ASM Global sets ambitious sustainability target
ASM Global has announced an aggressive plan to convert its venue portfolio into the most sustainable collection in the world.
Through its corporate social responsibility platform, ASM Global Acts – and in partnership with Honeycomb Strategies – the company says it will dedicate its full resources to achieving measurable results using a comprehensive tracking system, “intended to reflect that scale and create substantial collective impact on every continent it operates”.
ASM already boasts the largest collection of certified green venues with more than 40 throughout the portfolio, and the firm’s global president and CEO Ron Bension says it is “now raising the bar even higher”.
“This entire program will be integrated into all of the relationships with our existing and future clients as part of our intrinsic ASM Global DNA,” says Bension. “As we stated when we first partnered with Honeycomb Strategies last summer, demand from our established and newer clients for state-of-the-art sustainability innovations has been consistently increasing. We are now in a position to work with them and lead the industry in this incredibly important space.”
ASM has committed to reduce energy consumption by 25% for all its venues, as well as achieving 20% of all energy consumed through renewable energy sources by 2025. It has also set the targets of being carbon neutral by 2050, diverting over 50% of waste overall by 2025 and eliminating single-use plastic in front of house, also by 2025, and reducing water consumption by 25% by 2030.
“The project has already begun. We’ve selected a group of pilot venues across size, type and continents that have begun reporting against the goals”
In addition, it will award 50% of its reportable spend to suppliers adhering to its environmental purchasing policy by 2030, and is bidding to increase plant-based menu options by 35% by 2024 within its Savor food division venues and decrease food waste by 75% by 2026 in those venues.
“The project has already begun,” adds Lindsay Arell, one of Honeycomb Strategies’ two principals. “We’ve selected a group of pilot venues across size, type and continents that have begun reporting against the goals. The aim is to add additional venues at a fast pace to obtain important baseline information for 2023.”
ASM has partnered with WeTrack, a SaaS company that provides planning, sustainability goals and operations solutions. The WeTrack system has been developed to help customers track progress on sustainability, ESG and CSR initiatives.
ASM Global venue ambassadors will each have a system set up for them with common indicators that ASM Global wants to track along with venue goals specific to the community in which they operate.
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Rob Wicks named MD of Aberdeen’s P&J Live
ASM Global has announced the appointment of Rob Wicks as managing director of P&J Live in Aberdeen.
Wicks, who will join the venue in June, brings 25 years of experience in the sports and events industry, working with rights holders, brands, host venues, governing bodies, promoters and agencies.
He is currently commercial director at Aberdeen Football Club, where he has been responsible for all football club revenue streams, including partnerships and sponsorships, hospitality, ticketing, retail, memberships, marketing, communications, events and new stadium planning.
“On behalf of everyone at ASM Global, I’d like to warmly welcome Rob to the team,” says Marie Lindqvist, SVP operations Europe at ASM Global. “Rob brings with him decades of experience as a widely-respected, innovative and results-driven leader in the events and sports industries. Having seen great success working with renowned brands, events and organisations in Scotland and beyond, Rob will undoubtedly be a tremendous driving force in his new role as P&J Live, a truly versatile and award-winning venue, looks to the future.”
Wicks, who hails from South Africa and has worked in Europe for the past two decades, has delivered projects and events in 25 countries.
“ASM Global is on a clear growth trajectory and P&J Live is a vitally important part of its European venue portfolio”
“ASM Global is on a clear growth trajectory and P&J Live is a vitally important part of its European venue portfolio, so this a very exciting time to be coming on board,” he says. “I see this as a terrific opportunity to play a leading role in Scotland’s new state-of-the-art event complex achieving its full potential. I already know some of the passionate and talented team who operate the venue and having spent the past five years in Aberdeen, I am able to bring a strong network and range of local experience to the role.
