seat fall 2009

S E A TThe Second Generation Begins• Where we were; where we are going• What your best customers are saying• Where to find new customers• Per-event suites and their new place of power

PLUS: Meet the ALSD’s New President, Board of Directors, and Executive Director

for the premium seat industry fall 2009

Published by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors

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Contact us for details on our stadium programs and these Marvel exclusives!

Installation service

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T: 877-650-5775For further details and other amazing products visit us at www.marvelrefrigeration.com

Deluxe Half Keg Beer DispenserUL Listed suitable for outdoor use

Refrigerator cabinet encased in high performance stainless steel

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Complete with mug rail, built-in drain, draft tower, hoses, CO2 tank and regulator, drip tray and interior fl oor shield

Adjustable temperatures from frosty cold to 52° F for dark lagers and ales

Full auto defrost

Easy-to-roll casters add portability

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Refrigerated DrawerUL Listed suitable for outdoor use

Exclusive Sentry System™ monitors critical functions including over/under temperature, power failure and door ajar conditions

Touch controls and electronic display are discreetly located


Increased capacity drawers vertically store 2-liter and wine bottles

Full extension drawer slides provide easy access

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Two removable tempered glass shelves

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Automatic interior light

Optional heavy-duty 23-ounce vinyl cover

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Marvel Makes the Game!

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Use for Cooking & Serving

Ideal for Induction Buffets

5-Ply Bonded 18/10 Stainless Steel for Maximum Durability

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8 NEWMEMBERS

14 INDUSTRYANDASSOCIATIONNEWS

COVERSTORY20 ANIDEAWHOSETIMEHASCOMEAfter 20 years of building a solid foundation, the premium seat industry is finally prime for the next idea to carry us into the next generation. Per-event suites are the future of our business.

FEATURES25 INTRODUCINGTHENEWLEADEROFTHEPACKThe ALSD has passed the torch to a new President, new Board of Directors members, and a new Executive Director. Meet the next generation of the Premium Seat Industry.

30 COMINGOFTHENEXTAGETCU is reinventing its football home, Amon G. Carter Stadium, by renovating over one-half of the facility. The premium age (and a BCS bowl) will be the next golden age for TCU football fans.

36 LET’SHEREITFORNEWYORKYour traveler’s guide to the host city of the 2010 ALSD Conference and Tradeshow: New York City- the city with $4 billion in new venue construction.

50 LEADINGTHROUGHINNOVATIONToday’s IT leaders in the sports and entertainment venue marketplace are found in the SEAT Consortium. Check out their accolades and the first look at the 4th Annual SEAT-IT Conference and Tradeshow.

54 GROWYOURSUITESALESDURINGTHE RECESSIONSales Alert! A new economy brings new prospects for premium sales professionals. Find out who you are not targeting… and should be.

Beacon of Light: The New Meadowlands- home of the New York Jets and Giants starting next season.

About the Cover: The first generation of premium seating has brought us many options and strategies. Start the next 20 years with fresh ideas and new solutions, such as the Theater Boxes at the United Center in Chicago.

coNTENTS FALL 2009

S E A T

7 S E A T

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ASSociATioN oF Luxury SuiTE DirEcTorS Chairman of the Board BillDorsey

Executive Director Amanda (Kuntz) VerhoffPresident Jennifer Ark, Green Bay Packers VP, Business Development Pat McCaffrey

Director, Sponsor and Partnership Development Dene ShielsDirector of Finance Dan Lindeman

Financial Account Manager Vickie HenkeDirector of Information Technology Sean Kellner

Editor of SEAT, Website Director Jared FrankAccount Executive Scott Hinzman

Design Carole Winters Art + Design

ExECUTIVE CoMMITTEEChrisBigelow, Bigelow Companies

Brian Bucciarelli, Hershey Entertainment & ResortsGreg Hanrahan, United Center

Tom Kaucic, Southern Wine & Spirits Pat McCaffrey, ALSD

Jamie Norman, Dallas Stars Kim Reckley, Detroit Red Wings & olympia Entertainment

BoARD oF DIRECToRS Pam Benoist, St. Louis RamsJanie Boles, Auburn University

Natalie Burbank, Utah Jazz / Salt Lake BeesTrent Dutry, US Airways Center

Chris Granger, National Basketball AssociationPatti Kimbrough, University of ArkansasGerald Kissel, Ball State University

Phil MacDougall, Sacramento Kings/ARCo ArenaDebbie Massa, RoI Consulting

Mike Ondrejko, Madison Square GardenRichard Searls, New York Red BullsTom Sheridan, Chicago White SoxMichael Smith, Philadelphia Union

Peter Titlebaum, University of DaytonBrian Varnadoe, Houston Texans

Jon Vingas, CenterplateBob White, Calgary Flames

SEAT IT BoardChristine Stoffel, S5 Enterprises / SEAT Consortium

Chris Wood, APS

ALSD 2010 Conference CommitteeRichard Dobransky, DNC SportserviceChris Gallagher, New York Yankees

Pat Jones, New York MetsJon Muscalo, Legends HospitalityRichard Searls, New York Red Bulls

RobSullivan, New York JetsAnne Wheat, New Meadowlands Stadium Company

SEAT IT Division Steering CommitteeChristine Stoffel, Committee ChairmanChris Wood, Committee Co-Chairman

Chris Dill, Portland Trail BlazersSasha Puric, Toronto Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

Mike Morris, Major League BaseballLorraine Spadaro, TD Banknorth Garden Wayne Wichlacz, Green Bay Packers

Casey Bookout, University of oklahoma Jim Darrow, Illitch Holdings, Inc.

Tod Caflisch, New orleans HornetsBrett Michalak, Tickets.comJohn Pollard, IdentityMine

John Gallant, IDG Enterprise

Published by Venue Pub. Inc. Copyright 2009. (All rights reserved). SEAT is a registered trademark of the Association of Luxury Suite Directors. SEAT is published quarterly and is

complimentary to all members of the Association of Luxury Suite Directors.10017 McKelvey Road, Cincinnati, oH 45231 • 513 674 0555 • [email protected]

ChrisCostanzoManager of Premium SeatingBuffalo Billsone Bills Driveorchard Park, NY 14127P: 716-312-8621F: [email protected] Sales Account ExecutiveDetroit Lions / Ford Field2000 Brush St., Suite 200Detroit, MI 48226 P: 313-262-2362F: [email protected] MelanieKerminSuite Services ManagerSeattle Seahawks800 occidental Avenue S., #200Seattle, WA 98134P: 425-203-8127F: [email protected] TaraMickelsonPremium Services CoordinatorArizona Cardinals Football Club8701 S. Hardy DriveTempe, AZ 85284P: 602-379-1691F: [email protected] Director, Ticket SalesArizona Cardinals Football Club8701 S. Hardy DriveTempe, AZ 85284P: 602-379-1721F: [email protected] JenniferHutchinsonCorporate Partnership ManagerMichigan International Speedway12626 US 12Brooklyn, MI 49230P: 517-592-1214F: [email protected] of Corporate PartnershipsMichigan International Speedway12626 US 12Brooklyn, MI 49230P: 517-592-1236F: [email protected]

DougOswaldMarket ManagerArchitectural Environments American Seating Company401 American Seating CenterGrand Rapids, MI 49504P: 616-732-6416 F: [email protected] of MarketingAmerican Seating Company401 American Seating CenterGrand Rapids, MI [email protected]’AscoliManager, Luxury Suite ServicesArena des Canadiens Inc.1275 St. Antoine St., 3rd FloorMontreal, Quebec H3C 5L2Canada P: [email protected] Northern Inc.3116 Belmeade Dr.Carrollton, Tx [email protected] SpecialistPacific Northern Inc.3116 Belmeade Dr.Carrollton, Tx 75006P: [email protected], Suites & Premium SeatingPhiladelphia Union2501 Seaport Dr., Switch House Suite 500Chester, PA 19013P: 610-497-8936 F: [email protected] Software1020 Goodlette Rd. NorthNaples, FL 34102 P: 239-261-5828F: [email protected] Catering ManagerARAMARK at Reliant Park8701 Kirby Dr.Houston, Tx 77054P: [email protected]

New ALSD Members

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TomOlsonGeneral ManagerDelaware North Sportservice at Miller Parkone Brewers WayMilwaukee, WI 53214P: 414-902-4400F: [email protected] at Corel Centre1000 Palladium Dr., Box 109Kanata, oN K2V 1A4Canada F: [email protected] at HP Pavilion at San Jose525 W. Santa Clara St.San Jose, CA 95113P: 408-999-5735F: [email protected] SierraBeshearsCenterplate at Raley FieldSacramento River Cats400 Ballpark Dr.W. Sacramento, CA 95691P: [email protected] ManagerHonda Center / Anaheim Ducks2695 E. Katella Anaheim, CA 92806P: [email protected]’NeaHatchesSuite Sales ExecutiveHouston Rockets1510 Polk StreetHouston, Tx 77002P: 713-758-7446F: [email protected] of Suite SalesHouston Rockets1510 Polk StreetHouston, Tx 77002P: 713-758-7245F: [email protected] Services ManagerColiseo de Puerto Rico – SMGPo Box 195385San Juan, PR 00919-5385P: 787-777-0800 F: [email protected]

MariePattenManager, Premium Seating DevelopmentCleveland IndiansProgressive Field2401 ontario StreetCleveland, oH 44115-4003P: [email protected] Seating Account ExecutiveCleveland IndiansProgressive Field2401 ontario StreetCleveland, oH 44115-4003P: 216-420-4487 [email protected] of Premium Seating SalesPhilips Arena / Atlanta Spirit101 Marietta St., Suite 1900Atlanta, GA 30303P: 404-878-3088F: [email protected] of MarketingWachovia Arena at Casey Plaza255 Highland Park Blvd.Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702P: 570-970-7600 ext. 1107 F: [email protected] President, Ticket Sales, Services and operationsArizona DiamondbacksPo Box 2095Phoenix, AZ 85001P: 602-462-4101F: [email protected], Group Suite and Inside SalesArizona DiamondbacksPo Box 2095 Phoenix, AZ 85001P: 602-462-6500F: [email protected] RachelBelackPremium Services, Suite Coordinator Chicago Fire Soccer Club7000 South Harlem Ave.Bridgeview, IL 60455P: [email protected] Account Manager, Premium ServicesCharlotte Bobcats / Bobcats Sports and Entertainment333 E. Trade St.Charlotte, NC 28202P: 704-688-8799F: [email protected]

AnneWheatDirector of Guest ServicesNew Meadowlands Stadium Company102 Route 120 East Rutherford, NJ 07073P: 201-765-9874F: [email protected] Manager of Premium SalesChicago White SoxU.S. Cellular Field333 W. 35th St.Chicago, IL 60616P: [email protected] of Corporate Development and Ticket SalesChicago White SoxU.S. Cellular Field333 W. 35th St.Chicago, IL [email protected] Suite Liaison, Stadium Food & BeverageCarolina Panthers 800 S. Mint StreetCharlotte, NC 28202P: 704-358-7135F: [email protected] Manager of Suite ServicesCleveland Cavaliers1 Center CourtCleveland, oH 44115P: 216-420-2102F: [email protected] Suites and Party Facilities Colorado Rockies Baseball ClubCoors Field2001 Blake StreetDenver, Co [email protected] Premium SeatingDenver Broncos Football Club1701 Bryant St., Suite 100Denver, Co [email protected] Director, Premium Sales and ServicesNew York YankeesYankee Stadiumone East 161st StreetBronx, NY 10451P: [email protected]

ScottMurrayDirector of Ticket Sales and Customer ServiceEdmonton oilers Hockey Club11230 110th StreetEdmonton, AB T5G [email protected] Executive, Suite SalesHouston TexansTwo Reliant ParkHouston, Tx 77054P: 832-667-2064F: [email protected] / Pacers SalesIndiana Pacers / Conseco Fieldhouseone Conseco Court125 S. Pennsylvania St.Indianapolis, IN 46204P: 317-917-2895F: [email protected] Sales Executive, Premium Seats and SuitesJacksonville Jaguars, Ltd.one ALLTEL Stadium PlaceJacksonville, FL 32202P: 904-633-5274F: [email protected] Sales & Services RepresentativeLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2000 Gene Autry WayAnaheim, CA 92806P: 714-940-2094F: [email protected] Sales & Services CoordinatorMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment40 Bay Street, Suite 400Toronto, oN M4J 2x2Canada P: 416-263-3902F: [email protected] Services Account Manager Miami HEAT601 Biscayne Blvd.Miami, FL 33132P: 786-777-4229F: [email protected]

New ALSD Members

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S E A T 19S E A T

Perlick is proud to be the FIRST companycertifi ed by the ALSD.

