Oak View Group (OVG) announced today the appointment of Francesca Bodie as chief operating officer (COO). In this newly established position, Bodie’s role will increase from capital development, mergers, and acquisitions to a focus on new revenue streams including overseeing all day-to-day operations for OVG globally, as well as leading OVG’s executive committee of highly diverse and accomplished executives into this next stage of growth.
Bodie’s promotion comes as OVG announces a major strategic investment in Family Entertainment Holdings (FEH), as well as newly announced Navarro’s activations in partnership with Christian Navarro following OVG’s April 2023 announcement of the venture. Bodie served as the architect of both deals that bring new premium entertainment offerings to OVG venues and partner venues globally. OVG adds hugely popular touring family content with the investment in FEH, the developers of family-oriented live events including toys-to-life shows of Mattel’s legendary Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, Magic of Lights®, and more. The brand extension with Christian Navarro, one of the world’s most influential leaders in the premium wine & spirits industry just celebrated its first ultra-deluxe lounge with Baltimore’s The NINETEEN 62 Club at CFG Bank Arena, premium concession kiosks at 4 venues, and this week launched navarroswine.com, a new e-commerce destination for Holiday gifting and hard to source wines.
Francesca Bodie, COO, Oak View Group
In addition to her ongoing responsibility for capital investment strategy and mergers and acquisitions, Bodie will lead the company in building processes across human resources, finance, legal, and marketing to fuel the continued growth of OVG. Based in Denver, Bodie will report to Tim Leiweke, chairman and CEO of Oak View Group.
“I am honored to lead and work alongside my exceptional team members that have worked tirelessly and passionately since OVG’s inception,” said Bodie. “Together, we’ve steadily developed Oak View Group into a world-class brand that resonates with fans, artists, and venue and sports professionals. With today’s announcement, we are continuing our focus on elevating all guests’ experiences through premium offerings and content at all OVG venues and those of our partners as well. I’m proud to be a part of a company that is passionate about continually raising industry standards and exceeding guest expectations to reshape the live entertainment experience.”
Prior to her new role, Bodie served as OVG’s president of business development where she oversaw multiple global projects for OVG and the expansion of the company’s brand, and its venues, and creating growth in third-party partnerships by leveraging industry relationships and identifying new business opportunities globally. She served an instrumental role in leading key service company acquisitions and raising $12-billion-plus of invested capital for OVG’s multiple venues that have opened over the last 18 months, including the $1-billion-plus makeover for the redevelopment of Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, the most sustainable arena in the world, and home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. She has also spearheaded new arena ventures deployed in areas such as New York’s $1.5 billion UBS Arena, home to the NHL’s New York Islanders; the award-winning $375 million Moody Center for the Texas Longhorns at the University of Texas in Austin; the $280 million Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ; the $165 million Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA; the $300M Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs, home to the AHL’s affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, the Western Conference Champion Coachella Valley Firebirds; the $200 million CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD
Leiweke said, “2023 was a pivotal year for Oak View Group across its service business and owned and operated portfolio. OVG is the only company in history to build and open seven brand-new state-of-the-art venues within 18 months, and Francesca contributed greatly to that growth and success. As we look to the future, we’re honored to have Francesca as OVG’s first COO to nurture and mature our current businesses and spearhead our next phase of growth in 2024 and beyond.”
Presently, Bodie is leading upcoming OVG development projects including the new $10 billion arena and live entertainment district in Las Vegas, NV, featuring an 850,000-square-foot NBA-ready arena, a casino, a hotel, and an additional amphitheater to host concerts, sports events, family entertainment, conventions, and award shows; a new arena in São Paulo, BZ; renovation of the FirstOntario Centre Arena in Hamilton, ON; and the $365 million Co-op Live in Manchester, UK, which will be the UK’s largest indoor and most state-of-the-art entertainment venue, and Europe’s first carbon net zero building when it opens in April 2024. Additionally, Bodie was responsible for sourcing and executing OVG’s acquisition of the world’s premier high-end hospitality provider Rhubarb Hospitality Collection (joining other recent OVG hospitality acquisitions Spectra, Spectrum Catering, and Bovingdons) to further grow and strengthen OVG’s hospitality portfolio in Europe and US.
Bodie serves on OVG’s corporate board as well as on the boards for all OVG arenas and Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken. In 2023, she was honored by VenuesNow Women of Live, as one of Billboard’s Women in Music honorees in both 2022 and 2020, and recognized in 2020 by Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40. In 2017, she was one of three honored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) with a Deborah Award to combat anti-Semitism and bigotry. Born in Como, Italy, Bodie earned her Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in international relations and economics.