“I am really looking forward to working with the team to build upon the great work they have done to date and enhancing the reputation that the venue has established. A great example of this is the Lewis Capaldi concert in January that delivered Scotland’s highest-ever selling indoor show. This sort of success has definitely put P&J Live on the map and instilled further confidence that the venue – and the region – can deliver.”
Opening in 2019, P&J Live is the largest event complex in the North of Scotland, and has upcoming shows with the likes of Michael Bublé, Elton Joh and Pet Shop Boys.
“Some of the key priorities that I see in the short to medium term are to enhance our key stakeholder relationships, better understand our customer base, look at ways to integrate innovative new technology to enhance the customer journey and ensuring there is an outstanding pipeline of world-class conferences and events to look forward to,” adds Wicks.
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ASM Global and Nordoff Robbins ink partnership
ASM Global has announced a new three-year partnership with Nordoff and Robbins, the UK’s largest music therapy charity.
The partnership will roll out across ASM Global’s portfolio of venues in the UK, which includes AO Arena, first direct Arena, Utilita Arena Newcastle, Olympia London, OVO Arena Wembley, York Barbican, Bonus Arena and more.
According to a release, visitors to the venue and venue teams will be engaged in driving fundraising initiatives and activations as well as in opportunities to educate themselves.
ASM Global and Nordoff and Robbins will join forces to raise funds to expand the charity’s services to more children and adults across the UK, and protect current and future funding for music therapy delivery, education and research.
This partnership is supported by ASM Global’s corporate social responsibility platform, ASM Global Acts, which launched in October 2021 to protect the environment, invest in people and strengthen communities around the globe.
Nordoff and Robbins’ trained music therapists “use the power of music to break through the barriers caused by life-limiting illness, disability and social isolation, creating space for people to express themselves and find connection in society”.
“We have always admired the exceptional work of Nordoff and Robbins”
The charity reaches thousands of vulnerable people annually through their bases across the UK, and by working in partnership with organisations including care homes, schools and hospitals. Its work can be transformative, from an adult with dementia reconnecting with family, to a child with autism finding their voice.
“We have always admired the exceptional work of Nordoff and Robbins,” says Chris Bray, EVP of Europe at ASM Global. “As a live entertainment experiences business, we are committed to making music accessible and through this new partnership we have the opportunity to work alongside a leading, ground-breaking charity to deliver just that.”
“On behalf of all at ASM Global, we are very much looking forward to getting started in what we hope to be a long and successful partnership with Nordoff and Robbins, bringing music therapy and all of its lifechanging benefits to people around the UK who need it the most.”
Sandra Schembri, CEO, Nordoff and Robbins, adds: “We are truly delighted and grateful to be partnering with ASM Global for the next three years. Having the support of their network of amazing venue teams to help amplify Nordoff and Robbins’ mission to millions of visitors nationwide, will be an enormous boost to our fundraising activity. We look forward to working with ASM Global on a whole host of exciting initiatives and activations throughout this extensive partnership, with all money raised going directly towards making music therapy accessible to even more people across society.”
ASM Global and Nordoff and Robbins formally announced their partnership on Tuesday 28 February at ILMC. A team of Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapists attended to deliver a music therapy workshop to ASM Global teams, offering a chance to see first-hand, the work that they do with such outstanding results.
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ASM Global partners on arena set to be ‘greenest’ in US
ASM Global are partnering on the development and operation of the proposed 17,000-seat GreenCity Arena in Virginia, planned to be the greenest venue in the US.
The Henrico County venue will be designed for touring concerts, family shows, sports and tournaments, and will be a central feature of the $2.3 billion GreenCity ‘eco-district’.
Henrico first announced GreenCity in December 2020 as a mixed-use development featuring office, residential, retail and hotel uses designed to high-sustainability standards as an eco-district. The arena is being planned as a net-zero energy project with additional design features and practices that developers believe will make it the greenest arena in the nation.