ALSD0609_4.indd 1 6/10/09 11:24:07 AMBuyers Guide fall 09.indd 19 9/28/2009 9:06:37 AM1-12.indd 11 12/15/09 5:40 PM

JedJustmanManager, Suite SalesMilwaukee Brewers Baseball Clubone Brewers WayMiller ParkMilwaukee, WI 53214P: 414-902-4553F: 414-902-4056jed.justman@milwaukeebrewers.comShaunnaRichardsonDirector – Suite ServicesMilwaukee Brewers Baseball Clubone Brewers WayMiller ParkMilwaukee, WI 53214shaunna.richardson@milwaukeebrewers.comSamanthaDeMarinoManager – Suite ServicesMilwaukee Brewers Baseball Clubone Brewers WayMiller ParkMilwaukee, WI 53214P: 414-902-4631F: 414-902-4056samantha.demarino@milwaukeebrewers.comJohnWinbornVice President of TechnologyMilwaukee Brewers Baseball Clubone Brewers Way Miller ParkMilwaukee, WI [email protected] President of TechnologyMinnesota Twins34 Kirby Puckett PlaceMinneapolis, MN 55415P: 612-375-7465F: [email protected] SalesNew England PatriotsGillette Stadiumone Patriot PlaceFoxborough, MA [email protected] of Business DevelopmentNew England Patriots Gillette Stadium one Patriot PlaceFoxborough, MA [email protected] Services ManagerNew orleans Hornets1250 Poydras St., 19th FloorNew orleans, LA 70113P: 504-593-4755F: [email protected]

MissyPenderManager of Suite Sales and ServiceNew orleans Saints5800 Airline Dr.Metairie, LA 70003P: 504-731-1885F: [email protected] Director, Ticket Sales & operationsoakland Raiders1220 Harbor Bay Pkwy.Alameda, CA 94502P: 510-864-5000F: [email protected] Manager of Luxury Suite Servicesoakland Raiders1220 Harbor Bay Pkwy.Alameda, CA 94502P: 510-864-5000F: [email protected] Coordinator, Premium ServicesPhiladelphia EaglesNova Care Complexone Nova Care WayPhiladelphia, PA 19102P: 267-570-9211F: [email protected] Coordinator, Premium ServicesPhiladelphia EaglesNova Care Complexone Nova Care WayPhiladelphia, PA 19102P: 267-570-4036F: [email protected] Executive, Premium SalesPhiladelphia EaglesNova Care Complexone Nova Care WayPhiladelphia, PA 19102P: [email protected]

JessWinemillerBenefits Coordinator, Premium ServicesPhiladelphia EaglesNova Care Complexone Nova Care WayPhiladelphia, PA 19102P: 267-320-5858F: [email protected]

GeorgeMurphyManager of Ticket SalesPittsburgh Penguins1 Chatham Center, Suite 400Pittsburgh, PA 15219P: [email protected] Seating Account ExecutivePittsburgh Pirates115 Federal Street Pittsburgh, PA [email protected] Manager, Premium SalesPittsburgh Pirates115 Federal Street Pittsburgh, PA 15212P: 412-325-4936F: [email protected] RockyKoplikDirector of Premium Seating ServicesSan Francisco Giants24 Willie Mays PlazaSan Francisco, CA 94107P: 415-972-2266F: [email protected] Suite/Business Center CoordinatorSan Francisco Giants24 Willie Mays PlazaSan Francisco, CA 94107P: 415-972-2046 F: [email protected] Suite Account ManagerSan Francisco Giants24 Willie Mays Plaza San Francisco, CA 94107P: 415-972-2048F: [email protected] of Guest ServicesSeattle Mariners1250 1st Ave. SouthSeattle, WA 98134P: 206-346-4413F: [email protected] Director of Client Services, Verizon CenterVerizon Center601 F St. NWWashington, DC [email protected]

AdamCooleyAccount Manager, Premium SalesWashington Nationals1500 S. Capitol St. SEWashington, DC [email protected] ManagementArizona State UniversityPo Box 872505, Stadium ManagementTempe, AZ 85287-2505P: 480-965-4047 [email protected] Director, Athletic Suite operations and Donor RelationsBoston College Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA 02467P: [email protected] of Premium SeatingUniversity of DaytonUniversity of Dayton ArenaPo Box 8806 Dayton, oH 45401-8806P: 937-229-4868F: [email protected] Director, Ticket Sales & ServicePittsburgh Pirates115 Federal StreetPittsburgh, PA 15212P: 412-325-4714F: [email protected], Suite Sales & ServicePittsburgh Pirates115 Federal StreetPittsburgh, PA 15212P: 412-325-4673F: [email protected] & CEoidegy, inc.3990 Business Park DriveColumbus, oH 43204P: 614-545-5000F: 614-545-4000 [email protected]

New ALSD Members

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14 S E A T 66

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THE INCIDENT NEEDS YOUR FOCUS. THE TECHNOLOGY SHOULDN’TIn an emergency, multi-agency coordination isn’t a luxury — it is a necessity. And Motorola

makes this necessity a reality. Our interoperable data and voice solutions empower

response teams with real-time information to make better decisions. For example, our

evacuee tracking application enables responders to better assist and track individuals

throughout the evacuation process. When responders and command staff have the tools to

prepare and respond to emergency situations, recovery operations are more effective,

helping government and citizens get back to normal quicker. It’s no wonder our

interoperable networks have been implemented more often than all other manufacturers

combined. It’s just another way Motorola enables you to focus on your mission, not the

technology. HELLOMOTO™

Learn more about Motorola solutions for your mission critical communication needs at motorola.com/secondnature

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Motorola, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved.

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66

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THE INCIDENT NEEDS YOUR FOCUS. THE TECHNOLOGY SHOULDN’TIn an emergency, multi-agency coordination isn’t a luxury — it is a necessity. And Motorola

makes this necessity a reality. Our interoperable data and voice solutions empower

response teams with real-time information to make better decisions. For example, our

evacuee tracking application enables responders to better assist and track individuals

throughout the evacuation process. When responders and command staff have the tools to

prepare and respond to emergency situations, recovery operations are more effective,

helping government and citizens get back to normal quicker. It’s no wonder our

interoperable networks have been implemented more often than all other manufacturers

combined. It’s just another way Motorola enables you to focus on your mission, not the

technology. HELLOMOTO™

Learn more about Motorola solutions for your mission critical communication needs at motorola.com/secondnature

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Motorola, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved.

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16 S E A T

A recent study conducted by The Ohio University Center for Sports Administration aimed to establish a working definition for the label premium seating, as well as determine what organizational structures were in place to support the sales of this inventory. The research team conducted the survey between February and March of 2009 by sending an email to over 300 members of the ALSD that work in one of the four major professional sports. The formal objectives of the study were to:• Identify a standard for the term premium seating.• Determine industry norms overall and by type of venue for pre-

mium seating department size in terms of number of staff.• Understand the job functions of each staff member by position.• Analyze the level of interaction between premium seating sales

professionals and premium seating client services representa-tives.

Highlights from the study• The 47 respondents represented all venue types with 23.4%

MLB Anchor Tenants, 23.5% NFL Anchor Tenants, 25.5% Single-purpose NHL or NBA arenas, and 25.5% Multi-purpose NHL and NBA arenas participating.

• The majority of respondents (79.5%) were in decision making roles as either Vice President or Director of Premium Seating.

• Teams are overwhelmingly classifying premium seating as luxury suites (100%) and club seating (75.6%), while only 22.2% and 33.3% consider courtside seats or hospitality lounges as premi-um areas respectively.

• The bulk of premium seating sales and service staffs are em-ployed by the team or organization (76.7%) while 14% are em-ployed by the venue or arena management company itself.

• The average full-time staff for a premium seating department var-ies slightly by venue. Ranges are as follows:

• MLB Anchor Tenant - 5.2 employees• NFL Anchor Tenant - 6 employees• Single-purpose Arena for NHL or NBA - 5.4 employees• Multi-purpose Arena for NHL and NBA - 11.3 employees

• Overall, the majority of teams have one to three employees de-voted specifically to sales, with two employees devoted specifi-cally to servicing these accounts. Responses of “O” or “1” were most common when indicating how many individuals perform the dual role of sales and servicing.

• Of the many roles that a Vice President or Director of Premium Seating plays, providing customer service and stewardship of premium seat holders is the task they are least likely to be re-sponsible for.

• Of the many responsibilities a Premium Seating Sales Execu-tive has, 100% of respondents had a role in selling the brands, products, and services of the organization and cultivating new business for suites and premium seating. 75% are responsible for conducting heavy face-to-face appointment campaigns to meet with potential buyers. However, 75% of respondents also noted that these individuals are not involved with the creation and implementation of sales related collateral material.

• Overall, 36% of respondents have their sales and service staff integrated with all staff performing the dual role of sales and ser-vice. For those that do not have integrated departments, the fol-lowing was found:

• The majority of the remaining sales and service staff communi-cate regularly and work closely throughout the process of servic-ing accounts and suite renewals (55% and 65%).

• Only 15% of respondents that are not fully integrated in sales and service reported that the two areas communicate at a high level on the prospecting of new premium seating sales.

Key FindingsIn terms of establishing a working definition of premium seating, teams and organizations are largely considering premium seating to be limited to luxury suites and assigned club seating. Very few offer courtside seating or hospitality lounges as a part of this inventory.

When developing or reorganizing a premium seating sales de-partment, the average number of staff for single-purpose anchor tenants in MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA venues is between five and six employees, with three to four members devoted to sales and two to servicing these accounts. For multi-purpose facilities serving both NHL and NBA anchor tenants, the number of employees in the pre-mium seating department doubles, with an average of 11.3. Very few organizations have anyone serving a dual role in the capacities of both sales and service.

Vice Presidents and Directors of Premium Seating are not very involved with personally servicing premium seating clients. While this may not be surprising because these individuals often have many responsibilities in managing their staff, it would be interesting to see if an increase of personal involvement on their part would lead to an increase in sales or renewals.

While premium seating sales staffs are often the main point of contact for clients and most in tune to these customers’ needs, a large majority (75%) are not involved in the creation and implementation of sales related collateral material. This may be another area to in-crease synergy across the marketing and premium seating depart-ments. In addition, only 15% of sales and service staffs communicate at a high level when prospecting new sales.

Recommendations• Premium Seating Departments may want to integrate courtside/

floor level seating as additional inventory to boost high ticket sales packages. While this is not currently thought of as premium seating, the pricing and exclusiveness of these areas make it a strong up-sell to club seat or luxury suite clients on a game by game basis.

• Those in leadership positions should work to increase the amount of personal involvement they give their premium seating clients. This could lead to greater client loyalty and higher reten-tion rates.

• Sales staffs should be involved in the creation and implemen-tation of sales related collateral material, as they are the staff members who are most closely communicating with the end user/target markets.

• For those teams where sales and service are separate, the two areas should work to increase communication when addressing the task of prospecting for new clients. This would be mutually beneficial for both positions as service staff may be able to lever-age their continued relationships with current clients to produce new referrals for the sales department.

Industry and Association NewsOhio University Research: What is premium seating and who sells it?By: Amanda Hauge, Jim DiLella, & Heather Lawrence, Ohio University

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.

Call 1-877-374-4783 or email [email protected] | www.agilysys.com

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.

Wants a beer but doesn’t want to miss the action.Use mobile POS to pre-order and bust the queue.

Agilysys solutions include:

While your team is winning the game, Agilysys helps you win the crowd.

AGI 13557 SM_8.75x11.25_4C_STAD.indd 1 11/10/2009 10:25:26 AMFAll0913-19finalpdf.indd 16 12/15/09 5:41 PM

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.

Call 1-877-374-4783 or email [email protected] | www.agilysys.com

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.

Wants a beer but doesn’t want to miss the action.Use mobile POS to pre-order and bust the queue.

Agilysys solutions include:

While your team is winning the game, Agilysys helps you win the crowd.

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18 S E A T

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALLYankees prosper in 2009 After a rough start when the New York Yankees had to cut prices for premium seats in their brand new stadium, the team ended up enjoy-ing a flourishing year on the field and at the gate. Besides winning the franchise’s 27th World Championship, the team is projected to increase revenues to between $450 million and $500 million- up from $375 million last year. Contributing to the increased revenues is their MLB leading 3.72 million home gate attendance and $72.97 average ticket price (according to Team Marketing Report; figure accounts for general tickets, not premium). And if the economy continues to re-bound, corporate buyers should begin to occupy more frequently the $500-$2,500 premium seats in 2010 that at times sat vacant this past season. This is good news considering the team posted a $3.7 million operating loss in 2008 coupled with a payroll in excess of $200 million this season.

Giants price seats based on demandThe San Francisco Giants are instituting what they are calling “dy-namic pricing” for select single game ticket sales next season. Prices for these seats are not locked, but can fluctuate based on the demand for the game. Factors that may affect demand include popularity of a given game, weather, a possible milestone, or a player from a visiting team who brings extra interest. It is even possible for ticket prices to move on game day. The new approach means fans could pay twice as much for a Tuesday night game in April against the Pittsburgh Pirates than for a weekend game in August against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONAverage ticket price drops for NBALargely blamed on a floundering economy, for the first time in eight seasons, average ticket prices have dropped for the NBA. This year’s average price, which has decreased to $48.90, down 2.8% from last year, represents the largest decline in the league’s history. Fourteen teams have cut ticket prices, while thirteen remain flat. The NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers lead the way with an average ticket of $93.25. The least expensive seats are found in Memphis, where the average ticket for a Grizzlies game is $24.10. The other three major North American leagues saw average ticket prices increase in 2009, albeit by modest amounts.

Average Ticket Prices Breakdown*:NFL: $74.99NHL: $51.27NBA: $48.90MLB: $26.64 *From Team Marketing Report

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION/ NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE$20 million renovation for STAPLES CenterAs it celebrates its 10th Anniversary, the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, home of the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers and NHL’s Kings, underwent a $20 million renovation this summer. Included in the reno-vation is the experimental Hyde Lounge, a nightclub inside the sports arena. Eight suites were removed to install the 4,000 square foot, 175-seat nightlife space, which is available to suite and courtside seat holders. Other changes include a redesign of the San Manuel Club, which now has an increased capacity of 445 and new glass walls for

improved arena views; the new Budweiser Lounge, which occupies the space previously held by the Royal Room; and new flat screen televisions and furniture in all suites, as well as upgraded ticket scan-ners outside suite doors.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEJets cut premium prices for new stadiumThe New York Jets are reducing prices, in some cases by 50 per-cent, for approximately 7,000 seats in the Mezzanine Club at the new Meadowlands Stadium. As Matt Higgins, the team’s Executive Vice President of Business Operations told The Associated Press, “We came to the conclusion that these prices are really 2007 prices in a 2009 world.” Seventy percent of the Jets’ non-premium seats have been sold, and there are no plans currently to adjust the personal seat license (PSL) prices in the new stadium. The Giants, who will share the stadium with the Jets, have no plans to further reduce any of their ticket pricing.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERInaugural season for the Sounders FC in MLS a successThe Seattle Sounders FC set an MLS record for highest average at-tendance per game at 30,943 this season, their first in the league. The Sounders FC attendance numbers landed them a spot in the 50 best-supported clubs in the world, the first MLS team to crack the top 50, according to World Soccer Magazine.

