tool to consolidate best practices and track industry movement towards them. Following the announcement of the partnership, the Green Sports Alliance sourced a team of experts within their network to form a ?Ready to Play? Working Group. In the last two months, the select collection of venue operation managers, green sports consultants, and various subject matter experts, worked diligently to tailor the Arc Re-Entry Toolkit into a Playbook of best practices, recommendations, references, and standards for the sports industry.
As a contributing member to the ?Ready to Play? Working Group, our group discussed nuances and unique qualities of the sports industry, shared resources that we had seen that may be applicable to reopening sports, and split into groups to address the three pillars of Arc Re-Entry, including Facility Management, Occupant Experience, and Indoor Air Quality.
Some critical takeaways in applying Arc Re-Entry to the sports industry include:
While live sports continue to be paused, the larger sports industry has a tremendous opportunity to reopen safely while promoting environmental sustainability, social equity, and the other critical components of a sustainable building. The ?Ready to Play? Working Group discussed this opportunity to #BuildBackBetter at length, and approached the collection of recommendations with the interest of integrating all facets of sustainability into the reopening plan. This is evident in the framework of the Playbook, which is designed to address holistic implications of the virus.
Unlike other more standard real estate typologies, each sports venue is uniquely designed. Some are indoors and some are open-air; some were built to accommodate large seated crowds and others are built to facilitate more active participation; some are home to professional sports that have much higher operational budgets than others; and of course, each venue is part of a larger community, which has experienced COVID-19 quite differently. To ensure that the ?Ready to Play? Playbook was inclusive of all live stadium types, the ?Ready to Play? Working Group collected a variety of applicable resources and best practices and included notes to support GSA?s full network of members.
The return of live sports will probably be phased to reduce the concentration of crowds. The team assumed that the stadium will not be sold out the first day it is open, but will instead increase the sale of tickets over time, to ensure a safe and enjoyable return of fans. To support event teams? comprehensive roll-out, the ?Ready to Play? Working Group addressed strategies that could evolve over time, including facility management best practices and policy updates, periodic air quality testing protocol, and recommendations for addressing occupant feedback.
Last week, Green Sports Alliance released the first version of the ?Ready to Play? Playbook. Over time, the Working Group will continue to iterate this Playbook to accommodate the additional research that will emerge about the virus generally, and will integrate lessons learned and case studies from live events that have since opened to the public.
Kristen Fulmer, Founder of Recipric, is a sustainability expert, focused on maximizing performance and promoting occupant health and wellbeing within the built environment. At Recipric, she applies this passion to the sports industry, integrating holistic sustainability strategy into sports organizations and their brand partners to ensure measurable, impactful positive impact.
Voices Of Live: Courtney Stewart On Finding His Place In The Music Biz – ‘This Is My Calling’
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 6:10 pm
While attending a performing arts high school, Courtney Stewart began rapping and making beats, and then put out mixtapes in college. He and friend/fellow musician Bobby Wilson (now known as Bobby V and formerly Bobby Valentino) made a pact that whoever made it first would ?pull the other up,? so after Wilson?s music took off, Stewart became his manager.
'Joint Plan Of Action' On Live Nation Germany Return
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 2:41 pm
Live Nation's plans for "Give Live A Chance" in Germany, part of its worldwide Return To Live campaign have been put on hold, after the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), where the concert is scheduled to take place, Sept. 4.
Live In The Time Of COVID-19: Streaming Concerts For Thursday, August 13
Posted: 13 Aug 2020, 12:00 pm
Concerts requiring mass, in-person gatherings have come to a halt thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but a germ can't stop the music. Artists across the globe are stepping up to perform in creative ways, most notably with livestreaming performances across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch and beyond.
This year's digital International Festival Forum (iFF) in London, Sept. 2-3, will feature a keynote with WME's former head of music Mark Geiger, who'll be conversing with Lisa Yang of Goldman Sachs.
'Sessions Live Canada' Virtual Concerts Launches With The Feldman Agency
Posted: 12 Aug 2020, 10:12 pm
The Feldman Agency has teamed with Sessions Live for the launch of Sessions Live Canada, which it calls the first live streaming platform custom-built to support musicians by expanding their fanbase while generating income.
Crew Nation Relief Raises $15M, Helping 15,000 Production Staff
Posted: 12 Aug 2020, 5:32 pm
The Crew Nation Global Relief Fund has raised $15 million to support live music crews affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with 15,000 crew across 36 countries benefiting from the Live Nation-started program.
Boxoffice Insider: Live In Madrid – WiZink Center Opened Their Doors With July Events
Posted: 12 Aug 2020, 3:00 pm
One of the consistently highest-ranked arenas in Pollstar?s quarterly charts ? most recently No. 1 in the June 29 Mid-Year issue ? is Madrid?s WiZink Center, which recently added three indoor events staged during July to the Boxoffice tallies.
Sinatra Protege Trini Lopez Dies Of COVID-19 Complications
Posted: 12 Aug 2020, 2:00 pm
Trini Lopez, a singer and guitarist who gained fame for his versions of "Lemon Tree" and "If I Had a Hammer" in the 1960s and took his talents to Hollywood, died Tuesday. He was 83.
‘I'm Not Going Anywhere, No Matter The Obstacles’: Q’s With Lina Ugrinovska
Posted: 12 Aug 2020, 11:28 am
Lina Ugrinovska, international booker at Password Production in Macedonia, has been outspoken on all things concerning mental health ever since working her way out of her own mental health crisis.
Agent Simon Clarkson Joins ICM Partners To Start Domestic Electronic Music Division
Posted: 11 Aug 2020, 5:31 pm
Talent agency ICM Partners has hired international music agent Simon Clarkson who, based in Los Angeles, starts immediately to head up a new ICM electronic music division domestically.
Muse Announces Mixed-Reality Virtual Stadium Experience With Stageverse
Posted: 11 Aug 2020, 4:50 pm
This fall, Muse will return to stadiums ? virtual ones, at least ? with the launch of "Muse's Simulation Theory: Virtual Experience," which will offer up a mixed-reality experience for fans with a combination of concert footage and digital socializing.
Council for Responsible Sport now developing Responsible Sport Standard for Organizations
Posted: 7 Aug 2020, 8:34 pm
Event professionals are invited to provide input on standards of best practice in social and environmental responsibility in sport.
PORTLAND, OR August 7, 2020?Since 2007, the Council for Responsible Sport (Council) has offered a framework by which standalone sporting events can assess and certify their social and environmental impacts. The Council is now facilitating the development of criteria for organizations that produce and/or host multiple events, and it seeks event professionals? input on what they care about and need help with when it comes to making their organizations and the events they produce more responsible.
As part of a stakeholder input process to develop the new Responsible Sport Standard for Organizations, sport industry professionals are encouraged to provide their opinions on the new program in the form of a brief survey launched today that asks, among other things, about their perception of organizations? capabilities to act on social and environmental values.
Event professionals can contribute to the development of the new Responsible Sport Standard for Organizations by taking the survey found here.
The new program will be adaptable to different types of sport hosting organizations, from groups with various-sized event portfolios, to sport governing bodies and franchises. Organizations that enroll in the web-based system to track and report their actions will have the opportunity to be verified by a third-party to earn certification, thus obtaining license to use the Responsible Sport Certified seal of achievement and be publicly recognized by the Council for their efforts with a public-facing report.
?The sport sector has been one of the hardest hit by COVID and the subsequent economic fallout, but we have no doubt that sports will come back in time? said the Council?s managing director, Shelley Villalobos. ?We are using this break from events to develop a program that helps sport entities streamline measurement, improve performance on social and environmental metrics over time, and be recognized for those good works.?
The new criteria maintains the Council?s traditional five-category structure, including (1) Planning & Communications; (2) Procurement; (3) Resource Management; (4) Access & Equity, and; (5) Community Legacy, and will include expanded guidance on governance, diversity, inclusion and climate action elements.
