Cashing In in Cali
GREEN SPACE: The large plaza at Irvine’s FivePoint Amphitheatre is mostly grass and offers a...
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Tag: March 2020
The Clubs of SXSW
Austin’s Beer Land, which opened in 2001 but closed last spring, is back in business under new ownership. (Courtesy Beer Land) As Austin’s South by Southwest changes, music venues make adjustments of their own Editor’s Note: The city of Austin on March 6 canceled all March dates for SXSW because of concern over COVID-19 and the coronavirus that causes it. Ask any owner or operator of a music venue in fast-growing Austin about the importance of the 10 days of South By Southwest each March and they won’t mince words: By many calculations, more than 25 percent of some clubs’ annual revenue is generated when music, film and tech fans flock to Texas’s capital city from all over the world for the event whose name they shorten to South By. The festival’s importance is consistent. What’s changing is the frothy days of major promotional activations like the four-story Doritos vending machine… Continue Reading The Clubs of SXSW
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Wanted Your Picture in ‘Jackpots’? Tom Was the Guy to Talk To
Tom Powell is flanked by hall of famers John Havlicek (left) and Joe DiMaggio. (Courtesy Kevin Powell) Years before cellphones, the old Amusement Business magazine equipped its staffers with cameras and black-and-white film to document their travels to arenas, stadiums, fairs, amusement parks, carnivals and concerts. As part of taking photographs for the trade publication, AB editor Tom Powell enforced a strict rule: Two people were required to be in a picture. It sounds simple, but finding a second person could be difficult at a key moment in time. It could also lead to a potentially embarrassing situation for those having their picture taken. Just ask Bill Lester. Lester, retired executive director of the old Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, recalled AB’s “two-person” photo rule during the recent Stadium Managers Association seminar in Phoenix. “One year, I was walking out of the stadium after a big event, Super Bowl… Continue Reading Wanted Your Picture in ‘Jackpots’? Tom Was the Guy to Talk To
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Pacnet ’20: Looking Past 40
Cole Gahagan, president of content, multimedia sales and enterprise solutions for Learfield IMG College, speaks as part of the Pacnet ’20 opening keynote. (All photos courtesy Paciolan) With a milestone to mark, Paciolan keeps its conference pointed toward the future of ticketing Ticketing and marketing company Paciolan turns 40 this year, but it’s interested in more than celebrating. Surviving four decades in the ticketing world is certainly no small feat, and for the company’s annual Pacnet conference Feb. 9-12 in Newport Beach, Calif., it did allow itself some time to mark the occasion with its clients and vendors. Eighties-themed events ruled the evening after the first full day of sessions at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa, and the totally ’80s dance hits from cover band Knyght Ryder fueled the Pacfest Party. But when it got down to business, the conference was about looking forward and not back, appropriate… Continue Reading Pacnet ’20: Looking Past 40
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Read MorePacnet ’20: Seen and Heard
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Pacnet ’20: As Real As It Gets
Josh Earl of NextVR, Jorge Angarita of The Walt Disney Co., Jeff Rubin of Sidearm Sports, Monal Chokshi of Lyft and moderator E.J. Liao of Paciolan. (Courtesy Paciolan) Role of augmented and virtual reality, connectivity increases in live sports and entertainment When it comes to “delighting” consumers of live sports and entertainment, augmented and even virtual reality can play an important role and connectivity at venues is an element of increasing importance, a panel of experts told attendees at Paciolan’s Pacnet ’20 conference in Newport Beach, Calif., in early February. Jeff Rubin, founder and CEO of Sidearm Sports, a Learfield IMG College company (like Paciolan) whose software powers the websites, apps, stat integration, live audio, video streaming and e-commerce platforms of more than 1,000 college athletics departments, said the company put AR to use for 36 hours in New Orleans during the College Football Playoff. During a panel discussion on… Continue Reading Pacnet ’20: As Real As It Gets
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Pacnet ’20: Data Does It All
DATA DUMP: Kip Levin, FanDuel; Adam Landsman, Clear; Parker Duffey, Tailgate Guys; Mike Lorenc, Google; and moderator Christian Lewis. (Courtesy Paciolan) How companies are using behavioral information to elevate the fan experience Technological innovation continues to alter the way companies in the live event space interact with consumers and partners, allowing for enhanced experiences that are often based on behavioral data, some in a panel of industry leaders said. In the case of Clear, which uses biometrics to move customers more quickly into sporting events, through airports, at Hertz rental car locations (and soon medical offices), maintaining consumers’ trust is of utmost importance, but there is a way of using captured data in a way that benefits both them and sports teams and venues, said the company’s vice president of product development, Adam Landsman. Fans who get into venues more quickly are more likely to spend more on concessions and merchandise,… Continue Reading Pacnet ’20: Data Does It All