COLLEGEIMG and Legends join forcesIMG Worldwide and Legends Hospitality Management, LLC have an-nounced the formation of a 50/50 joint venture, named IMG-Legends, to provide premium seat licensing (PSL), suite, and ticket sales ser-vices to the college market. The joint venture aims to capitalize on the PSL experience of Legends, which is owned by the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, Goldman Sachs, and CIC Partners, and IMG’s extensive college network to assist university athletic depart-ments with increasing their premium seat sales.

University of Houston looks into new stadiumThe University of Houston is set to undergo two separate feasibility studies for six different plans involving the renovation or reconstruc-tion of Robertson Stadium and Hofheinz Pavilion. The plans range from renovating Robertson Stadium and Hofheinz Pavilion to building a new stadium on one of three different sites to combining a football stadium and basketball arena in a joint venture. The proposed plans include new club seating, suites, and loge boxes at Robertson, and luxury suites, floor suites, and a loge box in Hofheinz. MOTORSPORTSMajor renovations upcoming for Talladega SuperspeedwayWork has begun on a two-phase, $13 million renovation to more than half of Talladega Superspeedway’s grandstand. Phase One will be completed by the Aaron’s 499 on April 25, 2010, and the balance of the project will come online by the AMP Energy 500 on October 31, 2010. Phase One will bring new 21-inch seats with armrests and cupholders to the Gadsden grandstands in Turn Four through section C of the OV Hill South grandstands in the tri-oval. Seat aisles will also be widened to 48 inches.Grandstand renovations also include the building of new premium level seats and additional ADA seating. #

Industry and Association News Design creates culture.

l o e w e n s t e i n i n c . c o m | 8 0 0 . 3 2 7 . 2 5 4 8 | a d i v i s i o n o f

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Design creates culture.

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tell your story


20 S E A T

1988The birth of the Big Idea, the idea that spawned the $10 billion pre-mium seat marketplace, began in 1988. “Necessity was the mother of this invention,” says Tom Wilson, President of The Palace of Auburn Hills, the once and future home of the Detroit Pistons. “I think it was safe to say that we looked at a cost of $60 million (which turned out to be $90 million) and it was going to be privately funded,” continues Wilson about the construction of The Palace. “It had to be built to pay for itself, if not make money.”

According to Wilson, the key to doing this was the construction of suites – more than 100 of them only 24 rows from courtside – more than had ever been built before. “And we had to lease them for dollars previously unheard of.”

It was an entirely new venue model, and at the time, it was a big gamble; which by the way, paid off handsomely. The Palace generated $15 million in suite revenue that first year, an enormous sum in those days before a premium seat marketplace even existed or Alex Rodriguez had entered high school. And its success spawned two decades of new venue construction.

To some extent, once The Palace proved a successful new venue model, what followed was inevitable, a fait accompli. Owners of all the other teams almost had to build out to keep up with the Jerry Joneses of the world. Staying competitive required that teams build out as soon as possible. Not that this was a hard choice. Fans clamored for the new buildings and were willing to pay with their pocketbooks: Stadium ref-erendums usually passed. If not, teams often threatened to leave (and some did because there was usually a city so enamored by professional sports, they would do almost anything to get a franchise to relocate). The greenmail worked. And for the last 20 years, fans have not stopped clamoring as each venue built claims to be the latest, greatest, state-of-the-art edifice on the face of the planet.

“I told anyone who would listen that I sold LSD for a living. It was easier than explaining what I actually

did. Believe me, no one understood.”

The premium seat marketplace truly created what some have called a “revenue race” for venue construction. Build a better mouse-trap; raise more revenue; pay Alex Rodriguez (who had graduated from high school by now) more money; win more games; keep fans and own-ers happy. It also literally created thousands of jobs for those whose fate it was to be part of the emerging marketplace. It changed the landscape of professional sports forever.

I was one of those whose life became inextricably tied to this new sports revenue generating idea. Mr. Holland had his opus; I had my premium seat marketplace. I was at the beginning stage of what is now called the Premium Seat Industry, now a $10 billion business, then barely a blip on the radar screen.

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

A look at where we were; and where we are going

The original suite marketplace was created with long-term suite leases to finance venue construc-

tion. Twenty years later, nearly every professional team has built a new venue. Long-term leases,

except for new venues, are basically a thing of a bygone era. Will the next 20 years be the age of the per-event suite? It appears that could be the case.

By Bill Dorsey

Chairman of the BoardAssociation of Luxury Suite Directors

Birthplace of an Industry: A bunker suite at The Palace of Auburn Hills

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S E A T 21

“The premium seat market was not a business; it was more like a celebrity showcase. I thought I had died

and gone to Victoria’s Secret.”

Yet that blip was just enough to create a small revenue stream on which I built a small business with the funny name: the Association of Luxury Suite Directors. Yes, it was called the ALSD and yes, I told anyone who would listen that I sold LSD for a living. It was easier than explaining what I actually did. Believe me, no one understood, includ-ing my wife who stayed married to me while I risked our meager life savings building the business.

The ALSD started in 1990; we had all of 13 members. By 1992 at our 3rd annual conference at the brand new state-of-the-art Target Cen-ter in Minneapolis, nearly 100 people showed up for the worldly price of $250 per person. We had two exhibitors and one sponsor. Without Levy Restaurants, who had their own ideas about building a suite cater-ing empire in this new upscale venue marketplace, we would not have survived.

Levy took care of us and made us seem much larger than we really were. They threw lavish parties to demonstrate their catering abilities that they learned as upscale Chicago restraunteurs who had just landed the Chicago White Sox account and were looking to expand. For a while at least, I did not put on a conference as much as I did throw a party. Some people today say nothing has changed. No matter: I was glad people enjoyed the experience.

In those days, the attendees – how should I say this without sounding sexist – were beautiful. Suite directors, at least the women, were hired like stewardesses in the 1950’s. “It sure is a handsome crowd,” I remember hearing Chris Bigelow tell me. “Yeah, I’m the ugliest one in the room,” I told Chris. “Not that I’m complaining.”

It was very much of a celebrity lifestyle in 1990. First suite direc-tor I ever met? It was at the old Spectrum in Philly. I walked through the door to be greeted by Julius Irving. The Dr. was in. He sold suites. To this day, I believe he is the only suite director we have had who can dunk.

But that was the way it was in the beginning: the premium seat market was not a business; it was more like a celebrity showcase. I thought I had died and gone to Victoria’s Secret.

“I realized that suites were leased because they created what is now called Contractually Obligated

Income (COI), and that suites were the underpinning of venue financing and construction.”

1991The creation of the Association of Luxury Suite Directors was really born out of necessity also. In 1991, I was the editor of a magazine origi-nally named The Business of Sports. I was having trouble targeting my circulation and decided, in one monumental moment, to change the name of the magazine to Skybox, based on this new fangled home of the rich and famous. To have my magazine placed in skyboxes required I form a relationship with not only the teams, but these new celebrity

SuiteAgent at a GlanceSuiteAgent was founded upon one vision: help teams and venues nationwide fill their event suites. Nearly every team has been affected by the global financial crisis, and more suites than ever before are available for sale on a per-game basis. However, teams can only dedicate a small percentage of their scarce re-sources to selling per-event suites; after all, teams are primarily focused on selling tickets and signing long-term contracts for pre-mium seats and suites.

Enter SuiteAgent. By aggregating the per-event suite in-ventory of teams across leagues and geographies, SuiteAgent can more effectively target buyers on a national level, and com-municate a more compelling and clear message about the value proposition of per-event suites.

“SuiteAgent is just one of many tools in a team’s sales and marketing toolkit,” according to Scott Spencer, Operating Manager of SuiteAgent. “However, we’re an important tool in that our goal is not only to bring in new per-event customers, but also to gener-ate new long-term leaseholders for the teams we work with.”

The Key DetailsSuiteAgent’s business model has been designed to minimize risk for the teams. Teams decide which inventory to showcase on the SuiteAgent website, and at what price to sell that inventory. There is no up-front cost to list inventory; SuiteAgent makes a commis-sion if the suite sells. Most importantly, SuiteAgent will share all customer data with the teams so they can build relationships in an effort to up-sell those customers to a long-term lease.

SuiteAgent can be found online at www.suiteagent.com. For more information contact Scott Spencer at [email protected].

“The idea of something, of anything, can be powerful. It is the idea of something that drives

entrepreneurship, of what motivates action, of what starts wars, and creates peace. Mostly though,

the idea of something is how many of us lead our lives.”

Fall0919_24.indd 21 12/15/09 10:41 PM

22 S E A T

employees hired to operate, sell, and lease the skyboxes. I’m not even sure if they officially had a name, but we called them “Suite Directors”.

We began to call up teams, got to know the Suite Directors, and had them place the magazines in the venues. As we became acquainted with their world, we realized that the Suite Directors had no idea of what their jobs were; how much they should be paid; or how many of them there should be. It was all uncharted territory, a brave new world.

So we formed the association to distribute magazines, and quick-ly the association grew because of necessity: there was a real need to share information.

Our numbers have grown to nearly 1,000 strong today, and the rest as they say is “history.” Skybox magazine failed during the lockout and strike years of baseball and hockey in 1994, (we had nowhere to send the magazine because the games were not being played) but the Association of Luxury Suite Directors was forever.

“While clearly we found that there were plenty of customers out there who wanted to buy per-event

suites, there was one major drawback: not enough supply.”

I began to change focus. I was not an editor of a national magazine anymore, but the executive director of an emerging new marketplace. And I saw some things that perplexed me. As far back as 1991, I started to look more closely at this new marketplace which did not really have a name and was so small, hardly anyone in sports business even acknowl-edged its existence.“Why are suites leased?” I asked Carole Singleton, who was a former employee of mine before she had two kids, several houses, and multiple jobs (time flies, huh?). I asked the question be-cause even then, in 1991, I realized that suites were leased because they created what is now called Contractually Obligated Income (COI), and that suites were the underpinning of venue financing and construction. But on an entirely different level, the idea of suites being leased did not quite make sense.

It seemed to me that because the demand was so great for suites then, and because per-event suites could be sold for more than suites prorated over the course of their lease, I always thought that someone someday would create a per-event suite marketplace.

It was an idea that “stuck” with me over the years. Surely, I thought, there could be far more customers than only those who could afford long-term leases. There had to be hundreds or maybe thousands of customers who would like a suite here and there, now and then, or a customer who only wanted several suites in several markets. There had to be suites controlled by major corportions on a national level that wanted more control over their overall marketing plans.

At least I certainly thought so.But, as it turned out, it was not an idea whose time had come

yet. The marketplace was not yet built out; the suite salespersons were too few and far between; and teams were not yet equipped to sell on a per-event basis. Mainly though, teams still needed the leases to finance the buildings.

“To be a suite salesperson in those days was like shooting orange roughy in a Perrier-filled barrel.”

2000In the year 2000, I believed the market had been sufficiently built out to see if my idea about a per-event marketplace actually made sense. We created a company called Skybox Access Network and found some modest funding to see if the teams and the corporations would adopt the concept.

I briefly tested the concept by contracting with American Ex-press to market the fact that suites were available through Skybox Access Network.

Timing is everything. Again, we found out that this was an idea that was not ready for prime time. While clearly we found that there were plenty of customers out there who wanted to buy per-event suites, there was one major drawback: not enough supply.

Suites were tied up at nearly 100% occupancy for long-term deals. The teams were happy; it was too much work to sell individual suites when they could easily sell long-term leases- the longer the better. The new venues often were built with ten-year founder leases, which were large sums of money paid up-front by corporate citizens, who saw the investment almost as a civic gesture. There was pride in building the latest and greatest venue, and there was pride in entertaining guests in the best new suites in the world. Corporations wanted bragging rights to own the best suites and were willing to pay for the privilege. To be a suite salesperson in those days was like shooting orange roughy in a Perrier-filled barrel.

All of this was great for the premium seat marketplace. But not so great if you believed there should be a legitimate per-event marketplace. No matter. The market had spoken. We scrapped the idea.

“The media to this day believes corporate suites are a separation of the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’, and that

somehow suites are a bastardization of the game itself.”

2007Sometime in 2007, the nearly mature premium seat marketplace had been built out. Nearly every team, with the exception of just a few hold-outs, had brand new or relatively new buildings complete with suites, club seats, stadium clubs, PSLs, and all the accoutrements that came with this new market.

Demand for suites was still high, and new venues and suites were still being planned. The 12,000 suites that existed in 2007 were going to be 14,000 suites in the four major leagues by 2012. And not only were there to be more suites, but the cost was going to go up, up, up. Suites, that used to be leased for $100,000 per year, were now going for upwards of $500,000 in the major markets in the best locations.

With so much money to be made, it was only a matter of time before all sports became involved: NASCAR, PGA, all the minor league hockey and baseball teams, and the huge untapped college marketplace, as well as new leagues such as Major League Soccer. The market had mushroomed and gone nuclear.

Markets kept building out with no end in sight. A city that had no suites one year suddenly had four new venues and in some cases 400 to 500 suites to sell to the corporate citizens of that particular locale. Very hot suite marketplaces such as Dallas actually had nearly 1,000 suites. If I took one call, I took a hundred from all the media types who contacted me. Everyone called: Forbes, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, nearly every local paper, even the Village Voice. They wanted the

Fall0919_24.indd 22 12/15/09 10:41 PM

S E A T 23

Question: If you want to know what your customers really think, what is th best way to find out?Answer: Talk to the man whose livelihood depends upon pleasing those customers.

That’s exactly what SEAT does this issue. John Wallace is Prime- Sport’s Vice President and the Gen-eral Manager of SuiteAgent and the company’s TicketOS ticket manage-ment platform. We asked him how PrimeSport’s customers presently view the premium seat marketplace during these trying economic times.

Wallace should know. Prime-Sport’s TicketOS division manages approximately 600,000 season tick-ets and suites across nearly every venue in the country. Under Wal-lace’s guidance, TicketOS has grown its ticket inventory software client list by 500% since he took the reins in May of 2008.