In addition to the survey inviting input from any sport industry professional, the Council is convening delegates from across the sport landscape to provide scrutiny via three channels. First, a 20-member advisory committee with representation by organizations that have strong reputations in social and environmental responsibility including the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Sport Ecology Group, Track Shack Events, IRONMAN, New York Road Runners and Blue Strike Environmental, among others. Second, technical advisors are providing expertise from varying stakeholder perspectives, and third, an expert review panel of sport executives and thought leaders will convene virtually in the fall of 2020 to review and finalize the new standard alongside the Council for Responsible Sport?s board of directors.
The new program builds on recent contributions towards a more sustainable events industry by the Council, including a free 10-point ?Practical Guide to Hosting Radically Responsible Events? released in February 2020 in partnership with the hydration company Nuun that has been downloaded by over 300 sport event organizers to date.
Organizations that host or produce sport events that are interested in testing the new standards and providing feedback are encouraged to get in touch with the Council to learn more.
Since 2007, the Council for Responsible Sport has been helping people measure and manage the social and environmental impacts of their events. Certified events are some of the world?s leading examples of responsible sport in action.
The Council?s vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm and its mission is to provide objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are doing to make a difference in their communities. A responsible event is one that undertakes a holistic assessment of the ways the event affects people, generates economic activity, and uses raw materials and energy that affect local ecosystems and Earth?s broader ecology.
The current version of the Responsible Sport Standards (v.4.2) was developed by an outside working group of both sustainability and sport industry experts, reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders throughout 2013 and implemented in January 2014. www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org
Arsenal’s sustainability efforts saved 10.7m kg of carbon emissions since 2018
Posted: 6 Aug 2020, 11:23 pm
By Steven Impey, SportsPro Media
Getty Images
English top-flight soccer club bidding to become carbon neutral.
3MWh battery storage system installed at Emirates Stadium in 2018
Arsenal ranked as most sustainable team in the Premier League
Club is working with fans and partners to increase sustainability efforts
Arsenal’s sustainability efforts have seen the English top-flight soccer club save more than 10.7 million kilograms of carbon emissions during their last 103 home games, according to figures seen by SportsPro.
Those savings, revealed during the latest edition of SportsPro?s Insider Series, are roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by 53,500 trees during their lifetime.
Alice Larkworthy, Arsenal?s senior partner services manager, said that the club was also working with their fans and stakeholders, including sponsors, to help shift the mindset around renewable energy and environmentally friendly practices.
?For us, we?re very much a values-led club and [that] forms the basis of all of our partnerships,? Larkworthy said. ?We want to ensure that we have that genuine alignment with what our objectives are.
“We have a great [platform] to talk about the sustainability initiatives we are doing and, as a result we?re giving it a [significant] level of interest. With that, our existing partners are exploring what their sustainability initiatives look like and how we can weave that into the partnership.
?Now that there is a shift in focus for a lot of people and a for lot of partners in particular – whether that is with us or they have their own sustainability objectives we can work alongside – it?s all about working in tandem and learning from our partners.?
To support the club on their journey to carbon neutrality, Arsenal partnered with UK sustainable energy supplier Octopus Energy in 2016, with whom they are working on athlete-led initiatives featuring several first-team players.
?A lot of these efforts are stepping stones to get us there,” Larkworthy continued. “Since 1999, we?ve planted about 29,000 trees ? 500 of which are alongside the Octopus team ? and have incorporated our Junior Gunners [members] into that messaging, and ensuring it?s hitting the age group that will ultimately affect what the future looks like.
?Due to the battery, we?ve also played over 100 games using stored energy at the stadium, so it is really across the board. I think we try to do everything that we can and also talk about it where we can. It?s all well and good for us to be doing these things, but we have to make sure the right people are listening and taking inspiration.
?The way the last few months have been, I think a lot more people are looking in the mirror and thinking what can they do. As much as there are target [audiences] such as the younger generation, I do think that this is something that everybody needs to be aware of and can do their little bit and make small changes for the greater good.?
The Envision Virgin Racing outfit has become the first team in Formula E to be given a certified carbon neutral status.
Recognised by the Carbon Trust, the grade accounts for the squad?s operational facilities based at Silverstone and London in addition to the travel for its 40 race staff.
The achievement was announced during the team?s Race Against Climate Change Live summit, which notably featured Arsenal wing back Hector Bellerin as well as United Nations ambassador Aidan Gallagher – best known for his acting role in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy.
Envision Virgin Racing was also recognised for its 100% use of renewable energy sources, the installation of electric car charging ports at its Silverstone base, recycling 69% of its total waste and a ban on single-use plastics and red meat at events.
The team?s operations director Jennifer Babington said: ?Given there are just a handful of sports teams to have achieved this accolade – and even fewer motorsport teams – I know every single staff member is immensely proud of our achievement.
?We?ve long been regarded as more than just a race team, using our platform to raise awareness of climate change, but we wanted to practice what we preached, as well as to show – and call upon other teams – to follow suit and prove how sport and sustainability can co-exist.
?It?s taken a lot of hard work to gain our carbon neutral status, and will to maintain it.?
?Of course, where we?ve been unable to reduce our carbon footprint in the first instance we?ve implemented carbon offsetting.?
This includes the Kenya-based Aqua Clara Water Filter Scheme, which works to purify water rather than clean it via boiling, saving an estimated 2.4-million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
John Newton, associate director at the Carbon Trust, added: ?Envision Virgin Racing first started working with the Carbon Trust at the beginning of 2017 and has now taken the appropriate measures to have its own operations certified carbon neutral for all seasons since then.
?This has been strengthened by a commitment to ensure it will maintain this status going forward.
?The influence a sports team has in this space should never be underestimated and by demonstrating their own action on sustainability they can inspire others, whether businesses or fans, to also take action.?
Formula E has also launched its Positively Charged campaign, which will work to reduce inner-city carbon emissions by promoting the greater adoption of EVs and hybrids powertrains.
The championship will also launch a Positive Future programme for its seventh season in 2020-21.
This follows cost-saving measures already announced for the next campaign, which will lead to a reduction in the consumables each team uses per race meeting.
Tyre allocations will be slashed by 25% and FE team garage members will be cut from 20 to 17.
A Logistics Working Group will also be established to improve the efficiency of race travel in FE.
In Celebration of the Team?s First Game of the 2019-20 Restart, Golden 1 Center Offers Takeout Menu of Gameday Favorites for Curbside Pickup Beginning July 31
Today, the Sacramento Kings and Golden 1 Center announced the launch of the first NBA curbside pickup menu program featuring contactless payment powered by Rooam, a technology company focused on providing easy-to-use mobile payment solutions. This collaboration builds on the team?s technology leadership to enable fans to order and pay their check directly from their phone. Available beginning Friday, July 31, the Kings, Golden 1 Center and Legends Hospitality, the team?s hospitality and culinary partner, will offer a takeout menu of gameday favorites such as burgers, hot dogs, nachos, cookies and popcorn as well as Bogle Proud Roots wine and beer.
?We are committed to reimagining the fan experience using innovative solutions during this unprecedented time,? said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. ?Rooam?s contactless payment technology enables us to safely engage with our fans while celebrating the return of basketball with Golden 1 Center gameday menu favorites.?
“Rooam is the leading contactless payment solution in the country,” said Rooam CEO Junaid Shams. “The Kings are leaders in implementing new technology to improve the fan experience. Together, we will be at the forefront of innovation, building a blueprint for other sports and entertainment venues to follow during COVID.”
As fans enjoy the return of game action on Kings TV and radio, they can pre-order food through the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center App or order day-of for real-time takeout at Golden 1 Center to enjoy as they cheer on the team. Curbside pickup will take place on L Street between 6th and 7th street beginning three hours prior to tip and close one hour after the game starts. This offer will be available on gamedays the entire time the team plays in Orlando.
View the full menu offered for contactless curbside pickup HERE.
