Jeremiah Yolkut, Vice President, Global Events for Major League Baseball, has a message that befits his title: we might be coming soon to a venue near you. Maybe not as the league’s newest franchise, but to play a one-off series involving two MLB teams.

Yolkut, the Stadiums Keynote Speaker, has been instrumental in the League’s recent forays into markets like Rickwood Park in Birmingham (AL) to honor the Negro Leagues, Omaha (home to the College World Series), and beyond borders and across ponds in Mexico City, London, Seoul, and Tokyo.

“These are special event games where we bring to places you really can’t get baseball coming out,” he said. “Like when we started playing at Field of Dreams, we are focused on future sites.”

Yolkut graduated from Boston University with a major in communications and immediately went to work for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) before moving over to MLB. As with tennis, baseball is a true international sport with many top players from Mexico, Latin America, and Japan, among other places.

As MLB considers future international destinations to play, Yolkut noted there are two strategic approaches.

“The first is we look for a baseball-rich culture, such as Asia and Latin countries,” he said. “Second, we look for media-rich markets, such as London, Seoul, and Mexico City. You have to tell the story more in those markets and explain the game to the fans, which we did in London.”

For example, Yolkut said that instead of a dot race between innings, overseas the message might be on exactly what a walk-off home run means in a game.

“These are markets we want to play in and build the MLB brand,” he said.

Yolkut said that stateside All-Star Games are planned three to four years in advance, while future site games take closer to five years to pull the special game together.

Following the session, several members posed questions to Yolkut, some not so subtly indicating their city might be the next perfect location for the league to expand. While Yolkut understandably could not commit to something like that happening, he did say that MLB likes to keep its doors open to new ideas.

After this uplifting session, expect those ideas to roll in fast and furious.

The panel of IAVM veteran storytellers pose with 30|UNDER|30 members who introduced the panelists.

Being kind-of, sort-of retired for almost a year now after serving for 22 glorious years as editor of Venue Professional magazine has been quite a fun adventure. Plenty of that fun has come from continuing to contribute as a freelance writer to the magazine. An even bigger thrill is being at VC24 in Portland to not just reacquaint with member friends, but to help provide some coverage of the Association’s 100th year, as well as do some voice over – and especially to be on the Monday morning 8 am panel with industry luminaries past and present to share some fun stories through the 100 years of IAVM. OK, none of us are actually 100, but the spry Barbara “Mother” Hubbard is 97 and rocking and rolling like nobody’s business, still booking and mentoring students at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

Once the nyuk nyuks died down and the session ended, I had some time to reflect. Specifically, on badges worn by my colleagues on the dais. Most indicated the venue or business where the individual works. Larry Perkins, though, had the word RETIRED on his badge. It was natural to ask Larry how the lazy world of retirement was going, only to have Larry remark that he is now serving on eight boards. Retirement? What is that?

I can happily relate. As mentioned, I continue to be fortunate to write for the magazine. There are a couple of other things I continue doing that I have for years, including announcing high school football games and leading a Grief Share class at our church. Retirement? What is that?

As I walk around the beautiful Oregon Convention Center and bump into friends of decades past, many of them also wear RETIRED on their badges. More of the conversations with my fellow elders tend to center on health issues and what a joy the grandchildren are.

While these conversations take place, I look around and see much distinctly younger folks chatting amongst themselves. I often think about how cool it would be if one of us geezers just walked up to one of the youngsters and started up a conversation about the job and life. How beneficial it would be for us both!

There is a saying that “Likes like Likes,” which I translate to mean that we are most often comfortable with those like us. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but again the opportunities we miss by not getting to know other generations better, and even for them to know us and our infinite wisdom (ha!) better.

I worry not for the future of the industry, though. The 30|UNDER|30 program and the talent pipeline coming up in the industry tells me this profession is in more than capable hands for decades to come. IAVM is poised and positioned for great things as the next 100 years settle in.

Speaking of settling in, time to get down to the trade show floor. I have more work to do.

Karina LeBlanc with her daughter Paris.

Many people talk about finding a “why” or a “purpose” in life. Sad to say, these premises quite often turn out to be nothing more than a motivational rah-rah speech by one who has indeed found his or her why and purpose and questions why others have not. 