Wallace’s experience with selling to the corporate customer is impressive. Prior to PrimeSport, Wallace served as VP of Digital Sales for Iron Mountain where he was responsible for $150 million in annual sales. During his tenure there, Wallace grew the business to 100,000 small business customers. Cus-tomers during his tenure there read like a suite salesperson’s dream list and include: Coca Cola, Bank of America, Cisco, Intel, eBay, Adobe, and Boeing.

The following is Wallace’s view of the premium seat business, and how his customers presently view the marketplace.

Q: Corporations are changing their spending habits and spending patterns for premium seating. If you could offer a piece of advice to the teams, how would you position their pitches to corporations? Is there something they are not doing that you would do in reaching them properly? A: I recently brought together five Fortune 500 clients and asked them one question. When was the last time a representative from a team vis-ited you at your office? One person raised their hand and claimed one team (a Northern California team) visited their office three months ago. Other than that, the room was silent. I was shocked to say the least. The point is simple. Spend face-to-face time with your largest premium seat and suite holders. Build relationships with decision makers and under-stand their corporate marketing plans. Share as many success stories from companies who have successfully built ROI programs from your products and services.

Q: About 8,000 clients presently control the 12,000 suites in the four major leagues. As someone in the corporate world, do you believe there are clients out there who could purchase suites on a per-event basis? Do you believe the teams should change their marketing focus? A: There is no doubt in my mind there are thousands and perhaps tens of thousands of potential per-event customers. Birthdays, anniversaries, holiday parties, employee recognition, poker night, executive interviews, etc. are just a few ideas I’ve heard recently. A month ago, I connected a good friend with a per-event suite at the LA Kings. How? I knew he was a hockey fanatic and was planning his 40th birthday party for 20 close friends. Parents of young soccer players are another great target for the simple fact there are more kids playing soccer in the US than any other sport. In addition, small to medium size businesses all over the US are

looking for ways to entertain clients, but they don’t have the budget to lease a suite or purchase premium seats. Non-headquarter locations of Fortune 2000 companies are great targets as well.

Q: Some corporations claim they are not using their suites and/or tick-ets at a high enough utilization rate. Are there too many games? Have ticket prices become too high? A: A couple of thoughts- League by league, the problem is different. The NFL has high corporate utilization rates based on the 10 home games. On the other hand, MLB has 81 home games. Furthermore, most NBA and NHL venues offer the 41 home games plus extra events. This adds up to more events than a corporation can attend. Not to mention corpo-rations prefer to entertain clients during the week rather than weekends. I would encourage venues and teams to consider allowing corporations to sell a small portion of their suites to enhance the financial relation-ship with the team/venue. I realize this is not optimal, but I guarantee if executed properly would go a long way to building a long standing partnership.

Q: How are corporations adjusting to the new economic reality many are in? Is flat the new up? How are their budgets being squeezed?A: I’m far from an economic expert, but the equation seems simple. Consumers are not spending as aggressively as we once did, and this equates to change. Corporations are adjusting by not spending as ag-gressively, finding alternative revenue opportunities, and finding custom-ers via new media platforms. Social media has taken off, and the wave isn’t stopping anytime soon. If you’re not pushing the envelope to de-velop new marketing strategies and new customer acquisition avenues then you are living in the 90’s.

Q: Are there new technologies available that teams should adapt to?A: There are new technologies showing up every day in the ticketing space. Most seem to be underwhelming, but there are a few good ones out there. Technology should be used to help fix a problem, and this is why TicketOS and SuiteAgent were developed. TicketOS helps a cor-poration identify, track, report and utilize their expensive ticket assets. SuiteAgent was developed with the team in mind so we could help move dark suites to companies that can’t afford the annual commitment.

Q: You have a lot of major clients at PrimeSport: For example, Bank of America, Capital One, and Panasonic who represent nearly 400,000 seats and suites on an annual basis. How do the truly national clients position themselves differently that say, the local customer? Do they have different objectives?A: Many of the national clients think and act locally. This means national clients have decision makers in the local markets that act the same as a smaller client. In addition, each national client works from a business development plan that involves the local markets. For example, I work with a Fortune 500 company that has business development activities in the Washington, Dallas, and New York markets. They are dependent on the local relationships in 20+ venues and act just like a single market suite holder.

Q: What do you believe teams should do for their truly national com-panies that they don’t offer now? Is there a different way to treat a suite owner who has multiple suites in multiple venues, versus the local or smaller regional company?A: I don’t believe there is a need to treat the national companies differ-ently, but as I mentioned earlier, I know there is a need for the teams to partner closer with the large companies. Understand the company’s marketing plans, future spend, utilization rates for the suite, etc. Rela-tionships drive corporate business plain and simple, so get ahead of the curve.

S E A T 23

John Wallace, General Manager of SuiteAgent

And Now a Word from Your Customers

Fall0919_24.indd 23 12/15/09 10:41 PM

24 S E A T

same answer to “THAT QUESTION.” How many suites are enough? I always gave them the same answer that Ray Kroc, the founder

of McDonalds, gave to the media: “Saturation is for sponges.” Not one person ever printed my response.

No one believed my ever-so-snide answer. I had grown up in the media and knew the games they played. Most of the stories written about the “evil” corporate sports market were written before anyone ever contacted me. The media to this day believes corporate suites are a separation of the “haves” and “have-nots”, and that somehow suites are a bastardization of the game itself. Something innocent and pure had defouled the game. Alex Rodriguez did not seem to matter.

When I explained to each and every reporter that suites financed the new venues that they were calling for in their own papers, no one ever printed the response, because it did not “fit” the story they had al-ready planned on writing before they ever called an “expert” in the field, whom they had no intention of listening to in the first place. Reporters’ questions were just a guise and a game, and I refused to play. The ALSD was nothing if but an apologist for the industry- the bigger the better. In perhaps 200 interviews at least, I do not think one reporter ever really got the story right.

2008To some extent, we did receive our comeuppance from the media and from the economy in general. At the annual ALSD Conference and Tradeshow in Miami in 2007, I gave a speech titled: The Gathering Storm. I was fairly certain, based on declining occupancy rates and in-creased number of suites being constructed at higher prices that the market was in for a correction. What I didn’t foresee though was the crash that resoundingly came.

October 1, 2008 was the day that the music died in the suite mar-ketplace. Teams could actually date the day when the phones stopped ringing.

The world had changed. Lehman Bros. failed; Merrill Lynch was swallowed up; the government began to bail out private industry. Cor-porate hospitality was under attack. Luxury was no longer a word a politically correct company wanted to be associated with. Plaques on suite levels with the name of the leasing company were taken down.

There was inventory to be purchased; there were corporations which wanted out of leases. Could it finally be the right moment to dust off my now time honored idea and see if the industry would accept a per-event marketplace?

I decided once again to be the pioneer; after all, I already had the arrows in my back.

This time though, I decided to enlist support. I began my search for the right company to partner with. The ALSD was too small to

undertake such a large venture. The marketplace had grown too big, and we needed a company with real size. I started to talk with some of them. It was an interesting experience, and I had to kiss a few frogs, but eventually, we found a prince of a company.

PrimeSport was my pick. They were large enough; they could handle the considerable technology; they were already in the corporate hospitality space; and most importantly, they had clients who could already purchase suites. I also knew some people at the company such as Sharyn Outtrim, who used to work at the Georgia Dome and had set up suite villages for the Super Bowl and the Final Four.

Would PrimeSport play by the Team Rules? Well, I was about to find out. I would do so if and only if certain rules were in place including:

1) Teams have no financial risk in this venture; it is up to Prime- Sport to create the technology and the marketplace, and find cus-tomers. PrimeSport will only make money if they deliver results for teams.

2) This was not a secondary market application, but a true partner-ship with the teams. Teams can place their per-event suite inven-tory into a ‘buyer’s club’. The teams control the list price to guard against product cannibalization.

3) PrimeSport will supply customer data back to the team itself, who can then use that data to upsell per-event clients to long-term leases.

4) PrimeSport only receives payment when a sale is made. This is a transaction business.

PrimeSport agreed. They set up a company called SuiteAgent (see side-bar) that is everything I’ve always asked it to be. They are risking their capital, and it is considerable; they have set up wonderful technology; they are bringing their own customers that can buy suites; they have even begun ROI research on behalf of the teams and their customers.

SuiteAgent in my mind is the perfect national per-event comple-ment to the teams’ local sales forces. It’s the culmination of a 20-year-old idea.

I’ve been traveling around the country explaining SuiteAgent to teams and venues. By the time this issue is printed, I will have talked to most of the suite directors in the country. It has been fun, and it’s great to get to know the members better on a one-on-one basis. To date, the reaction has been incredible. I believe eventually, this will create an entirely new revenue model for premium seats.

The Big Idea that was The Palace of Auburn Hills in 1988 has kept me busy for 20 years and nearly an entire career. Funny how things happen, huh? What is that line from John Lennon: “Life is what hap-pens to you while you are making other plans.”

This is the way I have felt in the last 20 years in this intrigu-ing niche-market business. I’ve met so many people and have enjoyed nearly every moment of it. I am now going to complete the task. I am turning over the ALSD Executive Director reins to Amanda Verhoff, who will run this association with style and class. She is the next genera-tion, which is great because I really believe the next generation of the premium seat marketplace has just begun.

I am turning over the reins to Amanda in part because I want no apparent conflict of interest. The ALSD will still be the objective inde-pendent voice of the premium seat industry. But for me, I’ll stay on the road: the Willy Loman of the premium seat business.

It’s an idea of something that has created the way I lead my life. And the idea has created for me a life that I will continue to pursue. I hope to see you soon. #

Write to Bill at [email protected]. To learn more, find SuiteAgent online at www.suiteagent.com.

Evolutionary timeline: The United Center Harris Club and Theater Boxes illustrate a premium seat marketplace 20 years in the making.

Fall0919_24.indd 24 12/15/09 10:41 PM

Already the director of four departments for one of the most iconic teams in NFL history, Jennifer Ark of the Green Bay Packers de-cided to take on yet another role. Āe new role is not pressure filled;

it does not require long hours at the office; it does not even pay! What the role does require however is leadership, knowledge of the industry, and self-assurance to handle traveling with the often entertaining, oc-casionally untamed ALSD staff a few times a year!

Jennifer Ark’s new role: The 7th President of the ALSDĀe ALSD has seen Presidents from each of the four major professional leagues in North America, all with ideas on how to grow and educate the ALSD community. Āer e have been six previous Presidents of the ALSD. Āey include:

• Paula Mikola, Detroit Red Wings• Charlene Sprehe, Phoenix Suns• Bob White, Calgary Flames• Andy Major, Miami Dolphins • Tom Kaucic, Golden State Warriors • Pat McCaffrey, Cincinnati Reds Traditionally, the President’s responsibilities have almost entirely

been up to the President him/herself. Some have been quite active, oth-ers less active. Āe terms of the Presidency have also been relatively un-official. Āe two-year terms of Paula Mikola and Charlene Sprehe have turned into the four-year terms of Tom Kaucic and Pat McCaffrey. Āe reason? Simply put, the ALSD Board of Directors and its Presidency have not carried many conventional responsibilities in years past. In general, the President of the ALSD, an unpaid position, has helped in several areas. Programming for the annual conference was and contin-ues to be one of the main functions. But in recent years, especially with Pat McCaffrey, who hails from the same city as the headquarters of the ALSD, site selection for both the city and the hotel has become an in-

Introducing the New Leader of the Pack

Carrying the Torch: New ALSD President

Jennifer Ark

Guiding Light: Jennifer Ark’s vision for the future is ambitious like her predecessor Pat McCaffrey.

The Frozen Tundra: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin Meet your new ALSD President: Jennifer Ark, Director of Premium Sales and Guest Services, Green Bay Packers

By Amanda (Kuntz) Verhoff, Executive Director, Association of Luxury Suite Directors

S E A T 25

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26 S E A T

creasingly important component of the role. Additionally, the President, depending upon the league his/her team is in, has often had a lot to do with the planning and execution of the league meetings at the ALSD Conference. “Other than that, the President is an ambassadorship of the ALSD, spreading the gospel of the association,” says ALSD Chair-man of the Board Bill Dorsey. “Āe Jennifer Ark Presidency will be a more active one than most. Āis is in part because the ALSD is going to work with Jennifer and with the teams on a series of very controlled goals and directions of the association. Āis will include programming and site selection, but also more in the area of building a strong Board of Directors. Finally, Jennifer will undoubtedly mature the association by relaying knowledge of the industry to all members.”

A few weeks ago, the ALSD traveled to Green Bay to meet with our new pack leader. Yes, we asked the obvious: how was Favre’s return? What about those Cheese-heads that fill the seats every Sunday in the fall? And how can we get more of those Cheese Curds we had at lunch? But more importantly, we asked her about her new position with the ALSD. Her reaction was obvious confidence for what she can bring to the role, though she would never say so. Āe ALSD just recognizes that Jennifer unequivocally knows her stuff and is not afraid to share it for the betterment of the association. And what’s more, she put her Packers responsibilities to the side and spent the afternoon talking about the Presidency she is about to embark on with the ALSD. We would like to share some of her words with you all, our members, so that you can learn a little more about our new pack leader.

Amanda Verhoff (AV): What was your initial reaction to the ALSD inviting you to be President?

Jennifer Ark (JA): First and foremost, I was flattered and honored to be recognized as a candidate. Shortly after the ALSD asked that I ac-cept the role of President, I immediately began to think about what my first steps would be and if I could make a difference.

AV: We asked you to be President a few weeks ago. Since then, you said that you have given much thought to the goals and accomplishments you want to see for the ALSD during your term. Share some of those with us.