For years, the Kings have put safety, convenience, and innovation top of mind at Golden 1 Center. Earlier this season, the Kings opened the world?s in-arena checkout-free convenience store through a partnership with Zippin, allowing visitors to walk in, grab an item, and walk out in under 30 seconds. In February, the team partnered with Intel to launch the league?s first research and development (R&D) site at Golden 1 Center to test the next generation of immersive video technology and became the first arena in the world to let suite and loft guests pour their own drinks through an Internet of Things (IoT) powered device and mobile app called NINA. In March, the Kings announced an NBA?s first digital membership pass with the ability to deliver real-time personalized benefits to fans called Royalty Pass, powered by LAVA, to amplify fan engagement at games. The team is committed to using technology to reimagine the fan experience and have been named the “most innovative company in sports” by Fast Company and ?Most Tech-Savvy Team? by SportTechie.
During the 2015 offseason, the San Diego Padres turned Petco Park into something that few, if any, baseball teams had done before: a golf course. The Links by Callaway, a nine-hole ballpark golf experience done in conjunction with the infamous golf brand, has come back every year since.
While the Padres were becoming one of professional baseball?s first clubs to go through with the redesign, Geoff Iacuessa was taking notes on how it could be done.
?We saw the pictures and videos of it and thought, ?that might be something pretty neat to try here at our ballpark,?? Iacuessa, president and general manager of the Portland Sea Dogs, said. ?Then a couple of years ago, Hartford did it as well at their ballpark. It was something that we kept looking at for potentially doing in the fall after one of our seasons and hadn?t been able to pull it off yet but, with everything going on this year, I thought it was a good time to give it a try.?
The Sea Dogs are one of many Minor League Baseball teams that are taking a swing at the golf industry. After the season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the team worked for roughly a week to build a nine-hole golf course on the Skybox level at Hadlock Field. A member of the Sea Dogs? creative services team then began designing the layout of the holes and calculating the total distances and slopes.
After finishing touches on signage and scorecards, the Sea Dogs? golf transformation was complete and ready for sale at $30 per person. When Portland began selling tickets for the first experience from July 9 to 12, Iacuessa said that all 220 spots sold out in only one day.
Iacuessa declined to comment on how much revenue the Sea Dogs have generated from their foray into golf.
?Nothing?s going to make up for what we?ve lost with the season, but that?s no reason to sit on your hands and not do anything,? Iacuessa said. ?I think us, like many teams, are just trying to get as creative as possible to do events and create some revenue but to also be able to stay connected with the community.?
The Indianapolis Indians are another team that have taken it upon themselves to recreate their stadium into a golf course. From August 28 to 30, Victory Field will turn into ?The Links at Victory Field,? a nine-hole golf venue that will be open to individuals ($39 for nine holes), foursomes ($140 total for nine holes), and groups of 10 people ($500 per hour) who want to reserve private bays in the Yuengling Landing area.
Nine elevated tee boxes will be spaced throughout Victory Field, with all nine greens located on the baseball diamond. Five of the nine tee boxes are located in various locations around the left and right field sections, two are placed in the upper deck and holes eight and nine will be situated within the stadium?s new Elements Financial Club behind home plate.
?The golf outing was just one of a number of events that we had thrown out there as an idea,? Cheyne Reiter, the Indians? director of communications, said. ?There were a couple of other minor league teams spread across the country that had come out publicly as an event that they were looking to host at their stadiums and we thought, why not us? It?s a great opportunity for people to roll over some of their ticket credits from the 2020 season into a potential outing for themselves or for a four-some at Victory Field.?
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos, who have gotten attention for their unique efforts without baseball such as listing their stadium on Airbnb, got an idea to appeal to a different kind of golfer from minority owner and former Masters champion Bubba Watson.
When the pandemic struck MiLB in mid-March, Watson came to the Wahoos and asked if he could help add a disc golf course onto Admiral Fetterman Field. Donna Kirby, the Blue Wahoos? vice president of operations, had never heard of the game, but was intrigued by the idea. She and her colleagues began putting numbers together, gathering equipment and eventually rolled out professional baseball?s first-ever nine-hole disc golf course on May 15.
As many as 30 multiplayer teams have come out in a single day to the Blue Wahoos? disc golf course, which is only open on weekends. Kirby admits that it does not drive nearly as much revenue as the team?s Airbnb listing, but she knew that this non-baseball season is not about making money. The focus for the Blue Wahoos is two-fold: keep their 24 full-time employees on staff and make themselves available to the Pensacola community.
?We haven?t furloughed anybody, so keeping everybody on staff has been our number one goal,? Kirby said. ?And then number two, providing an outlet for the community so they?ve got a destination point that is safe, secure and family-friendly.?
?Money is way down at the bottom of the list,? Kirby added. ?As long as we can cover our payroll and keep our staff employed, that?s our number-one goal.?
With baseball on hold until 2021, MiLB teams are realizing that right now is the best time to experiment ? without any expiration date. From July 30 to August 2, the Blue Wahoos are hosting Eagles In The Outfield, a Topgolf-inspired golf competition where a dozen targets will be set up in the outfield and golfers will aim to hit them with their tee shots from stations beyond the centerfield wall.
After the initial success they saw, the Sea Dogs added four more days of golf from August 6 to 9. It varies slightly from the inaugural event in that people can book tee times every three minutes as opposed to six minutes. Within a day of going online, Iacuessa said that 300 of the 440 tee-time slots had already sold; as of July 29, only 25 tee times remain open for the entire four-day spectacle. Iacuessa has even gone as far to say that golf will be a part of the Sea Dogs? event plans this fall.
?As people?s behaviors change, the golf course has been a great place where, with COVID-19, people can socially distance,? Brad Horn, Syracuse public relations professor and sports PR professional, said.
?It?s innovative, it?s unique and it also promotes an experience, and those are the three key areas in which Minor League Baseball has been so successful over the years,? Horn said. ?I know not every club has the grounds-keeping talent to ensure that their field is not going to be chipped up with golf but, given that there?s no other product that really needs the field of play right now, it continues to show ingenuity and serve an important role locally in terms of relevance and getting name recognition out there.?
In January, no one expected that MiLB teams would be turning to golf to keep their clubs alive. To Kirby, that?s just the nature of the business.
?You have to be able to pivot with what we?re dealing with right now,? Kirby said. ?We?re going from being a baseball team to being a special events company.?
Will provide resources for families impacted by coronavirus
TORONTO – The National Hockey League (NHL®), the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), Bauer Hockey and Hockey Canada today launched a Hockey Equipment Relief Program. As communities begin to re-open and kids look to re-engage in sports, this program will help families financially impacted by COVID-19 get their kids back on the ice.
“Children across the country are eager to hit the ice, but given our current environment, families will face many challenges to provide resources for their kids to continue to participate in the game they love,” said Rob Knesaurek, NHL Group Vice President of Youth Hockey and Industry Growth Fund. “We are extremely proud that the Hockey Equipment Relief Program will not only help offset some of these costs but will also continue to prioritize making our game more inclusive and diverse for everyone.”
The NHL, NHLPA, Bauer Hockey and Hockey Canada combined resources to launch the Hockey Equipment Relief Program with an equipment donation initiative. This includes $2 million of hockey gear, with upwards of 7,000 sets to be distributed to families and communities most in need in the seven Canadian NHL cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal) and other regions across Canada. In the distribution of this equipment, particular attention will be provided to support minority communities.
“We’re proud to partner with the NHL, the NHLPA and Hockey Canada to help our game as regions begin to re-open,” said Mary-Kay Messier, VP of Global Marketing, Bauer Hockey. “The Hockey Equipment Relief Program is inspired by the realities that many hockey families are struggling financially. We know research shows that sports are critical for a child’s physical and mental health, and as a result we want to help struggling families get back on the ice without having to consider equipment costs.”
“As children look forward to returning to the ice with their friends, at the same time, many families are faced with the economic realities of COVID-19,” said Rob Zepp, NHLPA Manager, Special Projects. “It’s with great pride that alongside our First Shift partners, we’ve created a Hockey Equipment Relief Program to offset some of these costs and allow hockey participants to continue to experience their passion for the sport during such uncertain times.”
