By Blair Cardinal

Oak View Group launched OVG Canada, a new division focused on the Canadian sports and entertainment industry and offering strategic services in the areas of venue development and management, booking and content development, sponsorship brand consulting, and third-party partnership sales.

The formation of OVG Canada follows the October 2021 announcement that the company would be taking on its first development project north of the border: the redevelopment of the Hamilton, Ontario Arts & Entertainment District and FirstOntario Centre Arena.

Tom Pistore, President of OVG Canada, and his recently formed team of industry veterans – including Senior Vice President of Partnerships & Brand Consulting Josh Epstein and Senior Vice President of Partnerships & Revenue Zach Feldman will draw on their years of sports and entertainment experience working with global brands and properties to offer the Canadian marketplace results-driven counsel and service.

Pistore has more than 25 years working across major professional sports leagues, most recently as President of UBS Arena (home of the NHL’s New York Islanders) and, prior to that, was a member of the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) executive leadership team. Epstein joins OVG Canada from Bank of Montreal where he was responsible for leading their North American sponsorship strategy. Feldman was most recently the SVP of Partnerships & Revenue at the Premier Lacrosse League, where he helped drive triple digit revenue growth while leading the development of ground-breaking marketing partnerships.

“During my time running MLSE, I realized that the Canadian sports and facility marketplace is uniquely driven by the Canadian consumer and Canadian companies. You cannot develop, operate, or sell Canadian facilities or assets from the U.S., and therefore it’s critical for us to be a part of Canada.” Tim Leiweke, Chairman & CEO of Oak View Group and former President & CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), said, “With Tom Pistore leading the charge of our OVG Canada group, we want to create the best sports and facility sales organization in Canada. Very few companies in our industry have the infrastructure that we have now in Canada and the U.S. to serve our Canadian clients, giving OVG the competitive edge to deliver best in class results.”

“Oak View Group Canada will leverage our diverse experience, deep understanding of the Canadian marketplace, and the strength of our global leadership team to provide industry-leading solutions and opportunities to the Canadian market,” Pistore said. “After an exciting journey launching UBS Arena in New York, I could not be more excited to launch OVG Canada alongside a best-in-class leadership team that will deliver incredible results for our present and future partners.”

In addition to Leiweke, OVG Canada will be supported by a noteworthy executive team, including entertainment industry legend and OVG co-founder Irving Azoff, renowned sports executive and co-chairman of OVG360 Peter Luukko, president of OVG business development Francesca Bodie, and Chris Granger, president of OVG360 and OVG’s Arena Alliance, who also oversees all venue and hospitality operations in Canada.

“We are committed to putting capital to work in Canadian live entertainment facilities as we’ve done elsewhere around the world and are thrilled for our project in Hamilton to come to life,” Bodie said. “We look forward to expanding and growing the OVG platform with additional owned-and-operated facilities across Canada.”

Blair Cardinal is Vice President, Communications at Oak View Group.

By Shannon Donnelly

PNC Bank has signed a landmark agreement with AEG Presents, one of the world’s largest live entertainment companies, to rename two central plazas at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (Fiddler’s Green). Effective immediately, the financial institution will become the exclusive banking partner of the iconic amphitheater – operated by AEG Presents and Museum of Outdoor Arts (MOA) and the venue’s two main plazas will be known as “PNC Plaza North” and “PNC Plaza South.”

“More than a venue, Fiddler’s Green has become a cherished cultural institution here in the Denver region,” said Don Strasburg, Co-President, AEG Presents-Rocky Mountains & AEG Presents Northwest. “We are proud to be partnering with PNC Bank, a category leader that understands the significance of Fiddler’s Green and is equally committed to providing our guests as well as the local communities we both serve with nothing short of the best. Our visitors will be the true benefactors of this exciting new relationship and we look forward to adding value at our venue, enhancing the guest experience and raising the bar of excellence even higher for the thousands of music and live-entertainment fans we host each year.”

As part of the agreement, PNC’s branding will be featured prominently across the venue’s social and digital channels as well as on-site at both “PNC Plaza North” and “PNC Plaza South.” Located at the north and south ends of the venue, the plazas will serve as key gathering areas for fans to enjoy throughout the year. Integral to the overall design of Fiddler’s Green itself, the plazas will also be used to enhance the guest experience with special on-site activations including pre-event parties, community events, fan fests, and more.

“We are honored to be partnering with PNC, a best-in-class bank who like us has a long tradition of community engagement and recognizes the transformative power of music to give back and bring people together,” said Brent Fedrizzi, Co-President and COO of AEG Presents Rocky Mountains. “Together, we look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the local communities we both serve while delivering unparalleled, world-class music and live-entertainment experiences to our fans at Fiddler’s Green.”

