Oak View Group (OVG) International president Jessica Koravos has spoken to IQ about the company’s plans for new arena developments in Europe and Africa.

OVG’s chief executive Tim Leiweke first revealed plans to build “the greatest arena in the world” in west London during his Hotseat interview at this year’s International Live Music Conference (ILMC), while the firm has also broken ground on a $100 million, 12,000-cap purpose-built venue in Lagos, Nigeria.

“We’re very opportunistic, and where we see a good opportunity in a good market – or an underserved market – we jump on it,” Koravos tells IQ. “Lagos is a prime example of that, in that you have one of the biggest music markets in the world in terms of fan and local artist concentration that has not got a single purpose-built music or sports venue to scale. I think that new arena in Lagos is going to be revolutionary in that market.”

Although London is already home to The O2 (cap. 21,000) and OVO Arena Wembley (12,500), Koravos believes the capital city is still “underserved” for arenas.

“London is at the very top of of Tim’s list,” she says. “It’s just got The O2 which, of course, Tim and I were both involved in building [while at AEG], and it’s got Wembley. It is a market that needs additional capacity and will do more than any other arena in any other city to expand the the number of arena tours going through the UK, because a lot of that thinking – rightly or wrongly – starts with London.

“Expanding capacity in London will open up a raft of additional opportunities for the whole country”

“If you can’t get dates in London then you wait until you can to route your tour, so expanding capacity in London will open up a raft of additional opportunities for the whole country.”

The company’s new 23,500-cap Co-op Live venue in Manchester got up and running last week with a concert by Elbow following a series of delays and has since hosted gigs by the Black Keys, Eric Clapton and Barry Manilow. The “music-first” arena’s opening season lineup also includes the likes of Nicki Minaj and Stevie Nicks, as well as several multi-night residencies including Liam Gallagher, The Killers and UK exclusive performances by the Eagles.

OVG also added high-end hospitality group Rhubarb Hospitality Collection to its ranks in 2023, having previously acquired a number of companies in the field including Bovingdons Catering and Spectrum Catering, Concessions & Event Services.

“It fits into our thinking about fan experience,” explains Koravos. “When we started thinking about what we wanted this new generation of venues to look like, one of the things that was the top of everybody’s list was that, whilst food and beverage is a fundamental part of the experience of going out to a concert, it has traditionally just not been done very well. And it hasn’t been done very well partly because it’s been outsourced to third party food and beverage partners.

“One of the first things that we tried to do was say, ‘Let’s take that back in house, control the full experience and try to find who does this best.’ And Rhubarb is the top premium food and beverage company in the country, so were a natural choice and a great fit.”

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Premium experiences specialist Legends – which agreed a deal to acquire ASM Global last year – has appointed ex-Meta executive Dan Levy as CEO.

Levy, who joined Legends last month as interim president, served at Meta/Facebook for almost 15 years, latterly as VP of business messaging, before departing the company in 2023.

First reported by Sports Business Journal, Levy’s appointment will see former Legends’ CEO Shervin Mirhashemi transition to the position of vice-chair at the company.

“We are poised to take Legends to new horizons at the forefront of sports and entertainment”

“You have my commitment that this next chapter of Legends’ growth trajectory will be the most impressive yet,” Mirhashemi told employees in an email. “With Dan as CEO, together with [co-president and COO] Mike Tomon and the rest of our seasoned management team, we are poised to take Legends to new horizons at the forefront of sports and entertainment.”

Levy’s recent arrival at Legends coincided with the departures of multiple Legends executives, including former co-president and chief corporate officer Curt McClellan and longtime president of hospitality Dan Smith, who moved into a senior advisory role. The firm named Tom Funk as president, hospitality, in January.

Legends’ reputed US$2.4 billion acquisition of ASM Global was announced in November 2023 and is currently awaiting approval from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

ASM Global, which was formed in 2019 following a merger between arena operators AEG Facilities and Onex’s SMG, operates buildings including ICC Sydney Convention Center, Avicii Arena in Stockholm, OVO Arena Wembley, Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai and State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

ASM equity holders AEG and Onex will sell their ownership interests as part of the agreement, while ASM will continue to serve existing and in-development AEG venues.

Founded in 2008, Legends is backed by global investment firm Sixth Street. The company’s fully integrated retail and merchandising vertical solution spans e-commerce, in-venue retail, large-scale live events, brick-and-mortar store operations, licensing and customer merchandise.

Its clients include prestigious brands such as Real Madrid, SoFi Stadium, Dallas Cowboys, FC Barcelona, New York Yankees, and Ryder Cup, as well as the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, PGA of America and FIFA World Cup.

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Venue hospitality, retail and event catering specialist Sodexo Live! has announced the appointment of Claire Morris as its new UK & Ireland CEO.

Morris has been with the business for 17 years and joined the sports & leisure global executive team (now Sodexo Live!) in 2015, leading the marketing function. She will now also lead the growth organisation for the global business.