“As Hockey Canada and its 13 Members continue to work towards a safe return to hockey, it is important for us to recognize the difficulty faced by many Canadian families during these uncertain times,” said Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “We are proud to partner with the NHL, NHLPA and Bauer Hockey on the Hockey Equipment Relief Program, and to assist with equipment distribution through our Members and local hockey associations from coast to coast to coast. We know this great initiative will allow a number of children and their families across the country to make an affordable return to hockey as soon as it is deemed safe.”
The equipment donation program will be administered through the seven Canadian NHL Clubs, Hockey Canada and provincial governing bodies to determine distribution plans. An update on this equipment donation opportunity will be provided in August.
The NBA will provide thousands of COVID-19 tests to various areas around the country as part of the NBA Together campaign, the league announced Wednesday.
“Public health data has made clear that the impacts of the coronavirus are most concentrated in historically marginalized communities of color where access to testing is scarce.” the league said in its statement. “To meet this need, the NBA collaborated with UnidosUS and the National Urban League as well as several private laboratories to identify communities most in need and provide access to no-cost testing programs in addition to communicating public health information to community members.”
Additionally, the NBA is providing free, daily testing at a mobile collection site in Orlando, Florida, where the league is preparing to resume the season Thursday. Appointments can be made for a test at Appointments.BioReference.com/NBAOrlando.
The news follows the NBA’s latest release of its own internal testing results, which found the Florida bubble has remained intact.
Of the 344 players currently on the campus of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, zero tested positive for the coronavirus. No players have tested positive since arriving at the bubble in mid-July. Those test results are also being reviewed in numerous academic studies on pooled testing and rapid turnaround testing to assess outbreak control and management.
Now the league is working to ensure it is taking care of the communities most at-risk across the nation.
Not only have the NBA and WNBA recorded more than 45 public service announcements, but they have also partnered with a national coalition of health officials to drive donations of plasma from those who have already survived COVID-19.
Including the site in Florida, the NBA has Federally Qualified Health Centers in all 30 local team markets and has donated tests to those facilities.
Plans to make testing available nationwide through basketball were first approved through the league’s health and safety protocols to return to play in 2020.
The pledge by the Seattle NHL expansion team, Amazon, and Oak View Group to change the name of Seattle?s Key Arena to ?Climate Pledge Arena? and renovate it to be environmentally green is encouraging, but a true commitment to environmental justice, going beyond the building structure and changes, would better impact the racially diverse and low-income neighborhoods that commonly surround these stadiums, say Mustafa Santiago Ali, founder and CEO of Revitalization Strategies, and Kunal Merchant, managing director of Lotus Advisory.
The Seattle Kraken, Oak View Group, and Amazon made waves in announcing plans to rechristen the new and much-improved Key Arena as Climate Pledge Arena. It?s an intriguing move, and easily the highest profile pro sports venue naming rights deal to be centered so prominently around sustainability. It?s an encouraging, but incomplete start.
Underpinning the name are several promising commitments: a fully carbon-neutral facility, a functionally zero-waste operation, and the ?greenest ice? in the world has seen?complete with electric-powered Zambonis. These represent potentially game-changing achievements, building on years of increased momentum across the sports industry to build better and greener buildings.
However, amidst these meaningful pledges is a glaring blind spot, one missed not only in Seattle, but by the sports industry as a whole: a true commitment to environmental justice.
The Need to Think Beyond Buildings
Discussions of sustainability in sports have focused largely on how to better design, build and operate sports facilities. Stadiums and arenas have grown more adept at reducing energy and water consumption, utilizing greener supplies and materials, reducing trash, promoting recycling, and accommodating public transit.
But in any given community, the reach of a sports team is far greater than the footprint of its stadium or arena. To be truly bold and innovative on sustainability, teams must work harder to think beyond their buildings.
Practically every city that a pro sports team calls home also is home to thousands of residents disproportionately impacted by the negative consequences of the collective mismanagement of our air, water and soil. Tragically, America has a decades-long legacy of dumping pollution onto the doorsteps of our poorest communities. These sacrifice zones are where we place everything no one else wants?incinerators, coal fired power plants, waste treatment facilities, bus depots, lower-income housing, roads and much more.
Climate Justice Is Linked to Racial Justice
As others have noted, climate justice is inextricably linked to racial justice. When communities of color say ?We Can?t Breathe,? take them seriously and literally. Disproportionately, fossil fuel facilities locate in Black and brown neighborhoods. Disproportionately, the over 100,000 Americans who die prematurely each year from air pollution are African American and Latinx.
This reality is not unknown to the people of Seattle. A recent American Lung Association report, ranked Seattle as the ninth-worst city in America for air pollution. The resulting toxic exposures are linked to higher asthma, kidney, and cancer rates, along with a host of other public health concerns. Several additional studies have highlighted the disproportionate impact of diesel and industrial emissions in South Seattle. We must come together to address these public health challenges, if young children and athletes will ever be able to reach their full potential on and off the field.
As recent protests have raged in cities large and small across the country, Seattle has been home to some of the boldest and loudest voices in the fight for racial justice.
It follows then that in all cities, and at all moments, Seattle?s team can?t afford to leave climate justice out of its climate agenda.
Moving forward, we encourage a few additions to the ?Climate Pledge:?
conduct a ?Climate Justice Audit? to assess how team, venue, and corporate partner operations (including Amazon) adversely impact environmental and health conditions in low-income neighborhoods;
forge and fund authentic collaborative partnerships with local frontline leaders in climate-focused organizations dedicated to improving the health, safety and economic prospects of low-income communities of color;
review and enhance internal diversity, equity, and inclusion policies to ensure that the team and venue?s workforce?particularly in senior management roles?adequately integrates the voices and perspectives of communities disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis;
create an independent community advisory council to review, monitor and report out on the team?s long-term progress against Climate Pledge commitments, including additional metrics on climate justice; and
leverage the team?s considerable marketing assets to build a truly comprehensive education and advocacy campaign around the Climate Pledge initiative that enables fans, employees, corporate partners, and the general public become more educated and mobilized around climate justice issues
The Seattle Kraken, Oak View Group, and Amazon rightly deserve praise for pushing the envelope on sports and sustainability. But there is still more to do. Moving forward, let?s hope they ensure that all issues and all stakeholders have a seat at the table.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. or its owners.
Author Information
Mustafa Santiago Ali, founder and CEO of Revitalization Strategies, is a member of the Environmental Protection Network, and vice president of Environmental Justice, Climate and Community Revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation, and served as associate administrator in EPA?s Office of Environmental Justice for more than two decades.
Kunal Merchant is a member of the board of directors of the Green Sports Alliance, and managing director of Lotus Advisory, a firm that advises professional sports teams and leagues on strategy, public policy, and social impact.
The Kraft Group Scores a Touchdown for Sustainability with the Addition of Bloom Energy Servers to the Clean Energy Lineup Powering Gillette Stadium
Posted: 28 Jul 2020, 6:56 pm
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. & SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Kraft Group has added to its portfolio of clean energy solutions powering Gillette Stadium with the introduction of fuel cell technology from Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE).
Gillette Stadium is the region?s premier sports and entertainment venue and home to the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. The stadium attracts New England?s largest summer concerts, hosts an array of other sporting events and operates with office and function space that is utilized year-round. Bloom Energy Servers provide the stadium with two megawatts of power, supplying nearly 50 percent of the 65,878-seat stadium?s energy needs.
The Energy Servers are composed of solid oxide fuel cells and generate electricity without combustion using a highly efficient, electrochemical process. The use of Bloom Energy Servers is expected to reduce nearly 1,500 metric tons of CO2 each year.
The Kraft Group has already implemented several other clean energy and energy efficiency measures, including 500 kilowatts of combined heat and power at Gillette Stadium and one megawatt of solar panels throughout Patriot Place.