“What we wanted in an arena-development partner is someone that also understood district programming,” says GreenCity Partners principal Michael Hallmark. “The arena may well be the main attraction, but GreenCity is much more.”
“A growing list of touring artists as well as corporate sponsors are viewing climate change action strategies as key factors in their decision process. They can go anywhere. We want them to come here,” Hallmark said. “Developing science-based targets and net-zero goals is just good business.”
“GreenCity offers tremendous synergies for the talent we hope to attract”
The arena construction will be largely paid for by bonds issued through the GreenCity Community Development Authority, which was established by the Henrico Board of Supervisors on 24 January. The CDA will be overseen by a separate board. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is expected to lead the underwriting effort.
The arena site, located along Interstate 95 between East Parham Road and Interstate 295, is seen as the best location for a major arena in Virginia.
ASM Global executive VP of development Liam Thornton says: “We believe this location is optimal within the greater region, as the I-95 corridor connects touring shows from Boston to Miami. It will be a tremendous venue for us as well as Central Virginia. Additionally, the extensive work already done by Henrico County in terms of completing planning approvals, the development agreement and the formation of the CDA demonstrates their track record of successfully partnering with the private sector on consequential projects.”
ASM global president and CEO Ron Bension adds: “It’s a beautiful development plan, impressive at every level. GreenCity offers tremendous synergies for the talent we hope to attract as well as the corporate partners we believe will be eager to be a part of this exciting project.”
Design for the arena will be finalised in the autumn. Construction is expected to begin in early 2024 with completion in 2026.
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Wembley’s John Drury hails debut arena headliners
OVO Arena Wembley boss John Drury has told IQ he is thrilled by the number of first-time arena headliners stepping up to play the venue.
Artists such as Yungblud and Loyle Carner are scheduled to make their debut headline appearances at the 12,500-cap arena in 2023, which Drury believes is a positive sign for a business as a whole.
“It’s great to have artists coming back and we’ve got those, but it’s also really good to see people coming through to arena level,” he says. “Another new headliner is Joe Hisaishi in September with his two sold-out Studio Ghibli shows. They were first on sale in 2020, but lockdown saw them off. Then he was supposed to be back in August last year, but was confined to his house because of Covid, so people have waited a long time for these shows.”
Drury, who will co-chair the ILMC panel The Venue’s Venue: The cost of live-ing alongside The O2’s Emma Bownes at 10am on 2 March, repeats his assertion that the touring calendar will not fully return to normality in 2024.
“It is still where we are,” he says. “There aren’t as many rescheduled shows now, but as well as Joe Hisaishi, we’ve got Sabaton – who were supposed to play in March last year but postponed – and a couple of others.
“Next year should be as normal a year as 2019 was in terms of the content and the way it comes in. Unless something else odd happens!”
“Next year should be as normal a year as 2019 was in terms of the content and the way it comes in. Unless something else odd happens!”
The ASM Global arena, which hosted around one million fans in 2022 and rounded off the year with a three-night stand by The Cure, also hosts the Heavy Music Awards on 26 May and is enjoying a fruitful run with live editions of podcasts such as That Peter Crouch Podcast’s Crouchfest, which featured a surprise 30-minute performance by Kasabian.
Upcoming shows include The Overlap Live with football pundits Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane, set for 5 April, and Rob Beckett & Josh Widdicombe’s Parenting Hell (23 April), while other concerts include Black Stone Cherry & The Darkness, All Time Low, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Andre Rieu, Stromae, OneRepublic and Pet Shop Boys.
“It’s feeling strong,” adds Drury, Wembley’s longtime VP and GM. “We’ve all got the same challenges and through lockdowns we have seen there has been a bit of a talent drain across the production and talent side, which has been a concern for everybody. So that’s something we’re working through.
“Covid is still there, but we’re living with it now. But with a war in Ukraine, an energy crisis and the cost of living crisis, we’ve gone from one challenge to another and they are are overlapping a little bit as well. But it affects everybody. and we’re all working through it, so it is where we are.”