JA: Absolutely… and I have many! Here are a few goals that I hope to accomplish in the coming years:

• Examine and define clear job descriptions for the President and Board members

• Slightly adjust the make up of the Board of Directors to cap-ture voices that represent our membership

• Genuinely ask for member feedback, listen and react to opin-ions to continue to make the ALSD Conference and Trade-show a valuable premium seating resource

• Encourage younger/new members to get involved• Focus on programming that is intriguing to attendees for the

ALSD Conference and Tradeshow

• Grow ALSD membership, namely in leagues and sports that are growing, like college, minor leagues, and racing

• Make a difference with the Board of Directors and full-time ALSD staff

AV: What about working at the famed Lambeau Field for the Green Bay Packers has helped you gain experience and insight into the industry that prepares you for this role as ALSD President?

JA: With increased responsibilities that involve four areas within the Packers organization, I have learned a tremendous amount of in-formation and gained valuable experience to understand more about the sports business. Additionally, I have been involved with the ALSD for many years. Āe association and what the conference taught over those years helped our [premium seating] department stay on top of trends and provide contacts to help us do business with our important premium clients. Also, teamwork, collaboration and communication are the keys to effectiveness and we practice each of those in the Packers organization. I intend to bring those things to the ALSD.

AV: ALSD members make up a premium community, one based on professionalism, hard work, and camaraderie. What help or insight do you need from other ALSD members to accomplish your goals as President?

JA: Most significantly and along with the ALSD staff, as President, I will need feedback, suggestions and networking with members on a consistent basis. Āe ALSD can only be successful if its members of-fer their valuable insight. Teamwork is necessary to help collaborate on ideas as well as challenges that members have, including those that are industry-wide and that need resolution. Innovation is vital and the shar-ing of ideas and planning for new trends and paradigm shifts will propel the premium seating industry into a successful future.

AV: You are a longtime member of the ALSD. What are some of your fondest memories of the ALSD Conferences?

JA: Oh, wow… so many wonderful memories decorate my 16 years in premium seating with three professional teams! My favorite memories include the friendships that have evolved professionally and personally. I can call on several ALSD friends to ask how they sold that last suite or what kind of new renewal gifts were a hit with clients. Āe ALSD is a wonderful resource and has furthered my experience and success in the premium seating industry.

AV: Well, we hope that the Presidency brings you more memories, growth, and success in the industry. Now, can we get some more of those Cheese Curds we had at lunch?

JA: As Bill Dorsey thinks we all say up here in Green Bay… You Betcha!

“The Jennifer Ark Presidency will be a more active one than most.” –Bill Dorsey, ALSD Chairman of the Board

“The ALSD can only be successful if its members offer their valuable insight. Teamwork is necessary to help collaborate on ideas as well as challenges that members have.”

–Jennifer Ark, ALSD President

Fall0925_60.indd 26 12/15/09 5:52 PM

Passing the President’s Baton

Four-year President Pat McCaffrey was a driving force for ALSD im-provement. His voice was heard loud and clear as the leader of this

esteemed group. It was heard often too, working in the same city as the ALSD, which was a pleasure and privilege for us. We could call upon Pat most any day to make a trip to our office to lend an ear to Bill Dorsey’s next big idea or give us direction on the annual conference program, often departing with his witty goodbye, “Glad you got to see me.” Now, we call upon Pat to surrender his role to our next President, Jennifer Ark. We sat down with Pat to ask him about his four produc-tive years as President of the ALSD.

Amanda Verhoff (AV): You will be handing over the reins to a new President soon. How does it feel after four years “in office”?

Pat McCaffrey (PM): First of all, it was a great pleasure and honor to have been able to serve in the Presidential role over the last four years. Having been a member and attendee of the ALSD Conference for almost 10 years prior, I was very aware of the significance of the association on a national scale.

To be honest, the four years as ALSD President went by in the blink of an eye. It seems as if it were just yes-terday that I was coming into my initial year working with the ALSD and prep-

ping for the 2006 conference in Detroit. I’ve very much enjoyed the entire span being able to work closely with the association to further the goals and needs of the membership.

AV: You had a few specific goals in mind as you took over the Presi-

dency four years ago. Can you elaborate on those?PM: Āe ALSD was already well established as the industry-lead-

ing association of its kind in the premium seating area. My goals were to continue expanding the growth of the ALSD and to represent the membership’s best interests in having the ALSD professionally com-municate the trends of the constantly changing $10 billion premium seating marketplace.

AV: Tell me your best accomplishments in the role of ALSD President.PM: Working with the staff in the direction of our annual confer-

ence and programming was a key focus. Āe expansion of the league meetings at the conference was something as well that we felt necessary as we moved forward. We were very pleased with the four major leagues in their support and participation.

Programming the tracks for the conference is always challenging. In recent years with the difficulties of the economic environment af-fecting our industry, it was more important than ever to be topical and “out-of-the-box thinking” when positioning the tracks to the needs and interests of the membership. Broadening the focus of the ALSD into the minor league and collegiate segments was an early interest for me. Āe ability to r each the entire premium marketplace enables the ALSD to continue its mission to provide the most expansive messaging pos-sible. I was very pleased in the last three years to have the ALSD expand to include new IT and Research Divisions. Āese two areas will bring much needed benefits to the association going forward.

I was also very proud of our ALSD Awards program which was in-troduced at the Miami conference to highlight membership excellence in our industry, and certainly I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the LIDS 4 Kids community outreach program which donates ballcaps to young cancer patients. In my eyes the association never stood taller than in these moments of donation to the kids. It certainly for me contained some of the more emotional moments of the four years when we visited the local hospitals to meet with the kids and deliver the caps. Āe smiles on the kids’ faces were priceless.

Many items are cued up and ready for the next generation. Āe next conference settings of New York and Los Angeles will be incred-ible steps for the ALSD. Āe venues and programming will continue to be trend-setting for our association. Āe new ALSD website, which will be launched soon, will give the membership more information and direction than ever before. And the strengthening of our Board partici-pation will enable new focus and direction for the membership and the marketplace.

AV: Four years is a long term for an ALSD President. You must have

some fantastic memories of the ALSD Conferences over those four years. Give us a few memorable moments that stick out in your mind.

PM: Āe ALSD Conferences are the highlights for every ALSD President. I was very fortunate to be a part of some of the best shows in our 20 year history: 2006-Detroit; 2007-Phoenix; 2008-Miami; 2009-Dallas.

Āe Detroit conference is still one of my favorites. Being on the staff side of the conference for the first time, I was certainly anxious for the show to be a big hit for our members. And I wasn’t disappointed. Āe facilities were all very open and engaging in presenting for us. And the Detroit fireworks that coincided with the ending of the conference were a perfect conclusion to a great show!

Āe challenge each year in my mind was to try and “raise the bar” for the following year’s conference. Phoenix, in that regard, might be hard to top. Upon our initial site visit to the Phoenix area, we scouted out a number of potential resort hotels to accommodate our large at-tendee list. When we saw the ultimate destination, we knew immedi-ately we had a home for the 2007 show. We won’t discuss the 118 degree heat in late June…or the lack of air conditioning on a couple of buses. Just remember…it’s a dry heat.

Miami was the first city that the ALSD was going to make a return trip to for the conference. Āer e were long discussions as to whether

S E A T 27

Passing the Baton: Former ALSD President Pat McCaffrey hands over the reins to Jennifer Ark.

The 6th ALSD President Pat McCaffrey

Fall0925_60.indd 27 12/15/09 5:52 PM

28 S E A T

we were going back too soon from our previous Miami show ten years prior. But again, with the renovations to Dolphin Stadium and Ameri-canAirlines Arena, we knew we were in business. And of course there was the added benefit of South Beach.

Finally, Dallas brought the new sports Mecca, Cowboys Stadium. Coupled with four other stellar venues, American Airlines Center, Rangers Ballpark, Dr Pepper Ballpark, and Texas Motor Speedway, it was a “suite” show for the ages.

AV:What advice do you give the new President as she begins the new

term?PM: Jennifer is a great choice for the next President. As an ALSD

Board Member for a number of years, she knows well the mission of the ALSD and certainly has a forward-thinking approach to how the association can move into the next generation. She’ll do a great job!

Āe best advice for any President in our organization is to keep an ear to the changing trends of the premium seating market and listen to the membership as they present new ideas and suggestions for how they want their organization to best represent them. We have some of the most knowledgeable and influential voices of the industry as part of our organization; we have to continue to cultivate their involvement. Āe entire ALSD community benefits from the best and brightest sharing their ideas and successes.

AV: How can she grow and support this community of premium seat-

ing professionals?PM: As I’ve mentioned, and as we’ve all seen the last few years,

the premium seating category is a continually changing environment. Keeping up with the industry trends and reaching out to the Board and membership for ideas and direction will assist in continuing the ALSD’s mission to remain the leading authority of its kind in the marketplace.

AV: What other closing remarks can you give us that will illustrate

your Presidency and role with the ALSD? PM: Āe ALSD is much larger than any President. I was very

proud to be the steward of the ship during such a period of great growth and outreach for the association. My sincere thanks goes out to Bill Dorsey, the ALSD staff, the outstanding ALSD Board of Directors and the entire ALSD membership and community for their support and inspiration over the last four years. I look forward to the next generation of leadership and the continued successes of the ALSD. I encourage the membership to continue to participate and to seek new ideas to share. We are all very privileged to be a part of a very special industry. Āe ALSD is our organization, and what we make of it today will become the benchmark for the next leaders which will follow us in the industry. Āe best is y et to come.

Now the 2nd Generation Begins

With the 2nd Generation of the ALSD just beginning, there is a need for fresh faces on and new ideas for the Board of Directors. Āat

said, the ALSD presents its new Board of Directors members, who will begin immediately to lead the ALSD and plan for the 2010 ALSD Conference and Tradeshow.

NAt ALie Bu r BANkPremium Seating Manageru tah Jazz and Salt Lake Bees

Natalie Burbank is in her 3rd season with the Utah Jazz and Utah’s minor league baseball team the Salt Lake Bees as the VIP Services and Premium Seating Manager. Daily, she oversees operations for premium seat programs, including suites and clubs, and manages over 40 part-time employees at the EnergySolu-tions Arena.

Natalie received a Bachelor of Sci-ence degree from the University of Utah. While not at work, you can usually find her snowboarding or boating, enjoying the majestic scenery Utah has to offer. Natalie resides in Salt Lake City.

r ic h Ar D Se Ar LSDirector of Sales and Fan ServicesNew York r ed Bulls

Richard is entering his seventh season with the New York Red Bulls (MLS), beginning his stint as an Account Execu-tive in 2003 when the team was known as the MetroStars. Since that time, he has also served as Senior Manager of Ticket Programs and currently oversees the Sales and Fan Services Departments.

Richard is also helping to transition the team and its fans from its current

home, Giants Stadium, to its new, $200 million soccer-specific stadium currently under construction, where the team will have total control over its 30 suites, three clubs and 1100 premium seats. Āe new sta-dium is scheduled to open in March 2010.

Richard is a 1994 graduate of William Paterson University with a degree in Communication.

“The ability to reach the entire premium marketplace enables the ALSD to continue its mission to provide the most expansive messaging possible.”

–Pat McCaffrey, outgoing ALSD President

Fall0925_60.indd 28 12/15/09 5:52 PM

JAMie No r MANVice President of New Business DevelopmentDallas Stars h ockey c lub

Jamie Norman oversees community partnerships, suite sales, group ticketing, and hospitality. She has been with the Dallas Stars / Hicks Sports Organization for 16 years. Becoming one of the origi-nal employees of the organization when the team moved to Dallas in 1993, she sold season tickets to prospective busi-nesses as football on ice.

Jamie’s success in selling took her into corporate sponsorship sales for two years from 1996 – 98. When team owner Tom Hicks acquired the Texas Rangers Baseball Club and the Mesquite Championship Ro-deo in late 1998, she served as Director of Group Sales for Southwest Sports Group until 2003. During this time, the Dallas Stars moved into their new home -American Airlines Center, where she assisted in the execution and transition of season seat holders from Reunion Arena.

From 2003 – 2006 she served as Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service for the Dallas Stars. When the organization came out of the lock-out in 2005, she took on more of a niche focus to her current position today.

Prior to her time with the Dallas Stars, she got her start in sports and entertainment working in Group Sales for Denver’s Āeatr es and Arena, selling events at McNichols Arena (now Pepsi Center), Colora-do Convention Center, Denver Coliseum & Red Rocks Amphitheater. From 1989 – 1993 she worked as a season ticket sales representative for the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club.

Jamie graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing. She served on the track and field team during her four years at NAU. She is married with three children and enjoys golf and skiing when not too busy.

Pe t e r t i t Le BAu MAssociate Professor in the De-partment of h ealth and Sport Science c oordinator for the Sport Man-agement Programu niversity of Dayton

Peter Titlebaum, Ed.D., is an As-sociate Professor of Sport Manage-ment at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. He has over 25 years experience in management in the profit, non-profit, private

and public sectors. Dr. Titlebaum speaks and writes on areas such as networking and personal development. He has written more than 100 articles in industry and academic publications and recently published the second edition of his book entitled, Career Playbook.

In 2009, he was appointed the head of Research for the Association of Luxury Suite Directors with the express purpose of tracking changes and trends in the $10 billion premium seat marketplace. He received his doctorate in Sport Management and Leisure Studies from Temple University.

Because of his lengthy tenure in academia, he offers a different perspective to the association and the industry. For the past year, Dr. Titlebaum has been working with teams and suite administrators, gath-ering data on best practices and premium seating perceptions. “He has an interest and experience with the subject; he is objective and is not beholden to gathering results of any particular interest; and he is going to devote much of his upcoming sabbatical to this labor intensive pro-cess,” ALSD Chairman of the Board Bill Dorsey says.

Mic h Ae L A. SMit hManager, Suites & Premium SeatingPhiladelphia u nion

Michael is entering his 4th Sea-son in MLS Soccer as Philadel-phia Union’s first Manager of Suites and Premium Seating. Pri-or to his arrival to Philadelphia, Michael began his MLS career as an Inside Sales Representative for DC United Soccer. After a few months in that position, it

was obvious that his skill set was needed to help gain the business of the corporate market. Āis is where he served as a Corporate Account Executive.