?Professional sports teams have the ability to leverage their visibility and following to drive social impact in the communities that support them,? said Dan Middleton, SVP of Americas at Bloom Energy. ?The Kraft Group is leading the charge for sustainability, minimizing its own environmental impact by utilizing all available technologies, and serving as a role model for other organizations to follow.?
?Good business and sustainability go hand in hand,? said Jim Nolan, COO of Gillette Stadium. ?The addition of Bloom Energy Servers provides power that is not only clean, but also reliable and always-on for stadium-goers and the community.?
The Bloom Energy Servers were installed in a microgrid-ready configuration, allowing the stadium to easily upgrade to a microgrid. A microgrid is a localized power grid that can disconnect from the traditional grid to operate autonomously. Bloom?s AlwaysON Microgrid solution provides enhanced resiliency in the face of grid outages and extreme weather events along with predictable energy costs. Planning for the future in this way aligns with the Kraft Group?s goal for Gillette Stadium to be the first stadium in the world to operate independently of the traditional electric grid.
Bloom Energy Servers also power the Honda Center, SAP Center, and STAPLES Center sporting arenas.
About The Kraft Group
The Kraft Group, headquartered in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is the holding company for the Kraft family?s many businesses, with concentrated interests in the following areas: the distribution of forest products, paper and packaging manufacturing, sports and entertainment, real estate development, as well as private equity and venture investing. Together, the Rand-Whitney Group and International Forest Products conduct business in more than 100 countries and form one of the largest privately-owned paper, packaging and distribution companies in the world, trading more than 4 million tons of pulp and paper grades annually. For more information, visit www.thekraftgroup.com.
About Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy?s mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. The company?s product, the Bloom Energy Server, delivers highly reliable and resilient, always-on electric power that is clean, cost-effective, and ideal for microgrid applications. Bloom?s customers include many Fortune 100 companies and leaders in manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, retail, higher education, utilities, and other industries. For more information, visit www.bloomenergy.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties. Words such as ?anticipates,? ?could,? ?expects,? ?intends,? ?plans,? ?projects,? ?believes,? ?seeks,? ?estimates,? ?can,? ?may,? ?will,? ?would? and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning the extent of Bloom Energy Server installation?s anticipated environmental impact. These statements should not be taken as guarantees of results and should not be considered an indication of future activity or future performance. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those included in the Risk Factor section of the Company?s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other risks detailed in Bloom?s SEC filings from time to time. Bloom undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly update any forward-looking statements unless if and as required by law.
Virginia’s History, Resorts and Culture Make it an Attractive Meetings Destination
Posted: 24 Oct 2019, 9:00 am
Virginia’s history, resorts and culture make it an attractive meetings destination in 2019. Read to discover the state’s best-in-class venues and other group offerings.
New and Expanded Convention Centers Heat Up the Texas Market
Posted: 23 Oct 2019, 10:20 am
The Texas convention center scene is a competitive market. With new developments stretching from the DFW Metroplex to West Texas, read the latest on the Lone Star State convention scene.
Ahead of IMEX America 2019, Meetings Today content developer Kate Cripe got a sneak peek of the $375 million Caesars Forum. During a hard hat tour, she got a first hand look at how the conference center project, which is expected to open in March 2020, is progressing.
4 Reasons to Leverage Digital Displays at Conventions
Posted: 26 Aug 2019, 4:10 pm
Learn why digital display technology is one of the best ways to take your event to the next level. We explore what it can mean for branding, the attendee experience, sustainability and more.
A glass sculpture titled You Are Here by Boise native Amy Westover was designed to inspire attendees and guests to look beyond the walls of the city's Boise Centre.
Speakers in the Open Expo Hall? A New Way to Maximize Conference Content
Posted: 21 May 2019, 10:00 am
When it comes to conference speaking, an innovative speaker stage setup can drive more and unexpected engagement. Meetings Today Chief Content Officer Christoph Trappe reports live from DES Madrid on how the "open air" concept works for attendees and presenters.
6 Tips for Working With a Convention Services Team
Posted: 30 Apr 2019, 11:35 am
Meeting and event planners working with a facility’s convention services team can help ensure their program is a success by providing some very basic, but essential, information. Maxine Compean, associate event manager for the dual-branded the DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection and the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, offered the following six tips to keep meeting and event planners and the convention services team on the same page.
An Event Planner’s Take on the New Kentucky International Convention Center
Posted: 13 Mar 2019, 7:05 pm
Event planner Christa Mekki, founder and senior planner at Magnetic Magnificent Events, was one of the first to experience the brand-new Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC). Meetings Today reached out to Mekki for her take on the reimagined convention center.
6 Innovative Convention Center Projects That Are Reinventing the U.S. Meetings Landscape
Posted: 13 Mar 2019, 11:30 am
Innovation is requisite for staying ahead in the convention business. It’s second nature for Las Vegas, and it’s also the watchword for reinvention in convention markets around the U.S.
Event Venue Titans AEG Facilities and SMG Announce Merger
Posted: 8 Feb 2019, 3:20 pm
AEG Facilities and SMG owner Onex announced they will merge to create ASM Global. The new company will be headquartered in Los Angeles and will operate over 300 venues across five continents that include arenas, stadiums, convention centers and performing arts centers.
San Francisco’s Moscone Center Nearly Doubles in Size
Posted: 19 Dec 2018, 10:45 am
As the new year approaches, so does a new beginning for San Francisco’s meetings business. The long-awaited opening of an upgraded Moscone Center came in early January, as the convention complex debuted a $551 million expansion.
Q&A With David Gibbons, Executive Director, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA)
Posted: 20 Nov 2018, 1:45 pm
Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman touched base with Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) Executive Director David Gibbons on the MCCA’s increase in group business and the future of the facility.
Orlando's Orange County Convention Center is moving forward with a $605 million campus improvement plan. The project will bring expansions and new meeting and exhibit space in the North and South concourses, further increasing the center’s seven million square feet of total function space.
IACC, the association that represents the global conference center segment, is set to more than double its number of European facilities within the next four months if a deal to add the supplier members of two conference center groups comes to fruition, according to IACC CEO Mark Cooper.
St. Louis Convention Center Plans Extensive Renovation
Posted: 8 Oct 2018, 12:00 am
The America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis will undergo an expansion and extensive renovations. The AC Next Gen Project, which will include the addition of 92,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 65,000-square-foot ballroom and meeting area, a new outdoor pavilion and 26 new loading docks, was announced during a press conference held on October 3.
On a recent tour of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Meetings Today spoke with John Page, general manager for SMG for the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC). Page shared his advice for navigating a convention center renovation or expansion.
5 Things You May Not Have Known About the Chattanooga Convention Center
Posted: 19 Sep 2018, 12:00 am
Once you’ve seen one convention center you’ve seen them all, right? A recent visit to the Chattanooga Convention Center left me surprised to find some nice touches that many of its bigger—and smaller—city counterparts lacked. Following are five standout features I noticed during my tour of the Chattanooga Convention Center led by Executive Director Mike Shuford, during a press trip with the Chattanooga CVB.
The Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) hosted a grand opening ceremony, Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 following a two-year, $207 million renovation and expansion project. State and local government officials, along with KICC facility officials and staff welcomed meeting clients, local stakeholders, interested citizens, and media to an open house that showcased how the new facility will host small to large-scale events.
Caesars Forum Conference Center Breaks Ground in Vegas
Posted: 17 Jul 2018, 12:00 am
Caesars Entertainment broke ground on its $375 million, Caesars Forum conference center on Monday, July 16, during a ceremony for trade press, industry executives and Caesars staff members. The ceremony was also livestreamed by Caesars so that people could tune in from all over the world.