“We’ve got the oldest arena in the UK and it highlights what you can do with an old building”
Developer and asset manager Quintain completed the sale of OVO Arena Wembley to Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) last September. The venue, which opened in 1934 as the Empire Pool, also recently successfully completed its Greener Arena certification via A Greener Festival, becoming the oldest arena in the UK to do so.
Since April 2022, the venue has delved into the process via a baseline CO2 analysis and impact assessment, to develop and guide the arena’s strategy towards achieving its sustainability goals, supporting OVO Energy’s commitment to becoming a net-zero business by 2035.
“It’s an interesting process and an important one for us,” says Drury. “Clearly, our naming rights partner OVO Energy has strong sustainability credentials, and our new landlord, ICG, is very big on sustainability. We’ve got the oldest arena in the UK and it highlights what you can do with an old building.”
ASM’s entire portfolio of UK operated venues, which also includes AO Arena Manchester, First Direct Arena Leeds, Utilita Arena Newcastle, P&J Live Aberdeen and Olympia London, will undergo certification as part of a long-term strategy and pledge towards greener operations.
“It’s an ongoing process and no doubt things will change in the next 12 months and we will adapt again,” adds Drury. “It’s just a case of topping it up and keeping the work going.”
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Q&A with Loud and Live’s Nelson Albareda
Loud and Live founder and CEO Nelson Albareda has given an insight the company’s global expansion plans in a Q&A with IQ.
The Miami, Florida-headquartered live entertainment and sports firm produces and manages the tours of many of the world’s biggest Latin artists, presenting more than 300 live concerts around the US, Canada, Puerto Rico and Latin America in 2022.
It has worked with the likes of Pitbull, Ricky Martin, Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, Luis Fonsi, Calvin Harris, Roberto Carlos, Juan Luis Guerra and Franco De Vita, and moved into Europe last year with the inaugural Madrid Championship CrossFit competition.
Albareda will chair the Latin Live panel at this year’s ILMC at 3.30pm on Wednesday 1 March. Here, he expands further on Loud and Live’s international plans, reflects on its link-ups with Move Concerts and ASM Global, and considers what the future holds for Latin music…
How do you plan to grow your touring offering on a global level in 2023?
“We expanded our geographical touring focus in 2022, having launched our Latin America division, including producing shows in Colombia and Ecuador with the likes of Camilo, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Carlos Vives, Gian Marco and Ricardo Arjona. A handful of those shows took place in stadiums, including Carlos Vives and Ricardo Arjona, the latter of which included multiple sold-out stadium shows in Ecuador.
“In 2023 we’ll be doubling down on those efforts, expanding our offering even further into Central and South America. We’re also looking to initiate our European presence, with some initial shows in Spain on the back half of 2023.”
“The plan is to grow our team and presence in Madrid to expand our focus across live music as well”
Last year, you entered the European market with the Madrid Championship. Will you be making any moves in the continent’s live music scene?
“Yes, we launched this event in 2021 and we’ve been growing our footprint there ever since. The plan is to grow our team and presence in Madrid to expand our focus across live music as well.”
In what ways has your joint venture with Move Concerts been fruitful?
“Our complementary business focuses have brought together a compelling value proposition from a geographical expansion perspective, which has resulted in a broader offering and value proposition to the artists we work with. We will continue to collaborate and expand on our partnership in 2023, particularly as Loud and Live looks to continue its growth in Latin America, where Move is a leader.
“On a personal level, I continue to learn from Phil Rodriguez and his wealth of knowledge around the business, he’s truly a pioneer in live entertainment and someone I – and our team – consider a mentor.”
How do you see your partnership with ASM Global evolving?
“Our partnership with ASM has gone well and we continue to collaborate across strategic opportunities. We already have a robust pipeline of live shows lined up across their venues for 2023 and beyond.”