Karina LeBlanc kicked off VenueConnect 2024 with a keynote that was heavy on both a why and a purpose. It was a passionate keynote delivered in a most sincere way that went above and beyond merely telling a huge contingent in the Portland Ballroom what they simply needed to do to find joy, purpose, and meaning in life.

LeBlanc, an Olympic bronze medalist in women’s soccer for Canada in 2012, indeed took the next steps in life following Olympic glory to discover her own meaning and purpose, a journey that included a near-death health experience shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Paris. Today, with four-year-old Paris at the end of the keynote joining mom on the stage, the LeBlanc family truly is one making an impact, something she acknowledged that venue managers have the opportunity to do within their own buildings and communities.

After retiring as a player in 2015, LeBlanc was named a UNICEF Ambassador, a FIFA Legend, and founded the Karina LeBlanc Foundation, a charity that empowers young women to find their inner greatness and purpose.

Now, LeBlanc serves as general manager of the Portland Thorns and is also president of Thorns Operation after helping the team win the NWSL championship in her first full season in 2022.

She asked the crowd to share with the person next to them their own vulnerabilities, something that is difficult for many people to discuss. This piece of audience participation came at the end of her keynote. It could be understood if no one wanted to then share with the audience the vulnerability they discussed with the person next to them, but perhaps surprisingly many people volunteered to share their vulnerability.

Call it therapeutic or any other word, but the desired effect resulted in open dialogue. Confession, they say, is good for the soul. Thanks to her own experiences, LeBlanc resonated with everyone about the hurts that strike us all in life.

The keynote was a qualified winner. Or, as they say in soccer, GOOOOOOOOOOAL!

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in June 2024. Thank you for being a part of the association! Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit here to share your story and photo.