Q&A With Jennifer B. Davis on Greater Columbus Convention Center Updates
Posted: 1 Jul 2018, 12:00 am
Meetings Today contributor Carolyn Blackburn interviewed Jennifer B. David, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager with the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC), to discuss recent updates to the facility. The GCCC, which features 373,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, wrapped a two-year $140 million renovation and expansion project in July 2017 to improve the overall guest experience, including the installation of an impressive art collection and local F&B concepts.
5 Campus Conference Centers That Will Enhance Any Event
Posted: 2 May 2018, 12:00 am
College towns are happening hubs of activity, where the arts, sports and culinary delights thrive. All that and more is on deck for planners who book a university setting for a conference.
Creativity Takes Center Stage at Convention Centers
Posted: 27 Mar 2018, 12:00 am
The artwork installed at an increasing number of popular convention centers transforms these necessarily utilitarian buildings into magnificent galleries that rival some of the most inspired museums in the world.
Arlington Unveils Plans for Massive Esports Stadium
Posted: 19 Mar 2018, 12:00 am
The City of Arlington announced plans for Esports Stadium Arlington, an esports-specific venue designed to draw competitive gamers and fans from around the world. The proposed venue will be built within the existing Arlington Convention Center in collaboration with architecture firm Populous.
CEIR Releases Third Report in Attendee Retention Insights Series
Posted: 24 May 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 24 May 2016 ? The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announced today the release of the third report in its newest series, 2016 Attendee Retention Insights Part Three: Education Content that Builds a Loyal Alumni Attendee Audience. This landmark body of research offers organizers a comprehensive resource to help understand the profile of attendees that visit an exhibition repeatedly and the content that turns them into loyal customers.
CEIR Releases Second Report in Attendee Retention Insights Series
Posted: 10 May 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 10 May 2016 ? The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announced today the release of the second report in its newest series, 2016 Attendee Retention Insights Part Two: Exhibition Floor Features that Build a Loyal Alumni Attendee Audience. This landmark body of research offers organizers a comprehensive resource to help understand the profile of attendees that visit an exhibition repeatedly and the content that turns them into loyal customers
Fourth Annual IAEE Women’s Leadership Forum Another Sold Out Event
Posted: 4 May 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 4 May 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) celebrates another successful Women?s Leadership Forum on 26 April 2016 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. More than 200 attendees sold out this year?s event which featured education sessions for women at all stages of their career.
IAEE Now Accepting Applications for 2016 Bob Dallmeyer Education Fund Grants
Posted: 3 May 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 3 May 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) has opened the application process for the 2016 Bob Dallmeyer Education Fund Grants, which aid qualified professionals in their pursuit of continuing education and career development in the exhibitions and events industry.
IAEE Now Accepting 2016 Helen Brett Scholarship Applications
Posted: 2 May 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 2 May 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and EventsTM (IAEE) has opened the application process for the Helen Brett Scholarship awards in 2016. The scholarship serves to promote the exhibitions and events industry by attracting college-level students into the field of study and encouraging their pursuit with financial support.
CEIR Debuts New Report Series Focusing on Attendee Retention
Posted: 28 Apr 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 28 April 2016 ? The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announced today the release of the first report in its newest series, 2016 Attendee Retention Insights. Reports from this exciting new, landmark study offers organizers a comprehensive resource to help understand the profile of attendees that visit an exhibition repeatedly and the content that turns them into a loyal fanbase. The series consists of five reports, beginning with Part One: Basics for Creating Your Attendee Retention Strategy: Tracking, Profiling and Why They Come Back.
IAEE Public Events Council Releases 2016 Survey Report
Posted: 26 Apr 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 26 April 2016 ? Today, the International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) Public Events Council released its Public Events Industry Report: 2015 Results. In 2009, the Public Events Council distributed a survey to public event organizers across 22 public events industry sectors to examine overall industry performance. The report identified which public events industry sectors fared well, which sectors struggled and their expectations for the future. As a follow-up to the benchmark report, the survey is repeated annually with subsequent reports detailing individual and comparative statistics over the years.
DALLAS, 12 April 2016 ? Today, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released the 2016 CEIR Index Report. The CEIR Index analyzes the 2015 exhibition industry and provides a future outlook for the next three years. Despite widespread pessimism and deceleration of activity during the fourth quarter, the U.S. economy still displayed significant signs of strength in 2015, led by personal consumption and residential construction. These strengths were offset partially by deterioration in energy development and net exports to produce real GDP growth of 2.4%. According to CEIR?s current projection, 2016 growth will be about the same, or perhaps slightly weaker as the trade gap widens further, before GDP accelerates in 2018 (see Figure 1).
DALLAS, 5 April 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) and the Japan Exhibition Association (JEXA) announced the renewal of a reciprocity agreement to benefit members of both organizations. Originally signed in 2012, the agreement renews the commitment of IAEE and JEXA to promote and develop the exhibitions and events industries in their respective countries through membership collaboration.
DALLAS, 4 April 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) announces the addition of its latest chapter in Asia, the IAEE India Chapter. The IAEE Board of Directors approved the creation of this new chapter during its meeting held 31 March 2016 at the HITEX Exhibition Center in Hyderabad, India.
IAEE MATSO Council Adds New Content for May Meeting
Posted: 31 Mar 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 31 March 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) MATSO Council?s program for this year?s MATSO Spring Program on 23-24 May 2016 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. will focus on exchanging information that address challenges, share best practices and understand the changing landscape of Tier 1 cities.
IAEE Awards Jacqueline Russo with 2016 Woman of Achievement Award
Posted: 30 Mar 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 30 March 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) proudly congratulates Jacqueline Russo, Vice President of Kuehne + Nagel, Inc., as this year?s recipient of the IAEE Woman of Achievement Award. This award recognizes a woman who has led the way in the advancement of women in the exhibitions and events industry, exhibited outstanding leadership, and made significant contributions to the industry and her community.
CEIR Releases New Industry Insight Series Report Written by Candy Adams
Posted: 29 Mar 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 29 March 2016 ? Today the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announces a new Industry Insight Series report, 99 Cost-Savings Tips and Tricks for Exhibit Managers written by Candy Adams, CTSM, CME, CEM, CMP, CMM, a revered and well-known exhibition industry veteran and owner of ?The Booth Mom®? Trade Show Consulting.
DALLAS, 28 March 2016 ? Registration is now open for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) Krakoff Leadership Institute (KLI) to be held 7-9 August 2016 at The Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel in Huntington Beach, Calif. The program is open to IAEE members interested in enhancing their strategic skills, and broadening their knowledge as current and future leaders in the exhibitions and events industry.
IAEE Congratulates its 2016 International Excellence Award Recipient
Posted: 17 Mar 2016, 5:00 am
DALLAS, 17 March 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) congratulates Edward J. Krause III (Ned), President and CEO of E.J. Krause & Associates, Inc. (EJK) as this year?s recipient of the IAEE International Excellence Award. The IAEE International Excellence Award recognizes an individual or organization that has made exceptional strides in creating, launching and managing an international event in the exhibitions and events industry on an international scale.
DALLAS, 15 March 2015 ? Today, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announced the release of the final report in the CEIR Digital Toolkit series. The new report, entitled Focus Report on Exhibition Organizer Onsite and Post-event Offerings provides an in-depth look at attendee preferences compared to business-to-business exhibition offerings for show mobile apps, as well as other onsite digital amenities and post-event digital communications.
IAEE MATSO Council Announces City Working Group Initiative, Finalizes Governance Procedures
Posted: 9 Mar 2016, 6:00 am
DALLAS, 9 March 2016 ? The International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) MATSO Council announced it will resurrect city task force updates following a recent council meeting that focused on future programming and governance procedures.
IAEE Announces 2016 Call for Nominations for Individual Awards
Posted: 8 Mar 2016, 6:00 am
DALLAS, 8 March 2016 ? Today, the International Association of Exhibitions and Events? (IAEE) has opened the Call for Nominations for its annual awards program to recognize exceptional professionals in the exhibitions and events industry. Industry professionals who meet the outlined criteria may be nominated for any of the awards listed below, and recipients will be honored at Expo! Expo! IAEE?s Annual Meeting & Exhibition to be held 6-8 December in Anaheim, Calif.