“Latin music has evolved and is now mainstream, and there’s a slew of Latin artists that have yet to blow up ala Bad Bunny”
2022 was a seminal year for the Latin music business, how do you see that continuing in 2023?
“Honestly, I expect the genre to continue the growth it’s had over the last two decades. Latin music has evolved and is now mainstream, and there’s a slew of Latin artists that have yet to blow up ala Bad Bunny, which will only further solidify Latin music on a global level.”
How are ticket sales going for 2023 concerts and what is selling well?
“Ticket sales are going very strong for 2023 and we don’t see any indication of that slowing down, so we expect sales to be strong again across all the type of artists we work with. That said, we have seen indications that Tropical music is making a strong comeback and sales are outperforming vs. previous tours, so that’s an interesting trend that we’ll continue to follow.”
What kind of challenges lie ahead for Loud And Live and the business in general?
“We’re coming off of a historic year of growth and our pipeline for 2023 is even stronger, so currently our biggest challenge would be managing any macro-economic factors. That said, live entertainment has proven to be a somewhat recession proof industry, so time will tell what impact, if any, those factors could have.”
“The largest opportunity we see for 2023 is continuing the growth of our market share across North America, while continuing to expand globally”
What opportunities do you foresee for 2023?
“The largest opportunity we see for 2023 is continuing the growth of our market share across North America, while continuing to expand globally.”
What will 2023 bring for Loud and Live?
“Besides continuing to forward investment across our live event side of the business, we will continue to diversify across complementary verticals.
“Among other exciting opportunities, we recently announced a partnership with booking agency Tesa Entertainment, a leading Latin-urban focused booking and management agency. The global partnership deal includes exclusive touring and booking rights for Loud And Live, in an effort to elevate the Latin urban genre to the next level. The first artist signed under the deal is Panamanian singer-songwriter Boza, who broke out in 2020 with his hit song Hecha Pa’ Mí and was nominated for best new artist at the 2021 Latin Grammys.
“Additionally, we will be investing further in live event IP, including launching and producing Miami’s premiere country music festival, appropriately titled Country Bay Music Festival. The large-scale multi-day music festival will feature A-List talent (to be announced in February), as well as emerging country acts. The festival will take place at the historic Miami Marine Stadium on 11-12 November 2023.”
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ASM Global installs new Utilita Arena Newcastle GM
ASM Global has appointed Caroline Ginnane as general manager of Utilita Arena Newcastle.
Ginnane has been working as the venue’s interim GM, head of sales and marketing, having joined the arena in 2018.
Originally from London, Ginnane emigrated to New Zealand following her gap year working in hospitality and has worked across venues including theatre, arenas, stadiums and large community venues in the UK, New Zealand and Doha.
“I’m delighted that Caroline remains an integral part of the Utilita Arena team, taking up her new role as the venue looks ahead to an exciting 2023,” says Marie Lindqvist, ASM Global’s SVP operations Europe. “Caroline has demonstrated exceptional business acumen and leadership skills, and always works with such positive energy – skills which undoubtedly make her a fantastic fit for this role.
“The North East is an important market for ASM Global – with a busy Utilita Arena and the development of The Sage, and alongside our senior team members like Caroline, we have great confidence for the future here.”
The venue has upcoming shows with the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Peter Kay, Kiss and The 1975.
“We will continue to work together to deliver incredible events for the North East region”
“I am thrilled to be taking on the role of permanent general manager at the Utilita Arena Newcastle as part of the ASM Global family,” adds Ginnane. “I am fortunate to work alongside an incredibly passionate and talented team and we will continue to work together to deliver incredible events for the North East region.”
Ginnane will also drive forward staff development and training, plus supporting the venue’s partners on their charitable giving missions via Food and Fuel poverty and Cash for Kids.
ASM Global will also operate Newcastle Gateshead Quays arena and conference centre development The Sage, which is scheduled to open in 2024 as the centrepiece of a £260 million regeneration scheme.