Philadelphia Union is MLS’s 16th and newest franchise. Āe team is set to open a new stadium on the Chester Riverfront in 2010. It will include a capacity of 18,500 with 30 suites and two options for Field Level Seating. #

Write to Amanda at [email protected]

“I can call on several ALSD friends to ask how they sold that last suite or what kind of new renewal gifts were a hit with clients.”

–Jennifer Ark, ALSD President

“The ALSD is our organization, and what we make of it today will become the benchmark for the next leaders which will follow us in the industry.”

–Pat McCaffrey, outgoing ALSD President

S E A T 29

Fall0925_60.indd 29 12/15/09 5:52 PM

30 S E A T

When Amon G. c arter Stadium was initially built in 1930 for $350,000, it solidified the t exas c hristian u niversity football program’s national standing and represented the program’s coming of age. Now serving as a juxtaposition of a nostalgic past and auspicious present, Amon G. c arter Stadium is again positioned to symbolize the maturation of t cu into the coming of its next age. in the next three years, t cu hopes to raise approximately $90 million and renovate the entire west side of its football stadium. The ambitious project includes new construction on over half of the facility, which will again reinvent the game-day experience for the t cu football program and all its fans.

By: Jared Frank, Editor, SEAT Magazine, Association of Luxury Suite Directors

Although many young fans across the country are being introduced to the TCU Horned Frogs for the first time this year with their top-5 ranking and attempt to disrupt the BCS status quo, any

appreciator of college football knows TCU has been here before. Āe home of TCU football for the past 79 years, Amon G. Carter Stadium is not only the structural confines of the 2009 edition of TCU football, but also the ghosts of numerous past All-Americans, a Heisman Trophy winner, and two national championship teams. Now like in the pride-ful days of old, when the original $350,000 construction of Amon G. Carter Stadium served as an impetus for the arrival of a legitimate col-lege football power, TCU again has its eye to the future with its plans for a $90 million facelift to its Saturday afternoon cathedral.

From a design standpoint, Amon G. Carter Stadium is uniquely sublime, exhibiting the ornate geometric motifs, surfeit of curvilinear forms, and sharply defined outlines characterized by the art deco style that was prevalent during original construction. TCU aims to build upon these existing characteristics by employing many of the distinc-tions tantamount to the stadium construction boom that began in the early 1990s when new throwback facilities were built to honor the past. “Our goal is to be the Camden Yards of college football, which means that we bring some of those art deco design elements back,” details Ross Bailey, Associate Athletic Director of Operations. With this approach, clearly whether the detail is comprehensive or the minutiae, capturing

Coming of the Next Age The Reinvention of TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium

Fall0925_60.indd 30 12/15/09 5:52 PM

Coming of the Next Age

The Model Home: Dutch Meyer Athletic Complex overlooking the south end zone at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

“We have to be who we are. We’re not a big state school. We sort of have a design philosophy we call ‘simplistic elegance’.”

–Ross Bailey, TCU Associate Athletic Director of Operations

S E A T 31

Fall0925_60.indd 31 12/15/09 5:52 PM

32 S E A T

“It is important to develop realistic revenue projections based on market research and determine the ability of the institution to fund the project.”

–Jay Lenhardt, CSL International

the stadium’s classic identity and place within the private campus com-munity is always at the top of the TCU mind. “We have to be who we are. We’re not a big state school. We sort of have a design philosophy we call ‘simplistic elegance’,” adds Bailey. “We’re going to bring it into play where it’s classy and it fits the university.”

To know what the finished product will look like, one only has to gaze upon the south end zone, the launch point and first phase of the stadium’s reinvention. In 2008, the $13 million, 40,000 square-foot Dutch Meyer Athletic Complex was unveiled to TCU patrons, combin-ing the existing traditional architectural style with the modern world of premium amenities. Āis composite structure serves as a “model home”, displaying similar features and style that will be available to seat hold-ers on the west side. “It provides something tangible for fans to see and experience, and will likely serve to increase interest in future premium seating that might be added to Amon G. Carter Stadium,” says Jay Len-hardt of CSL International, a consultant for the project. Āe premium space in the south end zone features six suites, 255 club seats, and an expansive, yet sociable club lounge. TCU could have supported more premium seating in the south end zone than was actually built, but chose to take a conservative approach. “We had the foresight to test how demand for premium seating in the south end zone might be impacted if premium seating were added to the west sidelines in the future,” adds Lenhardt. “We felt that it may become difficult to sell a large inventory of premium seating in the end zone once premium seating becomes available along the sideline.”

Āe money for the project was raised upfront from a handful of loyal donors, so there was no debt associated with the project. Āe mod-el employed gave those making significant contributions the option to lease a suite in addition to their major gift to the construction project. Āe cost of each suite directly equates to that of one full scholarship- currently worth $37,000 annually at the private higher education insti-tution. “Āe challenge will be to determine if the depth and breadth of major gift opportunities can be expanded from the few individuals that contributed to the south end zone project to the more expansive west side,” Lenhardt says.

Āe challenge for the TCU athletic department lies in its inability to carry any debt and the fact that all annual giving and premium seat revenue must be allocated towards paying for scholarships, not towards debt service of capital projects; therefore, with substantially larger capi-tal costs, the feasibility of the west side project is much more difficult. Ideally, like the south end zone project, the $90 million needed to up-grade the west side will have to be raised upfront before construction begins by separate fundraising efforts exclusive of premium seating lease revenue. “Āe facility would be ready in time for the 2011 season with the exception of some of the amenity seating areas,” explains Davis Babb, Associate Athletic Director of Development. “Āe balance would be ready in time for 2012.” All of that is on the premise that TCU raises the money according to the current timeline. If they do not, then the project will just be backed up until the year in which they do get the money. Premium seating specifics for the west side renovation, which will basically keep the lower bowl intact and tear down everything above and start over, includes in excess of 1,000 club seats and in the neighborhood of 20 suites. Āese figures are true estimates at this point as TCU is still in the feasibility phase of the project. Final specifications

“The idea might be to try to get a little smaller, a little more precise, and be market conscious of what we ask people to pay.”

–Davis Babb, TCU Associate Athletic Director of Development

Tradition On Display: The club lounge in the Dutch Meyer Athletic Complex.

Look into the Future: Approximately 20 suites in the west side renovation of Amon G. Carter Stadium will look similar to this one in the Dutch Meyer Athletic Complex.

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Teams in every major sports league rely on us to deliver the game-changingtechnology solutions they need to streamline venue operations and enhance thefan experience. Let Insight get behind your team.

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S E A T22 WWW.INSIGHT.COM � 800.INSIGHT

NO MATTER THE SPORT, WE’RE IN YOUR LEAGUEToday’s premium seat holders demand more. They want to check fantasy scores,access stats in real time, and order concessions at the touch of a button. You canprovide your guests with all this and more by teaming with Insight.

Teams in every major sports league rely on us to deliver the game-changingtechnology solutions they need to streamline venue operations and enhance thefan experience. Let Insight get behind your team.

© 2008 Insight Direct USA, Inc. All rights reserved. Insight is a registered trademark of Insight Direct USA, Inc.

Designed, deployed and managed by


34 S E A T

will “depend on our ability to sell them,” according to Babb.TCU is certainly cognizant of some university’s recent difficulties

with selling out inventory, despite newly completed premium spaces. Bailey expounds, “Āer e’s a fine balance between creating demand and having more demand than you can sell. And if you have more demand than you can sell, then the value of what you have really gets watered down.” Āe solution for schools, especially those of similar size to TCU, might not be to necessarily look at expansion so much as changing the premium breakdown within the stadium and providing more amenities for fans to try to recoup revenue through premium seats as opposed to just trying to build a lot more seats. “Āe idea might be to try to get a little smaller, a little more precise, and be market conscious of what we ask people to pay,” says Babb.

To do its due diligence, TCU is turning to industry consulting professionals to glean information about the market and buying habits of its current and prospective customers. CSL International, based in nearby Plano, Texas, conducted an extensive email survey of Frog Club members, football season ticket holders, and the Fort Worth corporate community. “It is important to develop realistic revenue projections based on market research and determine the ability of the institution to fund the project,” Lenhardt says. In total, 900 surveys were completed that provided data on premium seating concepts, sensitivity to potential price points, lease term commitments, desired amenities, and degree of donation cannibalization.

TCU is also exploring the possibility of re-seating the stadium to coincide with the completion of the west sideline project with a form of seat license program. Such a program could result in substantial in-cremental revenues and more equitable giving based on seat location. “Āis minimum donation requirement can be justified, in part, based on stadium improvements that benefit all seat holders, such as larger concourses, increased number of restrooms, improved concessions, etc.,” says Lenhardt. Because TCU does not currently use its priority points system to assign seat locations at Amon G. Carter Stadium like most schools do, any form of a seat license, or points program that re-quires minimum annual donations per seat that may vary depending on seat location, introduces a delicate new variable into TCU’s plans. Āe athletic department is unsure of the price threshold people are willing to pay. Additionally, although TCU’s season ticket base is growing, it is still shallower than larger schools, so caution must be exercised. “We have to ask some questions before we can do [a seat license program],”

“I think you need to keep giving people options and ways to give at different levels.”

–Davis Babb, TCU Associate Athletic Director of Development

says Babb. “We sold 14,000 season tickets [this season] and that’s good, but it is imperative that we have a high rate of retention for our pro-gram to continue the current momentum.” Furthermore, TCU is very much a family-oriented university and desires to have a family atmo-sphere at its sporting events, so the athletic department is also careful not to alienate the general population of fans and other supporters of the university. “We’ll be cautious. We’re trying to work hard to make sure we don’t build too many suites, or put in too many club seats, because you don’t want to do that at the expense of your regular seat holder. You don’t want to erode that base. Plus having a little demand isn’t all that bad,” adds Bailey.

In addition to the web-based surveys, TCU formed a committee of sorts, comprised of donors and trustees, and brought them into the de-sign process. Āese individuals offer real credibility having sat in Amon G. Carter Stadium seats for over 25 years, and are the likely end users of the new premium seats. Āe union of the participants’ varying per-spectives, ranging from front-end to back-end issues, has substantially aided the university’s efforts. As Bailey analyzes, “Āey not only met football operational needs, but football and department entertainment needs on the front side.” Moreover, some people in the committee have very strong views for what is being done to improve the quality of the experience for the average fan, the person that comes day-in and day-out to athletic events.

Today’s college football landscape is pervaded throughout every conference in every region of the country with stadium build outs. Many driving forces account for how schools are paying for renovations. At TCU, a stable annual fund, growing student population, and entertaining product are the fillips provoking the Amon G. Carter Stadium reinvention. “I think you need to keep giving people options and ways to give at different levels. We’ve been pretty fortunate in this market. And the product has been really good, which has driven a lot of what’s going on,” observes Babb. Āis past fiscal year, TCU had its second best year ever for athletics giving, as TCU supporters came through on pledges for facility projects and endowed scholarships. Additionally, the largest freshman class ever swelled the undergraduate enrollment to 8,500 students. While these variables certainly contribute to the excitement, at the end of the day, there still is no substitute for a winning team. In this decade, TCU owns the 10th best record in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and has finished the season ranked in the Top 25 six of the past nine seasons. “If people believe in your product and they believe in what the university is doing, they’re certainly more likely to give,” Bailey says.

Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of Texas Christian Uni-versity represents everything TCU- proud people, a proud heritage, and a proud future. Āis tacit pride is sure to galvanize the next Davey O’Brien, Sammy Baugh, and LaDainian Tomlinson for the TCU foot-ball program. And with the plans in place to reconstruct over half of Amon G. Carter Stadium, the goal is for the facility to continue to help recruit prospective student-athletes, retain quality coaches, enhance the game-day experience of fans, and serve as the link that connects generations of TCU players, alumni, and supporters. Āe next age at TCU is dawning, and the kernel for this emergence is Amon G. Carter Stadium. #

Write to Jared at [email protected]

The Chancellor’s Suite: Simplistic elegance demonstrated in the Dutch Meyer Athletic Complex.

38


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By Amanda (Kuntz) Verhoff, Executive Director, Association of Luxury Suite Directors

It is not every day that one gets to see a music icon, one of today’s hottest who continues on the up-and-up, record a music video on the

streets of New York City at 2:00 in the morning. But on a recent trip to the city, that is exactly what ALSD’s Pat McCaffrey saw. Up-close and personal with his jaw to the curb, Pat stood watching Alicia Keys’ film the video for the popular hit “Empire State of Mind.” We forgave Pat for using his phone to snap pictures, rather than call us down from the hotel to join him… but only because his escapade sparked the idea for the 2010 ALSD Conference and Tradeshow theme song!

Now everybody, in your best Alicia Keys voice, “Let’s Hear It For New York.”

If you think you have not heard Jay-Z and Alicia Keys new hit “Empire State of Mind”, you have. Every time Derek Jeter ascended from the dugout to home plate this past World Series, the anthem blared from the Yankee Stadium speakers. Still not ringing a bell? Then it is time you find a radio and tune in. Listen to the lyrics (or just read them below, albeit not exactly as Jay-Z intended them) as the ALSD highlights the city that never sleeps, site of the 2010 Conference and Tradeshow.

[Jay-Z]Yeah,Yeah, Imma up at Brooklyn,now Im down in Tribeca,right next to DeNiro,But i’ll be hood forever,I’m the new Sinatra,and since i made it here,i can make it anywhere,yeah they love me everywhere,i used to cop in Harlem,all of my dominicanosright there up on broadway,brought me back to that McDonalds,

Speaking of Broadway, that street happens to be where the host hotel sits. Located at 1535 Broadway, in the heart of Times Square in Mid-town Manhattan, the New York Marriott Marquis takes up an entire block.

Need Broadway theatre tickets? Look no further than the hotel’s 8th floor. Americana Tickets specializes in both sold-out shows and dis-count tickets for any budget. Get tickets there for your favorite show and take advantage of great same day availability.

Let’s Hear It For New YorkWhere ALSD dreams are made

The Host Hotel: The New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, host hotel for the 20th Annual ALSD Conference and Tradeshow, June 27 - 30, 2010.