IAVM is actively monitoring the impact of recent Ebola incidents. At the direction of Chair Kim Bedier, CFE ? in collaboration with our Industry Affairs Council and key IAVM staff ? an Ebola task force has been formed to work on relevant communications to the IAVM community.
Please submit your session ideas for IAVM?s conferences. Presentations cannot be sales pitches, and if your topic is selected, IAVM will contact you concerning the coordination of the session speaker/panelists.
Exclusive: Flaming Lips to Star in Hyundai Super Bowl Commercial
Posted: 24 Jan 2013, 4:32 pm
When the Flaming Lips formed nearly 30 years ago, the notion that the group would be performing a song called "Sun Blows Up Today" in a Super Bowl ad would have been as surreal some of their lyrics. But that's exactly what will happen when the group stars in one of Hyundai's four spots during the big game, a 60-second commercial that will feature the band on-camera performing a brand-new, custom-written song bearing that name.
As the world's largest trade fair for the music industry, MIDEM can be daunting to navigate. Last year's gathering drew more than 6,850 attendees from 77 countries, representing 3,120 companies, including 155 startups. So, how best to manage MIDEM?
Downtown Sells Label to Cofounders, Focuses on Publishing
Posted: 24 Jan 2013, 7:00 am
Downtown Music LLC, the privately held parent company of Downtown Records and Downtown Music Publishing, today announced the sale of its recorded music business to cofounders Josh Deutsch and Terence Lam.
Black Keys File Third Lawsuit Against 'Soundalikes' in TV Commercials
Posted: 23 Jan 2013, 6:50 pm
After settling two lawsuits with Pizza Hut and Home Depot in December over alleged use of its songs in commercials, the Black Keys have filed a third lawsuit -- this time, against Pinnacle Entertainment, which runs casinos throughout the United States, and Manhattan Production Music, a company that creates music for commercial advertising.
Exclusive: Verizon Teams With Jill Scott for Black History Month Campaign
Posted: 23 Jan 2013, 6:24 pm
Verizon has teamed with Jill Scott for a multi-tiered print, TV and online advertising campaign to coincide with Black History Month, a rare artist endorsement deal for both parties, Billboard has learned.
Ultra Music and Sony Announce Partnership, Patrick Moxey Named President of Electronic Music
Posted: 23 Jan 2013, 3:48 pm
Sony Music and Ultra Music -- the electronic/dance record label, publishing house, management company and media platform owned and operated by Patrick Moxey -- have announced a globe-spanning strategic partnership between the two companies. As part of the deal Moxey was named president of electronic music for Sony Music Worldwide.
Searching For The Next 'Sugar Man'? Try 'Twenty Feet From Stardom'
Posted: 23 Jan 2013, 1:30 pm
This year's Sundance had a half-dozen music-driven docs, including: Dave Grohl's "Sound City," "History of the Eagles, Part One," "Pussy Riot -- A Punk Prayer," "Narco Culturo" and "Mussel Shoals" -- all fine films. But the power of Morgan Neville's "Twenty Feet From Stardom," a story chronicling of the lives of background singers who sang on era-defining records from the 1960s into the 1990s, is such that it transcends the typical music documentary ecliciting gasps of disbelief, spontaneous applause and tears. It's a winner.
Building the $100 Billion Dollar Music Business: Guest Post by Tom Silverman
Posted: 23 Jan 2013, 8:00 am
In this guest post, New Music Seminar/Tommy Boy Entertainment founder Tom Silverman describes how we can grow the music business into one that reaches $100 billion in annual retail revenue in the next decade.
Exclusive: Lionel Richie Signs With Red Light Management
Posted: 22 Jan 2013, 3:08 pm
Legendary hit maker Lionel Richie has signed with Red Light Management for representation, Billboard.biz has learned. This is the second major signing of the young year for RLM, which recently added Tiesto to its growing list of clients.
Exclusive: Kobalt Launches Label Services Division, Preps New Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Release
Posted: 22 Jan 2013, 2:07 pm
Not only did Kobalt sign a deal with Dave Grohl this week ( the company is also formally introducing a new Label Services division that will handle digital and physical releases for independent artists as well as Kobalt clients. Though the division has quietly released several albums in recent months, it will gain major attention next month with the release of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ “Push the Sky Away,” due out Feb. 18 through Kobalt Label Services and Cave’s Bad Seed Ltd.
The Jan. 26 edition of Billboard features a cover-story interview with Prince, but that world exclusive is accompanied by something else: A whole new magazine. This week, Billboard relaunches, and from the new logo on the front cover to the information packed graphic on the back page, the magazine is dedicated to the delivery of business journalism that leads and informs the essential conversations around the music and businesses it covers.
Warner Music, NMPA Reach Agreement on Royalty Rate for Music Videos
Posted: 21 Jan 2013, 2:43 pm
The Warner Music Group has become the second major label to agree to pay songwriters and publishers a royalty from revenue they derive from music videos, in a deal negotiated by the National Music Publishers' Association.
Tim Leiweke on AEG Sale: 'We're Getting Down to the Final Straws'
Posted: 21 Jan 2013, 2:42 pm
The sale of Anschutz Entertainment Group is “taking longer” than expected, AEG CEO, Tim Leiweke told Billboard.biz, but not due to lack of interest. While Leiweke declined to mention who the serious bidders were, he did indicate that the field has narrowed. “We’re getting down to the final straws here,” he said.
'Pussy Riot - A Punk Prayer,' 'Twenty Feet From Stardom' Sell At Sundance
Posted: 21 Jan 2013, 6:17 am
Add “Pussy Riot — A Punk Prayer” to the growing music-centric documentaries sold at the Sundance Film Festival. HBO Docs acquired U.S. TV rights to the political documentary that received its world premiere Jan. 18. "Twenty Feet From Stardom," which tells the stories of several prominent backup singers, sold on Thursday to Radius and the Weinstein Co.
Kim Dotcom Launches Mega, New File-Sharing Service
Posted: 19 Jan 2013, 4:09 pm
Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has unveiled a new file-sharing website called Mega. "As of this minute one year ago #Megaupload was destroyed by the US Government," Dotcom tweeted on Saturday, along with a link to the new site.
Sony/ATV's Martin Bandier on New, 'Quite Reasonable' Pandora Deal
Posted: 18 Jan 2013, 7:00 pm
Sony/ATV pulled a major coup earlier this week by negotiating a higher royalty rate from Pandora. Chairman/CEO Martin Bandier spoke with Billboard.biz about the deal.
Six Music-Related Issues Facing This Administration and Congress
Posted: 18 Jan 2013, 4:45 pm
From performance royalties to deciding how musicians travel with their instruments on airplanes, numerous issues central to the music industry are alive Washington D.C. as the city prepares for the president inauguration on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
AVL Digital Group -- the parent company of CD Baby, Disc Makers and other self-publishing platforms -- has been sold to Stephens Capital Partners, a private equity group based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Billboard.biz has learned.
NARM Names Muve Music's Jeff Toig, Dimple Records' Dilyn Radakovitz to Board
Posted: 18 Jan 2013, 10:34 am
Muve Music senior VP Jeff Toig and Dimple Records founder and owner Dilyn Radakovitz have joined the board of directors of both NARM, the music business trade association, and digitalmusic.org, its digital initiatives arm.
Run DMC's Darryl McDaniels Presenting 'Garden of Laughs' Benefit Comedy Showcase
Posted: 18 Jan 2013, 10:13 am
At the height of his lowest point, Run DMC's Darryl McDaniels says he considered suicide. Before leaving the world, however, he wanted to publish an autobiography, his life story beyond music; a conversation with his mother shortly thereafter revealed more information than he had bargained for.
Backbeat: Carrie Underwood Celebrates No. 1 With 'Blown Away' Co-Writers Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins
Posted: 17 Jan 2013, 4:46 pm
Carrie Underwood joined Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, the two songwriters who penned "Blown Away," at the CMA offices on Wednesday to celebrate their song hitting the top of the charts.