The venue will support the region’s businesses by unlocking access to new customers and international markets through commercial and promotional opportunities, providing an estimated £70m annual boost for the local economy, creating 2,000 jobs.
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ASM Global acquires Madison Entertainment
ASM Global has acquired Madison Entertainment, a talent-buying agency for concert venues, festivals, fairs, music cruises and private events.
Founded by industry veteran Roger LeBlanc more than two decades ago, Madison Entertainment has worked with artists including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Zac Brown Band, Aerosmith and Pink.
The company’s client base ranges from small-capacity venues to larger concerts and multi-day festivals including KAABOO Del Mar, Mempho Music Festival and the Gasparilla Music Festival.
Madison will operate as a wholly-owned business unit of ASM Global and continue to serve its current client base of music clubs, theatres and festivals while also dedicating personnel and resources to booking ASM Global-managed arenas and its nationwide network of 57 theatres and amphitheatres, according to a release.
“We are excited to add Madison to join and assist our existing in-house talent bookers and general managers at these venues”
“We are committed to adding resources to our promoter and live content division in order to ensure that all of our managed venues continue to be leaders in live-event performances,” says ASM Global president and CEO Ron Bension.
“Under Roger’s leadership, the addition of Madison Entertainment will further grow live music content for our clients, particularly within our industry-leading nationwide theatre network. We are excited to add Madison to join and assist our existing in-house talent bookers and general managers at these incredible venues.”
“We are delighted to have Roger and the Madison team join ASM Global,” says Doug Thornton, ASM Global executive vice-president arenas, stadiums and theatres. “Having a team of talent buyers to assist our in-house bookers and general managers will add a new dimension to our ability to provide live-music content within our managed venues while continuing to expand and grow the existing Madison client base.”
Madison Entertainment’s president, LeBlanc, adds “We chose to align with ASM Global because they are the market leader in venue management. We are excited about the opportunity to expand existing live-music content throughout the extensive network of ASM Global facilities and look forward to great success exploring these opportunities with our many music-industry partners and friends.”
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US arenas: ‘The pandemic taught us to be nimble’
US arena bosses have told IQ the sector is recovering well following a slow start to 2022, with a stellar next 12 months expected.
Bryan Crowe, VP and general manager of ASM Global’s 19,000-cap BOK Center and Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, reports that the venue flew out of the blocks, with a run of sold-out shows in the spring setting the record for busiest two weeks in its history.
The Eagles set a new record for highest-grossing single night concert in the venue’s history, while a Bruce Springsteen show scheduled for March 2023 sold out in a matter of hours.
“It’s safe to say the US entertainment market is healthy,” says Crowe. “The next 12 to 18 months at the BOK Center look strong, with record pacing content numbers. There is a substantial amount of touring content in the next year and we are seeing the result of that with a busy calendar slated for the end of this year.”
“We are seeing early purchase success with the must-see A-list artists but a shift to late purchases for the casual concert fan”
Noteable concerts have included Michael Buble, Iron Maiden, Thomas Rhett, Post Malone, and Carrie Underwood.
“We are seeing early purchase success with the must-see A-list artists but a shift to late purchases for the casual concert fan,” observes Crowe.
Jay Cooper, general manager of ASM’s T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, says the 19,800-cap venue has experienced growing demand for live events throughout the year as the industry has emerged from the pandemic.
“People want to get out of their homes, be social and have fun again,” says Cooper. “Throughout 2022 we have seen increasing demand for live events and ticket sales back that up. We started 2022 with a collection of constantly changing Covid health guidelines. As Covid-related mandates have subsided, people are more willing to venture out and attend an event. I believe the live entertainment industry, both for domestic and international artists, is coming back stronger than ever.”
“We anticipate a strong year in terms of the concert business with growth across the board”
With upcoming shows at the Missouri arena include Bruce Springsteen, Thomas Rhett and Blake Shelton, Cooper says the signs for 2023 are encouraging.