Spanning the East River since 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Conference Preview

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Oh, and about Brooklyn, it is just a cab ride away. As are some other cities you may have heard of:

Brooklyn: 4.8 milesQueens: 7.7 milesBronx: 8.9 miles To be exact, NYC’s five bor-

oughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx make up the southern tip of New York State. The city itself covers almost 470 square miles.

As for Jay-Z’s Harlem, if you want to “be a part of it” like Sina-tra says, it is in northern Manhat-tan bordering on the Harlem and East Rivers. And if you are curi-ous, TriBeCa means Triangle Be-low Canal Street, a neighborhood in lower Manhattan.

[Jay-Z]took it to my ***** ***,5-60 State street,catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whipping Pastry,cruising down 8th street,off white lexus,driving so slow but BK is from Texas,me I’m up at Bed Stuy,home of that boy Biggie,now i live on billboard,and i brought my boys with me,say wat up to Ty Ty, still sipping Mai-taisitting courtside Knicks and Nets give me high fives,***** i be Spiked out, i can trip a referee,tell by my attitude that I most definitely from…

Sitting courtside at the Knicks and Nets games? Maybe not; but how about sitting club level, sipping Corona instead? That is likely what members will be doing during ALSD venue tours. We probably will not visit the legendary Madison Square Garden or the IZOD Center, but you can be sure that even Spike Lee would be envious of the venues that we will tour at this year’s ALSD Conference.

At the time the ALSD visits New York City, the city and surround-ing area will be home to four brand new venues. The total estimated cost of new construction will be close to $4 billion.

• New Yankee Stadium, $1.3 billion: If the old Yankee Stadium

was known as the house that Ruth built, then the new park will surely have to be known as the house that Jeter and A-Rod built, as the two helped the team win the 2009 World Series.

• Citi Field, $850 million: The stadium’s main entrance way, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, is beyond spectacular in size and design.

• Red Bull Arena, $200 million: The entire project is privately funded; not one penny from taxpayers will be used to pay for the building.

• New Meadowlands, $1.6 billion: Removable trays of syn-thetic turf in the end zones containing each team’s logo are ex-amples of the flexibility of the two-tenant, 82,500-seat facility.

Please note: All figures are approximates from multiple sources.

Additionally, the Prudential Center, home of the New Jersey Devils, which opened in 2007, cost $375 million to build, bringing the total of the aggregate builds in excess of $4 billion. Major renovations to Madison Square Garden (MSG) will also commence in summer 2010. An estimated $500 million will be poured into the arena that dates back 40 years. It was rumored that MSG could pack its bags and break new ground elsewhere. But its prime location directly above Penn Station, not to mention its illustrious history of star players, is too good to leave. A club area ring around the arena, updated suites, and refurbished seats are only some of the changes to be made. In one of the richest cities in the world, the plan is for the teams and venues to reap the benefits and returns on the moneys spent to build these modern-day marvels. NYC was once a city void of affordable land on which to build new venues and was a city that did not fully embrace premium seating. But the new

At the time the ALSD visits New York City, the city and surrounding area will be home to four brand new venues. The total estimated cost of new construction will be close to $4 billion.

Blast from the Past: The façade of Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, is reminiscent of Ebbet’s Field, home of the old Brooklyn Dodgers.

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40 S E A T

and renovated venues have changed that landscape from what was, to what could have been, and finally into what is now.

As a side-note for all those star-gazing, celebrity gossips out there, we are pretty sure that “560 State Street” was Jay-Z’s old stomping grounds.

[Alicia Keys]In New York,Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,There’s nothing you can’t do,Now you’re in New York,these streets will make you feel brand new,the lights will inspire you,lets hear it for New York, New York, New York

We agree, the lights in the city are enough to “inspire you.” From a distance, the skyline of New York City is undeniably awe-inspiring. Up close the concrete jungle is loud and it is bright… even in the middle of the night. But if you want to escape the lights, but stay in the city, Cen-tral Park is the place to be. After dark, it is well… dark. The ambiance of a stroll through the tree-covered paths at night is only interrupted by the occasional raccoon or runner. If running is your thing, Central Park is known as “runner’s paradise.” A 6.1 mile course around the park would be enough to make anyone feel “brand new.”

[Jay-Z]I made you hot *****,Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game,**** i made the yankee hat more famous than a yankee can,you should know I bleed Blue, but I aint a crip tho,but i got a gang of ****** walking with my clique though,welcome to the melting pot,corners where we ******* *****,afrika bambaataa ****,home of the hip hop,yellow cap, gypsy cap, dollar cab, holla back,for foreigners it aint fitted they forgot how to act,8 million stories out there and their naked,

The Lower East Side of Manhattan has been the primary point of en-try and first home for newcomers for over two centuries. Giovanni da Verranzano was the first to see the harbor, and today its more than 8 million residents or “stories” make it the “melting pot” Jay-Z refers to. The city, which was the country’s capital at one time, is now home to

countless ethnic groups, like the Irish, Ital-ian, African-American, Mexican, German, Cuban, Jewish, Chinese, Japanese, and French to name a few.

Continuing, if you did not see it, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed their hit be-fore the second game of the World Series. Guess it was just good timing to release a hit praising New York and have the Yan-kees in the World Series at the same time. We do not know for sure if Jay-Z can make a Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can, but did you know that the New York Yankees logo made its first appearance on the uniforms of the New York Highlanders in 1909? The design was actually created in 1877 by Louis B. Tiffany for a medal to be given by the New York City Police Department to Officer John McDowell, the first NYC policeman shot in the line of duty. As stated on the Yankee website, perhaps it was adopted by the Highland-ers because one of the club’s owners was a former NYC police chief.

[Jay-Z]cities is a pity half of y’all won’t make it,me i gotta plug Special Ed and i got it made,If Jeezy’s payin LeBron, I’m paying Dwayne Wade,3 dice cee-lo3 card Monte,labor day parade, rest in peace Bob Marley,Statue of Liberty, long live the World trade,long live the king yo,I’m from the empire state thats…

So we all know LeBron and Dwayne Wade, but did you ever hear of Peter J. McGuire? We could give you three guesses, but we bet over “half of ya’ll won’t [get] it.” McGuire was a carpenter and labor union leader, and the person who came up with the idea for Labor Day. Thinking (we believe logically) that workers should be honored with their own day, he posed the idea to New York’s Central Labor Union early in 1882, suggesting the month to celebrate be between Independence Day and Thanksgiving. His idea, sparked from Canada’s labor disputes in the 1870’s, came to fruition with the very first Labor Day on Tuesday, Sep-tember 5, 1882. There were picnics, concerts and speeches, while ten thousand workers marched in a parade from City Hall to Union Square. The celebration was soon moved to the first Monday in September. Congress passed legislation making Labor Day a national holiday in 1894, and we still celebrate the holiday today (thank you, Peter!).

How about the “king yo?” We are not sure which king Jay-Z was singing about, but we can tell you that New York got its name after England’s Duke of York. His father was the British monarch, King George III. 50-Yard Line Plaza: Giants and Jets fans will be able to mark the 50-yard

line from the field, through the concourses, and into the 50-yard line plaza outside the New Meadowlands.

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[Jay-Z]Lights is blinding,girls need blindersso they can step out of bounds quick,the side lines is blind with casualties,who sipping life casually, then gradually become worse,don’t bite the apple Eve,caught up in the in crowd,now your in-style,and in the winter gets cold en vogue with your skin out,the city of sin is a pity on a whim,good girls gone bad, the cities filled with them,Mami took a bus trip and now she got her **** ***,everybody **** ***, just like a bus route,Hail Mary to the city your a Virgin,and Jesus can’t save you life starts when the church ends,came here for school, graduated to the high life,ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight,**** got you feeling like a champion,the city never sleeps better slip you a Ambien

“The Big Apple” likely has nothing to do with Eve, but with a little research, we came to the conclusion that there might not be just one meaning for “The Big Apple.” Here are three of the most popular mean-ings for the city’s nickname.

The first reference to New York City as the Big Apple is believed to have appeared in 1909. A man named Martin Wayfarer allegedly criticized the disproportional amount of the nation’s money New York City received annually. He com-pared the country’s economy to a tree with many roots, but the “big apple” (New York City) received the bulk of the “sap.” It’s very possible that residents of New York City may have embraced that critical reference as a source of civic pride. Liv-ing in the “big apple” meant enjoying the benefits of a robust economy.

There is also a very popular theory involving a New York sportswriterk named John J. Fitzgerald, who wrote primarily about horse racing during the 1920s. It is believed that horse races held in tracks surrounding New York City were called apples, perhaps as a reference to the prizes awarded to the win-ners. Fitzgerald took a trip to a stable in New Orleans in 1920, ostensibly to sell one of his own horses. Fitzgerald spoke with several jockeys while he was there, and they all referred to the New York City horse racing scene as the “Big Apple”. Fitzger-ald later named his regular newspaper column “Notes from Around the Big Apple,” most likely inspired by the words of the jockeys from New Orleans.

Another popular but largely unsubstantiated theory cen-ters around the world of jazz music. Musicians during the Jazz Age were said to call paying gigs “apples”, for reasons known only to themselves. By the 1920s, New York City had estab-lished itself as one of the premiere cities for jazz music, so it became the destination of many working jazz musicians. The ultimate gig for a musician was to play the “Big Apple,” mean-ing a nightclub in New York City. New York City became a destination for other entertainers as well, which could explain why the nickname “The Big Apple” became so popular. For those with the talent and ambition to succeed in New York City, taking a bite out of the “Big Apple” wouldn’t be such a bad goal.

From bus routes to subway lines, The Big Apple remains a city with booming mass transit. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) takes New Yorkers on 2.6 billion trips each year. Stated another way, about one in three mass transit users and two-thirds rail riders hail from New York City, making the city’s system the most extensive in the country. MTA bridges carry more than 300 million vehicles a year, more than any other bridge or tunnel authority in the nation… no wonder the traffic is always bad in NYC!

ALSD President Jennifer Ark and Executive Director Amanda (Kuntz Verhoff at the 2009 ALSD Awards Show

Empire State of Mind: Proudly standing 1,250 feet tall, the Empire State Building illustrates the New York City attitude.

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The Big Apple is also known as the “city that never sleeps.” Why? Well besides that Times Square is more vibrant at midnight than most other cities at noon, maybe one of the reasons is because at any hour of the day or night, you can always find the best eats. New York City is considered by some to be the world’s best city for dining. And with over 17,000 restaurants to choose from, no palate can go unsatisfied. From street vendors pushing dogs and donuts, to all-around-the-world ethic eateries, to hidden, hole-in-the-wall food havens, the city has it all… and for all price ranges. So rather than slip an Ambien Jay-Z, instead slip into your loosest pair of pants and hit the town for a meal or two… or 17,000.

[Alicia Keys]One hand in the air for the big city,Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty,no place in the World that can compare,Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeaaahhcome on, come,yeah,

For the first time, the ALSD will brave the most populous city in the United States, a leading global city that has influence and author-ity over commerce, international affairs, finance, culture, fashion, and entertainment. We are taking a bite out of the Big Apple and we sure will not sleep in this city! See what lies ahead for the ALSD in the short synopsis of the 2010 Conference Program on page 46. #

[Alicia Keys]In New York,Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,There’s nothing you can’t do,Now you’re in New York,these streets will make you feel brand new,the lights will inspire you,lets hear it for New York, New York, New York

To watch Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” music video featuring Alicia Keys, go to http://www.mtv.com/videos/jay-z/451252/empire-state-of-mind.jhtml.

So ALSD advocates, let us hear it for New York just like these Jet fans.

The New Meadowlands: An aerial rendering of the new home for the New York Jets and Giants beginning next season.

“One Hand in the Air”: The Statue of Liberty has protected New York Harbor since 1884.

Boston Celtics Courtside Club with Ellerbe Becket

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Boston Celtics Courtside Club with Ellerbe Becket

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2010 Association of Luxury Suite Directors Conference and TradeshowSunday, June 27 – Wednesday, June 30, 2010

New York CityMarriott Marquis

Schedule of EventsPlease note: The schedule of events is a meeting and traveler planner. The conference program will be updated continually.

Please look for e-mail updates and to our new website, coming soon.

Sunday, June 277:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Conference Registration Open8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Exhibitor Set-Up2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Board of Directors Meeting3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. New Attendee Welcome Meeting4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open; Schedule Monday Meetings; Cocktails in Hall7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Venue Tour

Monday, June 287:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Conference Registration Open 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Optional Exhibit Hall Appointment Hour9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. League Meetings (continued after lunch)12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. League Lunches 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. League Meetings (continued)2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. All Leagues Best Practices Session4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open; Cocktails in Hall6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open; Dinner and Reception in Exhibit Hall

Tuesday, June 298:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Conference Registration Open8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Disney Institute Seminar “Disney’s Approach to Quality Service”11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open; Lunch in Hall1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.* Sessions1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.* Suiteholder Focus Group4:00 p.m.* Depart for Venue Tour* Watch for potential additions/changes

Wednesday, June 309:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Sessions1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Sessions4:00 p.m. Depart for Venue Tour

Thursday, July 110:00 a.m. Tentative: Board of Directors Post-Conference Meeting

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F E A T U R E

As a leading provider of special event and venue insurance, K&K has partnered with the ALSD to offer a new program to suite owners and renters. This program provides affordable event liability protection in a unique new format designed specifically for ALSD members.

Image courtesy of Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

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S E A T18

F E A T U R E

As a leading provider of special event and venue insurance, K&K has partnered with the ALSD to offer a new program to suite owners and renters. This program provides affordable event liability protection in a unique new format designed specifically for ALSD members.

Image courtesy of Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

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The New Meadowlands: Rendering of the home of the New York Jets and Giants.

Leading through innovation is the key to being a successful IT leader in today’s changing global business climate. In June 2010, the 4th an-

nual conference for the SEAT-IT leaders across sports and entertainment will be held in beautiful New York City. The SEAT-IT organization is partnered with the ALSD to bring together business and technology professionals across sports, entertainment, and collegiate organizations.