Elizabeth Sobol Named Decca Label Group President and CEO
Posted: 17 Jan 2013, 12:15 pm
Elizabeth Sobol, current managing director at IMG Artists North America, has been named Decca Label Group's president and CEO. Sobol will report to Universal Music Group International's chairman and CEO Max Hole, who was promoted to that position last week.
HMV Shutters Irish Operations, Appoints Receivers as Staff Stages Sit-In
Posted: 17 Jan 2013, 11:45 am
Staff at two HMV stores in Ireland have staged sit-in protests to secure their wages following the closure of the company’s 16 Irish stores, according to reports. HMV’s Irish operations were placed into receivership 24 hours after the British music retailer HMV confirmed it was suspending the trading of its shares and entering administration, the U.K. equivalent of Chapter 11.
Dave Grohl, Avicii and Afrojack: A Promoter's Approach to Booking Music at Sundance
Posted: 17 Jan 2013, 10:31 am
Park City Live is the only regularly operating nightclub in Park City, Utah, home of the Sundance Film Festival running Jan. 17-27, which will enter its second year of operation as a concert venue the day the festival begins. Here, Park City Live CEO Kathryn Burns talks about her first year promoting the venue.
Sony/ATV Negotiates 25% Royalty Increase From Pandora: Report
Posted: 17 Jan 2013, 8:01 am
The newly combined Sony/ATV-EMI music publishing powerhouse has used its market clout to negotiate a 25% royalty increase from Pandora, according to a report in the New York Post. The deal is said to run for the next 12 months.
Mark Poston, EMI Australia’s chairman, is out as Universal Music continues its global integration of EMI. According to Universal Music, Poston “decided to step down” from his current position as chairman and senior VP marketing, Australasia at EMI Music Australia. UMA's president George Ash will oversee EMI Australasia until a replacement is announced.
LyricFind Partners with Gracenote, Gets Investment from Larry Marcus
Posted: 16 Jan 2013, 4:40 pm
LyricFind will now power all of Gracenote's lyric services as part of their new partnership, while BandPage director Larry Marcus will be providing his experience, and a personal investment, to the company.
Lucian Grainge, Michael Lynton, will.i.am to Co-Host Inaugural Innovation Summit
Posted: 16 Jan 2013, 1:30 pm
Innovation Forum, an inaugural summit of business leaders from the U.S. and U.K., will come together Feb. 4-5 in Los Angeles, kicking off 2013 Grammy week. UMG Chairman & CEO Lucian Grainge, Sony Ent. CEO Michael Lynton, Ari Emanuel, co-CEO of WME, and musician will.i.am will co-host the event co-sponsored by the Founder's Forum and UK Trade & Investment.
Sony Music Boosts Digital Team With Ole Obermann and Mark Piibe
Posted: 16 Jan 2013, 10:29 am
In a statement today from Sony Music Entertainment's president of global digital business and U.S. sales Dennis Kooker, the company announced the creation and appointment of two new, digitally focused positions; current Sony Music executive Ole Obermann has been named executive vice president, digital partner development and sales, while Mark Piibe will be leaving EMI to take on the role of executive vice president, global business development and digital strategy.
Justin Timberlake's 'Suit & Tie' Aiming for First-Week Sales of 350,000
Posted: 15 Jan 2013, 4:44 pm
As reported yesterday (Jan. 14), Justin Timberlake's new single "Suit & Tie" is selling briskly and bound for a big first-week sales figure; label sources suggest that "Suit & Tie" may sell around 330,000 - 350,000 downloads by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, Jan. 20.
Universal Music France President Pascal Negre Named UMG's Global Head of New Business
Posted: 15 Jan 2013, 12:15 pm
Pascal Nègre, president at Universal Music France, Italy, Middle East and Africa, has been promoted to UMG's global head of new business, according to a press release.
Universal Music Japan's Kazuhiko Koike To Head EMI Japan
Posted: 15 Jan 2013, 8:07 am
Universal Music Japan today announced that its President and CEO Kazuhiko Koike will assume on the role of president/CEO of EMI Music Japan as well, replacing longtime CEO Hitoshi Namekata.
Greg Sandoval, Senior CNET Writer, Resigns Over CBS Controversy
Posted: 14 Jan 2013, 12:39 pm
CNET editor Greg Sandoval told Twitter earlier today that he's quitting the venerable tech news site over parent company CBS's apparent demand that the publication drop Dish Network's ad-skipping Hopper feature from consideration for its "Best of CES" awards.
Indie Band Love in the Circus Explores 3D Imaging at CES
Posted: 14 Jan 2013, 12:14 pm
Music can be as much about the visuals as it is about the sound. Among the more intriguing demonstrations of this at this year's Consumer Electronics Show was a video display in the Sony booth from an independent band called Love in the Circus; the Los Angeles based band used projection imaging to create a live stage that evokes a Cirque du Soleil-esque setting, wrapping custom animations around a physical stage set.
Pop Leads U.K. Album Sales for Second Year Running
Posted: 14 Jan 2013, 10:29 am
Big-selling albums from Emeli Sandé, Adele, Ed Sheeran and One Direction ensured that pop remained the most-popular genre in the United Kingdom in 2012, according to new figures released by the Official Charts Company (OCC) and British labels trade body the BPI.
Rock legends the Rolling Stones stand at the top of Hot Tours this week with ticket sales reaching $38.6 million from the 50 and Counting Tour, while Nickelback, Jennifer Lopez and Elton John reach the top ten on the strength of their Australian tours.
What does the association meeting of tomorrow look like and how can you prepare to provide your members with the type of meetings they need? A presenter at ASAE's 2011 Annual Meeting & Expo provides her expert glimpse into the future.
Rethinking Sponsorships in the Age of Social Media
Posted: 16 Sep 2011, 8:56 pm
Technology is changing our lives in seemingly countless ways, including association event sponsorships. Find out what a leading event software expert believes are the best ways to make the most of sponsorships in the age of social media.
What You Need to Know About Simultaneous Interpretation
Posted: 16 Sep 2011, 8:54 pm
As more associations venture overseas, simultaneous interpretation is more important than ever. Two experts who have conducted events around the globe share their insights.
Even the largest associations sometimes have meetings that don't represent a lot of room nights, which can reduce your ability to negotiate with the host hotel. Here are nine tips to help you get the best deal for your next meeting, no matter how many attendees you have.
We use strategic planning in our everyday lives but often get too caught up in all the details to apply it effectively during the meeting planning process. Discover how to be truly strategic the next time you're planning an important meeting.
There's more to meetings than good content and a nice location. An ASAE Fellow and association business strategy consultant shares his views on factors such as information needs, competing resources, and strategic barriers that impact attendance at association conventions and tradeshows.
Post-Recession Economy Requires New Guidelines for Association Events
Posted: 6 Jul 2011, 2:53 pm
Association events are making a comeback following the deep recession, but everyone remains sensitive to appearing too extravagant and expensive. Here's a process for determining what's appropriate for your next events.
Increase Exhibitor Engagement Without Increasing Your Budget
Posted: 6 Jul 2011, 2:49 pm
Every association tradeshow is under pressure to increase traffic, but at what cost? Follow these strategies for increasing traffic and enhancing exhibitor loyalty without busting your budget.
Letter From the Chair: ME Section Contributes to "199 Ideas" for Planners
Posted: 6 Jul 2011, 2:47 pm
The Meetings & Expositions Section Council chair discusses the debut of an exciting new resource for association planners, provides a glimpse of the upcoming Annual Meeting & Exposition, and lends his perspective on the value of associations to society.
Tips to Make Transportation at Your Conference Greener
Posted: 9 May 2011, 2:09 pm
Greening meetings has come a long way in recent years, but you can take it to the next level with a little strategy and a lot of enthusiasm. Learn how to get your group actively involved in being a deeper shade of green.