Tania Abarca, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Doris Albarran, Riverside Convention Center, Riverside, CA
Josh Ambrose, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Chad Ballard, Feld Entertainment Inc., Palmetto, FL
Diane Baumann, San Mateo County Event Center and Fair, San Mateo, CA
Andrea Bell, Levy Restaurants, Atlanta, GA
Jody Belsick, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Portland, OR
Beau Bisson, Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson, AZ
Hussam Bougary, Events Investment Fund – Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Ben Brunner, Resch Center, Green Bay, WI
Bailey Bryant, Broadway Dallas, Dallas, TX
Alexis Buhrman, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Anchorage, AK
Tim Calandro, Prism.fm, Austin, TX
Rommel Casey, Prism.fm, Austin, TX
Arlene Chan, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Caitlin Chase, University of California – Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Stevie Chumley, Levy Restaurants, Atlanta, GA
Megan Cikara, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC
Shalyn Clark, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Anchorage, AK
Destinee Clayton, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Phil Cleaveland, Mortenson, Portland, OR
Jose Contreras Cardenas, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Lela Davidson, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
James Doss, Irondale Civic Center, Irondale, AL
Annie Drinnan, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada
Mason Erban, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Robert Eubanks, Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, Houston, TX
Cara Ewington, Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre, Townsville, QLD, Australia
Antonio Faustino, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Constance Ficklen, Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, TN
Robert Flournoy, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Ashley Gabriel, Novatech Creative Event Technology, Underdale, SA, Australia
Katy Gaertner, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Patty Gallivan, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Claudia Gatewood, Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL
Ashley Gennaro, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ
Drew Gomes, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Todd Goode, Hattiesburg Convention Commission, Hattiesburg, MS
Kevin Grove, PPG Paints Arena – OVG, Pittsburgh, PA
Charles Hamilton, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Toronto, ON, Canada
Jenna Hayward, StoneHurst at Hampton Valley, Hampton, CT
TJ Hesch, Erie Events, Erie, PA
Jordan Hill, Mabee Center/Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK
Alys Holden, Keene Consulting, New York, NY
Markeisha Jackson, Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX
Dustin Johnson, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Jami Jones, DiscoShow at The LINQ, Las Vegas, NV
Matt Karr, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Bobbie Katuin, REAL District, Regina, SK
Lauren Laurent, Levy Restaurants, Columbus, OH
Mackenzie Leeser, Pensacola Bay Center – ASM Global, Pensacola, FL
Korie Leitch, Gema Group, Townsville, QLD, Australia
Tyrone Lyons, McCormick Place – OVG, Chicago, IL
Annie Ma, Edmonton Convention Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Brent Maertz, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Jay Markham, Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, WA
Richard Marnell, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Amanda Marrone, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Toronto, ON, Canada
Vonessa Martin, Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, Beaverton, OR
Andrew McCoy, The University of Alabama, Orlando, FL
DeShaun McDonald, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN
Cameo McDuffie, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, Appleton, WI
Kevin McGlone, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Brian McHugh, Independence Memorial Hall, Independence, KS
Mamo Midegdu, Scandinavian Building Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Miguel Molinero, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Vincent Nadeau, Centre de glaces Intact Assurance, Quebec, QC, Canada
Sean Nash, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Megan Newton, Ford Center, Evansville, IN
Tony Nichol, Arup, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Samantha Nielsen, Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL
Nicki Nigro, Tampa Sports Authority, Tampa, FL
Andrew O’Bryan, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Mitzy Ocasio-Garcia, Levy Restaurants, Atlanta, GA
Steve Olech, MyVenue, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Michael Orlotti, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Christian Perez, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Kristen Pierce, Chandler Center for the Arts, Chandler, AZ
Jack Piland, Addison Conference & Theatre Centre, Addison, TX
Jeanne Pluemer, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI
Hailey Preast, Tampa Sports Authority, Tampa, FL
Gordon Purchase, UBC Alumni Association, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Riley Rama, Linfield University, McMinnville, OR
James Randall, Austin Convention Center Department, Austin, TX
Katie Reif, Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Seattle, WA
Lauren Rice, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Anchorage, AK
Susan Richardson, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Ryan Richer, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Kylie Riches, Eat From Your Seat, Seaforth, NSW, Australia
Shruti Roy, REAL District, Regina, SK, Canada
Mike Ryan, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Chuy Sanchez, Fairplex, Pomona, CA
Katrina Sanchez, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Blake Scofield, Australian Turf Club, Randwick, NSW
Tyler Seitz, WinSport, Calgary, AB, Canada
Brian Sekinger, Blumenthal Arts, Charlotte, NC
Max Shafer, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Humberto Silva, Austin Convention Center Department, Manchaca, TX
Blake Skidmore, Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL
Ethan Somberg, Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Rachel Sosnowski, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC
Shane Stoddard, Sports & Entertainment 131 Pty Ltd, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
John Sullivan, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Adam Summerville, Ground Control Global, Melbourne, VIC
Greg Swafford, Smith Seckman Reid, Inc., Dallas, TX
Darrell Thomas, Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX
Donna Thornton, Events DC Sport & Entertainment Venues, Washington, DC
Rory Toemoe, Liively, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Tina Travers, Austin Convention Center Department, Austin, TX
Michael Tremblay, OVG Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
Christine Tse, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Kelly Tucker, WesBanco Arena and Capitol Theatre, Wheeling, WV
Norman Upton, Hattiesburg Convention Commission, Hattiesburg, MS
Angie Vandevelde, Resch Center, Green Bay, WI
Logan VanSickle, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Loreto Verdugo, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Jill Wagar, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Jeremy Ward, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Sarah Ward, Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre, Townsville, QLD, Australia
Brian Warren, Great Park Live, Irvine, CA
Zach Weaver, Hot Springs Convention Center & Bank OZK Arena, Hot Springs, AR
Legend Whiteside, Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, TN
Amanda Yruegas, Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Noah Zeigler, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT

The IAVM Foundation will be hosting a silent auction at VenueConnect 2024, July 28-31, in Portland, OR, to raise additional dollars to fund programs that provide professional development opportunities to our members. The auction will take place online as part of the Exhibit Hall and Trade Show.

What can you donate to the IAVM Foundation Silent Auction?
We have a few donated items, but we need more. Anything from tickets to bowl games, concerts, or events – to autographed memorabilia, hotel packages, or gift cards would all be awesome additions. Donations may be personal or from your organization/company.

How do I donate?
We have made it easy for you to donate! Please complete the Silent Auction Item Donation Form by Tuesday, July 23.

Remember, it is for a worthy cause – the effort to strengthen our industry and the professionals that are employed in public venues across the globe. Your organization will receive recognition on the donated item’s description page of the online auction.

Thank you in advance for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at VenueConnect 2024 in just a few weeks!