“We anticipate a strong year in terms of the concert business with growth across the board from major country, rock and pop artists touring in 2023,” he says. “T-Mobile Center is preparing for a very busy 12 months and to put the challenges of the past two years behind us.”
Cooper and Crowe were speaking as part of the Global Arena Guide, a definitive reference on arenas featuring in-depth overviews of over 60 touring markets, a directory containing key contact information, and unique comment and insight.
“One thing the pandemic taught us is to be nimble when it comes to doing things differently,” adds Cooper. “At T-Mobile Center, we are investing heavily in new technology to improve the guest and artist experience. We upgraded our point-of-sale system in late 2022 allowing us to go fully cashless at our events. Replacement of all of our interior and exterior LED products will improve the experience for our guests and partners.”
“The backstage experience for the artists and the travelling crew has always been a signature element”
He continues: “At the arena, we are also focused on new technology to accelerate guests through the concessions so they spend less time in line and more time watching their favourite artist on stage. In addition, we continue to improve our food and beverage offerings to meet the tastes of our guests. T-Mobile Center offers a much broader choice of beverages than a year ago.
“The backstage experience for the artists and the travelling crew has always been a signature element at T-Mobile Center. We continually strive to make the experience for the artists and their crew a positive one. T-Mobile Center is in the process of updating our dining areas and offering new amenities backstage. We even offer mental health referral resources in the event a member of the crew needs a helping hand.”
Crowe, meanwhile, notes that the BOK Center has been working on renovating and improving its event-level production offices and other tour-used spaces. Shows slated for next year include Lizzo, Shania Twain, Journey and Paramore.
“Another renovation is also taking place back of house in the artist dressing room hallway which is an homage to an Oklahoma country star that is near and dear to our hearts,” he adds.
“We are also focused on the guest experience by adding food and beverage options with a new point of sale system and the implementation of more self-service (grab-and-go) locations. The newly implemented grab-and-go locations give customers fast, self-service access to food and drinks and canned cocktails just like they would at a convenience store. We are also planning improvements to our premium areas that will provide more amenities for our premium guests and also refresh spaces to enhance the overall guest experience.”
View a preview of the Global Arena Guide 2022 here. Subscribe now to read the full publication
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ASM Global grows commercial partnership division
ASM Global has expanded its commercial partnerships division with three new executive hires.
The venue giant has announced the appointments of Bryce G. Townsend as SVP, commercial partnerships; Kevin Dent as VP sponsorship sales and business development; and Emily Wilson, director of marketing solutions.
Jason Oberlander, ASM’s chief commercial officer, says the hirings will help provide “the most scaled, diverse and impactful opportunities the industry has seen to date”.
“We have even more scale, consumer touchpoints and the ability to integrate brands into music, sports, business, tech and more”
“We have even more scale, consumer touchpoints and the ability to integrate brands into music, sports, business, tech and more –that will drive unmatched value for the brands, content providers, venue partners and guests,” he says.
Townsend brings more than 20 years’ experience of strategic consulting, brand marketing and commercial strategy experience with a diverse background including executive leadership roles at GroupM, Momentum Worldwide and the Drone Racing League.
Dent has spent over 25 years in various sports and lifestyle corporate sponsorship roles including AT&T, NBA, MLS, the Summer Olympics and Host Communications. Wilson, meanwhile, joins from Dotdash Meredith, America’s largest digital and print publisher; following stints at Time Inc. and Universal McCann.
ASM Global has created the world’s largest live-event marketing platform, and its commercial partnerships department has forged new multi-venue partnerships this year including ChargeFUZE, Clorox, DoorDash, Infor, Kingdom of Sweets, Three and Wicked Kitchen, as well as new naming rights partners including Rudolf Weber-ArenaA in Oberhausen, Germany, and Desert Diamond Casino in Arizona.
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