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Pacnet ’20 — Esports: Game On
BUILDING A NEW WORLD: Moderator Jeff Robins with John Fazio of Nerd Street Gamers, Joe Marsh of T1 Entertainment & Sports and Mark Deppe of the University of California, Irvine. (Courtesy Paciolan) Competitive gaming develops a range of facilities, from pros to the grassroots The growth of esports secured it a spot at Pacnet this year, as three people with different views of competitive gaming’s facilities landscape contributed to the discussion. Helping shape those views is the unusual top-down way in which esports developed. “The pro scene got popular and developed quicker than the amateur college and high school scene, so we’re kind of working backwards now,” said Joe Marsh, CEO of T1 Entertainment & Sports, a joint venture between Comcast Spectacor and South Korea’s SK Telecom. “We have these top-tier pro leagues, and then we have this void that we’re trying to fill. … We need more investment… Continue Reading Pacnet ’20 — Esports: Game On
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In Memoriam: Tom Powell 1933-2020
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Tom Powell flanked by The Judds. (All photos courtesy Kevin Powell) If longtime industry journalist ‘couldn’t write something nice about you, he wasn’t going to write it at all’ Tom Powell helped form the business of documenting the sports and live entertainment industry. In his 35 years as a reporter and editor at the old Amusement Business magazine, Powell mentored many journalists working across multiple trade publications, including VenuesNow and Pollstar. Powell died Jan. 21 in Nashville. He was 86. At the time of his death, Powell was still writing weekly columns for the Outdoor Amusement Business Association, the trade organization for the carnival industry. It was a testament to his work ethic, plus his love of live entertainment and the personalities that make it a compelling endeavor. Nobody had more fun doing his job than Powell, fondly called “TP” by his family, friends and colleagues.… Continue Reading In Memoriam: Tom Powell 1933-2020
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Live! Roundup: T-Mobile Arena Sets High Bar With Early Box Office Success
BIG HIT: UFC 246 topped Hot Tickets with about $11 million in sales. (Getty Images) Although still in the early stages of 2020 and just weeks into the first quarter of the year, ticketed live events at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas have already made quite an impact at the box office. The 20,000-seat venue has racked up the highest overall gross among all arenas worldwide based on reported ticket sales to VenuesNow‘s sister publication, Pollstar. Since the beginning of January, gross revenue from a mere six events has stretched beyond $20.1 million, over half of which was fueled by the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s UFC 246, a mixed martial arts event Jan. 18. The welterweight bout featuring Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone easily nabs the No. 1 slot on this month’s Hot Tickets chart with $10.9 million in sales. Ticket prices ranged from $200 to a high of $5,000 for… Continue Reading Live! Roundup: T-Mobile Arena Sets High Bar With Early Box Office Success
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Texas: Live Nation High on The HiFi Dallas Project With Mavericks
READY FOR A SPIN? The HiFi Dallas is set to open in May. (Courtesy Live Nation) New to the Texas scene this year will be The HiFi Dallas, a 1,000-general admission house with a seated capacity of 700, which will open May 15. Conceived by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Live Nation’s Michael Rapino, the new live entertainment space is situated in the Dallas Design District in a refurbished furniture store and warehouse next to the Mavericks’ practice facility and just blocks away from American Airlines Center, where the Mavericks play. Buildout started last summer. “It’s a very intimate contemporary club with elevated finishing touches and flourishes throughout, and we believe it will be the most beautiful venue of its size in Dallas,” said Ben Weeden, chief operating officer of Live Nation Entertainment’s clubs and theaters division. “As the name suggests, it will have an unmatched sound system which… Continue Reading Texas: Live Nation High on The HiFi Dallas Project With Mavericks
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Texas: Blazing Hot
SUITED UP: The Jonas Brothers play American Airlines Center in Dallas. (RAP Photo Co.) Records fall at top Lone Star State venues THE CIRCUIT Venue managers talk about what defined their year Globe Life Park, Arlington Sean Decker, executive vice president of events and entertainment How did you do last year? 2019 was a record year for Globe Life Park and its last as the home of the Texas Rangers. From a historic final baseball season to three major concerts, an international soccer match and 200-plus private events, Globe Life Park was busier than ever before. All of this prior to starting a major renovation in mid-October to transition the facility from a ballpark to multipurpose sports and entertainment facility. Big shows Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and Jason Aldean. Changes Globe Life Park, which was the home of the Texas Rangers for 26 seasons from 1994 to 2019, welcomes… Continue Reading Texas: Blazing Hot
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