Morris has more than 25 years’ experience in the food and facilities industry, leading strategic marketing initiatives from acquisition integration to brand and concept development.

“Claire’s dedication, leadership, and client-centric focus make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the UK and Ireland,” says Sodexo Live! global CEO Nathalie Bellon-Szabo. “We are confident that under her guidance, Sodexo Live! will continue to thrive and deliver outstanding value to our client partners and their guests.

“The company’s commitment to excellence and client satisfaction aligns seamlessly with my own values”

“Her prior experience, and knowledge of the UK market is invaluable, couple this with her global role and innovative approach, it will unlock a wealth of opportunities for clients, customers and colleagues.”

Over the past year, Morris has created a dedicated digital and tech start up function for Sodexo Live! and will continue to lead the global marketing, sales and digital department.

“I am delighted to take on the role of CEO for Sodexo Live! in the UK and Ireland,” adds Morris. “The company’s commitment to excellence and client satisfaction aligns seamlessly with my own values, and I am excited to contribute to the success of Sodexo Live! in this new capacity.”

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Global premium experiences company Legends, which recently acquired venue management giant ASM Global, has appointed Tom Funk as president, hospitality.

Funk brings more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry to his new role, having operated within every venue type and held leadership roles with Levy, Aramark, and Delaware North. He joins Legends from Compass Group, where he has served as EVP of its largest sector, Compass One Healthcare, since 2021. Previously, Funk spent nearly a decade at Levy, including six years as EVP and COO for the global hospitality business.

His appointment comes as Legends’ longtime president of hospitality Dan Smith moves into a new role as a senior advisor.

“The incredible growth and success of Legends’ hospitality business is attributed to Dan’s leadership and guidance since day one. We are grateful for his immeasurable contributions over the past 15 years,” says Legends CEO Shervin Mirhashemi.

“As we continue to focus on growing the business and delivering first-class hospitality experiences for our partners, we are fortunate to have Tom take the reins and lead this next phase. Tom’s stellar reputation as an innovator and operator and his experience growing global platforms ensures he is the right leader for the future.”

“Food & beverage and merchandise play a critical role in delivering an exceptional fan and guest experience”

Founded in 2008, Legends is backed by global investment firm Sixth Street. The company’s fully integrated retail and merchandising vertical solution spans e-commerce, in-venue retail, large-scale live events, brick-and-mortar store operations, licensing and customer merchandise.

Its clients include prestigious brands such as Real Madrid, SoFi Stadium, Dallas Cowboys, FC Barcelona, New York Yankees, and Ryder Cup, as well as the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, PGA of America and FIFA World Cup.

“I am thrilled and humbled to be joining the incredibly talented team at Legends,” says Funk. “I have been very fortunate in my career to work with many of the best in the hospitality and sports and entertainment industry, Dan Smith and the entire Legends organisation sit firmly in that group. They have built an amazing business poised for growth.

“Food & beverage and merchandise play a critical role in delivering an exceptional fan and guest experience, and we have a significant responsibility to represent our partners’ brands in the best way possible. I’m excited to continue to evolve and grow our capabilities to ensure we do this, while also providing innovative concepts and solutions that will deliver great outcomes for our partners.”

Legends’ reputed $2.4 billion deal to acquire ASM Global and create a premium global live events company was announced in November. Current ASM equity holders AEG and Ondex will sell their ownership interests as part of the agreement, while ASM will continue to serve existing and in-development AEG venues.

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Ben Lovett’s global venue group TVG Hospitality has added Jen Rubio, co-founder and CEO of luggage manufacturer and retailer Away, to its board of directors.

Rubio has raised more than $200 million in funding during her career and is also an active angel investor, having backed over 50 early-stage start-ups including brands such as Parade, Liquid Death and Madhappy.

Her appointment follows the hirings of Jayne Davis as COO and Katie Millar as general manager of the 8,000-cap Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama, earlier this year.

“I am thrilled to join the board of TVG,” says Rubio. “This team is passionate, talented and has already made impressive strides in the industry. The opportunity to lend my experience doing what I love – building lasting brands – in the quickly-evolving world of hospitality is exciting and inspiring.”

“Both myself and the wider leadership team at TVG look forward to learning from Jen’s insights and experiences”

TVG was founded by Mumford & Sons musician Lovett and his brother Greg Lovett, and boasts a growing venue portfolio also including Saturn in Birmingham, Alabama, alongside London’s Omeara, Goods Way and The Social, with additional projects underway across multiple cities.

All TVG venues feature elevated hospitality offerings with local character to enhance experiences for both artists and fans.

“I’ve been patiently waiting and hoping for Jen to join our board for a long time,” says Ben Lovett. “She is one of the most instinctive and talented entrepreneurs I’ve ever met, the success of Away is just the tip of the iceberg. Both myself and the wider leadership team at TVG look forward to learning from Jen’s insights and experiences as we continue to build towards operating some of the best venues in the world.”

TVG will also support Huntsville’s Tip Top Café with its reopening this year, further establishing its roots in the Alabama music scene.

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