IT leaders across the industry gather every June in a different city to participate and listen to panel discussions on the hottest trends and topics, brainstorm on the future of technology and how it will impact sports and entertainment, tour the local sports and entertainment ven-ues, as well as enjoy the premium networking opportunities during two and a half days of sessions and events. This conference removes all barri-ers across leagues, state and country borders, and it removes inhibitions to seek new ground-breaking solutions across every technology disci-pline. This growing group of IT professionals meets with the world’s top technology vendors, bringing thought-provoking technology solutions and services to IT leaders who have the desire to make significant im-pacts on their organizations whether it is a professional, amateur or col-

legiate sports team, an entertainment venue, or performing arts venue.Over the first three years since the formation of the SEAT Consor-

tium and annual conference, life-long friendships have been developed in an IT community that is in a class of its own. This community of IT leaders encourages each other to stretch beyond the normal boundaries of technology solutions, open the doors of leading edge innovation,

lead by knowledge and share our experiences, be open and learn from the corporate world, as well as push for strategic technology evolu-tions from vendor-partners across the world. Together we desire to be leading edge innovators and strive to influence the entire industry. We hope you too will soon join the growing IT community in sports and entertainment.

Each year, we continue to grow the program with a desire to edu-cate, network and innovate together to change the approach by which sports and entertainment leverages technology, as well as build a strong IT community of leaders that brings remarkable experiences to our fans and customers across the world. June 2010 in New York City is ex-pected to be the biggest and best conference for IT leaders yet. We have panel topics such as:

• Social Networking and its Future in Sports and Entertainment• Ticketing Solutions and Marketing Tools• Cloud Computing…Saas, IaaS and Data Center as a Service

(Software as a Service/Infrastructure as a Service)• New Stadium Builds, Technology Innovations and Lessons

Learned• Leveraging CRM to Understand Your CustomersThis year we have also added an Executive Coaching Session dedi-

cated to the IT professionals across sports and entertainment presented by Dan Rossetti, Managing Partner of Ascension Sports Partners LLC.

Recently, several of our IT leaders have received recognition across the nation. Chris Dill, CIO of the Portland Trail Blazers, has been a dynamic figure in the SEAT-IT Consortium and annual conference. Chris continues to be recognized as a technology innovator, which

Leading Through Innovation2010 will mark the 4th SEAT-IT Conference and Tradeshow, the largest annual gathering of today’s IT leaders in sports and entertainment. Read about this year’s hot topics and innovators, who will help guide you through the fastest growing segment within the sports and entertainment industry.

By Christine Stoffel, Executive Director and Committee Chairman, SEAT Consortium

The 82,500-seat New Meadowlands includes four huge high definition video screens.Together we desire to be leading edge innovators and

strive to influence the entire industry.

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East/West Club rendering of the New Meadowlands Private lounges of the East and West Clubs feature comfortable seating, flat panel TVs, and climate control.

“This growing group of IT professionals meet with the world’s top technology vendors, bringing thought provoking technology solutions and services to IT leaders who have the desire to make significant impacts on their organizations.”

“With the launch of our SaaS-based ProVenue® ticketing system, we have leveraged a highly

virtualized utility storage infrastructure and a cloud computing deployment model to generate new

revenue streams and expand our customer base.” – Brett Michalak, CIO of Tickets.com

many organizations are continuing to model themselves after and are watching to discover the next technology implementation he will lead. Chris was recently the winner of the CIO of the Year at the North-west CIO Summit. Since joining the Portland Trail Blazers, Chris has pushed the agenda for developing and implementing the IT strategy throughout Paul Allen’s family of companies in the Portland area. Un-der Dill’s leadership, the IT team is responsible for technical support for the Trail Blazers and the Rose Quarter. Dill’s knowledge of the high technology industry has been instrumental in making the Trail Blazers one of the recognized leaders for implementing information technology in business processes, ticketing, and Internet commerce.

Brett Michalak, CIO of Tickets.com, continues to be a key sponsor of the SEAT-IT annual conference. Tickets.com is a leading provider of fully integrated online event ticketing services for thousands of top arts, entertainment, and sports organizations worldwide. Brett Michalak was recently recognized by IDG’s CIO Magazine and 3Par as a 2009 CIO 100 Honoree. “With the launch of our SaaS-based ProVenue® ticket-ing system, we have leveraged a highly virtualized utility storage infra-structure and a cloud computing deployment model to generate new revenue streams and expand our customer base,” says Michalak. “We are not only excited to be recognized for the technology decisions we made in launching this innovative new platform, but also for the way our new IT infrastructure is using data center virtualization to evolve

our business model.” As CIO of Tickets.com, Michalak is responsible for all aspects of the company’s global product strategy and lifecycle. He oversees the global technology organization and plays an essential role in analyzing and evolving Tickets.com’s business processes to enable the company’s growth and optimize its existing technology infrastructure.

Congratulations to Chris Dill and Brett Michalak for leading through innovation and changing the face of sports and entertainment by leveraging and pioneering technology.

In future issues, key accomplishments of our Sports and Entertain-ment IT Community will continue to be highlighted, and successes of IT leaders across our industry will be shared to display the impact the IT community, developed through the SEAT-IT annual conference, is making upon the sports and entertainment industry.

We hope you will join us in June 2010 in New York City for the 4th Annual SEAT-IT Conference dedicated to technology professionals across the sports and entertainment industry. IT professionals want to be the very best they can be at every level of their career…attending this conference will provide you the tools for success. #

Christine Stoffel is the Executive Director and Committee Chairman for the SEAT Consortium

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Realistically, there is only a small percentage of the corporate market that can afford suite ownership. Consider the following breakdown:

Assume your suites lease for an average of $200,000 per year. How much revenue would a company have to generate to afford such a level of investment? The answer depends on the profit margin of its industry, but we will use 1% of gross sales (that would equate to 5% of net sales if profit margin is 20%). So to be considered a legitimate lease candidate, a company should generate at least $20 million in sales. Eliminating non-prospects such as retail, churches, schools, etc., there are a to-tal of 4.9 million business-to-business (B2B) organizations in the United States. Of the 4.9 million companies, only 2.5% (124,824) have sales of $20 million or more. By changing our parameters to those companies with minimum sales of $40 million, only 1.2% of companies would qualify.

These figures may seem discouraging, but they confirm that suite sales professionals must become more flexible and creative moving into the future. One way to capitalize on the wants of companies to be suite holders without being limited to the size of the markets listed above is to offer suite sharing opportunities. Suite sharing allows multiple partners to enjoy all the amenities associated with a suite at a fraction of the cost. For example, four partners share a suite for the season at $60,000 each. Your gross revenue has just increased by 20% with the suite generating $240,000 instead of $200,000. Using the same formula as above, $6 million or more in annual sales becomes the qualifying threshold for companies to be suite share candidates. The marketplace at that level is three times larger than the marketplace for single lease clients: 380,906 (7.7%) companies generate at least $6 million in sales.

ALSD Research: Keeping You Ahead of the CompetitionIn April 2007, Full House Entertainment Database Marketing par-ticipated in a groundbreaking suite research study with A L S D , Ohio University, and Turnkey Sports & Entertainment. The objective of the research was to determine the types of companies that lease suites: industry, size, years in business, location type, etc. The findings were shared in a breakout session led by Jim Kahler from Ohio University at the 2007 ALSD Conference. The data was also released in the Fall 2007 issue of SEAT magazine with the full report published in the Journal of Venue and Event Management (http://www.hrsm.sc.edu/JVEM/issues.shtml).

The research team received the suite client files from teams and venues in 25 major markets. Team/venues from each of the four major leagues were represented. After mining the data, the top 21 industries that lease suites plus a wildcard category of top manufacturing segments

was released.A lot has changed since the spring of 2007. Companies that were

customers then could be out of business now; and some industry seg-ments that were booming are suffering now. In addition, counter-cy-clical industries have emerged and are now thriving, and a viable target for suite sales.

The research team has reconvened and has categorized businesses in today’s economy into three segments: growing, shrinking, and status quo. The industry’s 2007 ranking is in parenthesis.

GRowinG inDuStRieS:

Ã Attorneys/Legal Services (2): They are still a great target for tickets, especially bankruptcy attorneys.

Ã Insurance (4)

Ã Business/Management Consulting Services (7)

Ã Accounting, Auditing & Bookkeeping (8)

Ã Telecommunications (10)

Ã Beer, Ale, Wine & Liquor Distributors (11)

Ã Doctors Offices (13)

ShRinKinG inDuStRieS:

Ä Banks, Bank Holding Companies & Credit Unions (1)

Ä Television, Radio & Newspaper (3)

Ä Finance & Investments (5)

Ä General Contractors & Home Builders (6)

Ä Real Estate Agencies & Managers (9)

Ä Car Dealers (12)

Ä Mortgage Brokers & Loans (16)

Ä Real Estate Developers (17)

Ä Title Companies (20)

Ä Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Contrac-tors (21)

Grow Your Suite Sales During the RecessionFind new business categories to occupy your premium inventoryBy Ron Contorno, President, Full House Entertainment Database Marketing and Heather Lawrence, Ph.D., Ohio University

S E A T 19

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S E A T 19

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56 S E A T

StAtuS Quo: Â Casinos (14): Consumers might not be going to

Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but they are still fre-quenting their local casinos.

Â Business Services NEC (15)

Â Restaurants & Caters (18): High-end restaurants are facing difficult times, but fast food is doing well.

Â Holding Companies & Other Investors (19)

Â Manufacturing Categories (Wildcard)

new & Counter-Cyclical industries:What new industries might crack the top 21 in 2010? Here is a listing of industries that the researchers consider counter-cyclical:

1. Computers/High-Tech

2. Collection Agencies

3. Credit & Debt Counseling Services

4. Pawnbrokers

5. Check Cashing Services

6. Apartment-Related Companies: With less people buying, apartment rentals are up.

7. Educational/Training Companies: Applications for enrollment are up at trade/technical schools, traditional colleges and universities, and for-prof-it education options.

8. Discount Chains: Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

9. Fast Food Restaurants: Target franchise owners.

10. Auto Repair: People are not buying new cars but still need to fix their current vehicle.

11. Medical-related: Hospitals, doctors, dentists, and device companies are all good targets.

12. Remodeling Contractors: Many people are reno-vating their existing home instead of purchasing a new home.

13. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Edu-cation & training, recycling, alternative energy, infrastructure, science.

14. Self Storage

Recommendations:The New & Counter-Cyclical Industries along with the Growing In-dustries are the types of businesses that teams should be targeting to fill premium seats. But do not give up on the Shrinking Industries either. An argument could be made that if a company in one of these industries is still operating, they have weathered the storm, and as the economy rebounds, so will their spending. Work to bring them back as a shared lease customer and then transition them to full ownership.

what’s next: new & updated Research StudyFull House has again partnered with Ohio University and ALSD to update the 2007 suite lease research. The researchers will again be fo-cusing on the types of businesses that buy premium seating. This time, club seating customers and VIP club members have been added to the analysis. Upon completion, a report on the types of business customers at the following levels will be available:

• Suite Lease• Club Seating• ViP Club/hybrid

Previously, the research team was successful in getting 25 teams and venues to participate. This year, the goal is to add at least 5 markets to the analysis. Data from participating teams/venues remains confiden-tial, and non-disclosure agreements are routinely signed between the research team and the team/venue. In exchange for participation, the team/venue will receive a report ranking its top industries for each type of buyer (suite, club, VIP/hybrid). For any organization with inventory to sell, this data will be your blueprint for finding new customers in two significant ways. First, teams/venues can refocus their sales efforts on in-dustries where success has already been achieved. Also, participants will be able to benchmark their own reports off the overall national data to see if there are industry segments they are not penetrating where there is proven national success. #

Teams/venues interested in participating should contact:Dr. Heather Lawrence, Ohio [email protected]

“For example, four partners share a suite for the season at $60,000 each. Your gross revenue has just increased by 20% with

the suite generating $240,000 instead of $200,000.”


58 S E A T S E A T 11

Interactive suite views

Online venue presentations

Hospitality e-brochures

channel1media.com

416.531.6111


S Y N T H E S I S T H E M E R I D I A N C O L L E C T I O N F E AT U R I N G S Y N T H E S I S

EXPLORE A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION

PAT T E R N +T E X T U R E

Introducing Synthesis from Durkan – A proprietary patent pending technology that combines pattern over texture. The result is a unique layering eff ect that brings a tremendous depth and richness to the carpet, adding a whole new dimension to hospitality fl oors.

F O R M O R E I N F O, V I S I T D U R K A N .C O M �S Y N T H E S I S

O R V I S I T U S AT T H E A L S D C O N F E R E N C E

D U R K A ND U R K A N . C O M � ��

ALSD_DrknSynthesis2_Apr09_FP.indd 1 4/20/09 5:13:19 PMBuyers Guide fall 09.indd 47 9/28/2009 9:07:46 AMFall0925_60.indd 58 12/15/09 5:55 PM

S E A T 11

Interactive suite views

Online venue presentations

Hospitality e-brochures

channel1media.com

416.531.6111


S Y N T H E S I S T H E M E R I D I A N C O L L E C T I O N F E AT U R I N G S Y N T H E S I S

EXPLORE A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION

PAT T E R N +T E X T U R E

Introducing Synthesis from Durkan – A proprietary patent pending technology that combines pattern over texture. The result is a unique layering eff ect that brings a tremendous depth and richness to the carpet, adding a whole new dimension to hospitality fl oors.

F O R M O R E I N F O, V I S I T D U R K A N .C O M �S Y N T H E S I S

O R V I S I T U S AT T H E A L S D C O N F E R E N C E

D U R K A ND U R K A N . C O M � ��

ALSD_DrknSynthesis2_Apr09_FP.indd 1 4/20/09 5:13:19 PMBuyers Guide fall 09.indd 47 9/28/2009 9:07:46 AMFall0925_60.indd 59 12/15/09 5:55 PM

seat fall 2009

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