The multiyear agreement, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, comes on the heels of PNC’s expansion in Colorado following its 2021 acquisition of BBVA USA.

“As a Main Street Bank, PNC is committed to supporting initiatives and organizations connected on where we do business, serve our customers, clients and community, which includes areas such as arts and culture,” said Ryan Beiser, PNC regional president of Colorado. “Recognizing the power of music and its ability to forge connection, the bank has continued to invest in local music partnerships with the goal of driving meaningful outcomes that foster growth and vibrancy in the communities in which it does business.”

In addition to its large-scale branding presence at both plazas, PNC will engage visitors of Fiddler’s Green via custom on-site activations. As the amphitheater’s exclusive banking partner, PNC will also have the opportunity to collaborate with the venue on promotional opportunities throughout the course of the relationship, including sweepstakes, premium giveaways, and more.

Shannon Donnelly is with Beck Media.

By Sue Oxarart

The management team of Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA, announced a new partnership to provide convenient service to guests. By teaming up with food delivery app DoorDash, food and beverage can be ordered on customers’ mobile device enhancing services for live-event attendees at Toyota Arena.

The partnership will include technology upgrades that will allow fans to skip traditional lines by using DoorDash’s app to order food delivery within the arena for pickup. Guests, while-on site, will be able to scan a QR code, download or open their DoorDash app to access the venue’s concession menus.

“Since taking over management of Toyota Arena in 2016 we have been committed to improving content and guest services,” said Michael Krouse, President & CEO of Toyota Arena. “With the DoorDash app our guests can place their food order from the comfort of their seat on their mobile device resulting in less lines at concession stands and a faster delivery, so you don’t miss any of the action of a sporting competition, family show, or concert.”

The new partnership officially launched at the Toyota Arena on June 11 for a live concert. “We will start with a few concessions stands and continue to add more as we become familiar with this new and exciting way to improve guest services at Toyota Arena,” said Dina Hanna, Director of Food and Beverage.

This agreement is part of the multi-year agreement which will see DoorDash become ASM Global’s “On-Demand Delivery Platform” partner at arenas, stadiums, and convention centers around the U.S. in the coming months. Gradually the DoorDash platform will roll out to other North American venues.

Sue Oxarart is Director of Marketing and Communications for the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau and Ontario Convention Center.

Convention centers, trade show venues, hotels, and event facilities are revising their rigging requirements. Among the new policies being implemented, all rigging installations must be performed under the supervision of a rigging supervisor who is certified through the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP). This requirement is an effort to enhance client and patron safety while meeting the challenges of ever-increasing technical demands and weight loads of equipment hanging overhead.

When public safety is paramount, venues need rigging technicians that are certified in proper knowledge of rigging principals, technical skills, equipment, and related engineering. With ETCP certification, venues can count on the knowledge of riggers working in their facility.

Venues looking to hire a competent rigger or entertainment electrician who is dedicated to safety on the job, can search the ETCP Technician listing by name, city, or certification type at https://etcp.esta.org/findtechnicians/search.php. Not only have these technicians passed a rigorous assessment, they also signed an agreement to abide by the ETCP Certified Entertainment Technician Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

There are three ways employees can be tested to receive certification: ETCP exams are available at 190 computer-based testing centers across the US and Canada, online live remote-proctored testing at the candidate’s location, and an employer/Local can request mobile testing where ETCP arranges for on-site computer-based test administration.

For candidate eligibility requirements, exam content outlines, and applications, visit http://etcp.esta.org, email certification@esta.org, or call 212-244-1505.

The ETCP Council members are key leaders drawn from entertainment business, labor, facilities, associations, and academia representing the diversity of the entertainment industry. Membership includes AMPTP, Broadway Across America, The Broadway League, Cirque du Soleil, CITT/ICTS, Disney Theatrical Productions, Encore, ESTA, IAVM, IATSE, InfoComm, Live Nation, PRG, NBC Universal, PRG, TEA, and USITT. ETCP is an ESTA initiative created to promote industry safety.

By Gail Sawyer

ASM Global announced that Rod Pilbeam, one of the founders of the business now operating as ASM Global (APAC) will step back as COO to a part-time role as from July this year.

Pilbeam and Harvey Lister first went into business together in the mid-1970s presenting concert tours around Queensland and New South Wales and took on their first formal venue operation at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Brisbane in 1982. Forty years later, the company today employs some 20,000 people in 40 venues across the Middle East, East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand as part of the 350+ venue network of the world’s largest venue management and event programming company, ASM Global.

During that period, Pilbeam has been in the thick of the company’s development both in its existing contracts and undertaking consulting projects that often led to new management opportunities.

With a strong background in marketing and promotion, Pilbeam has extensive experience in dealing with the challenges faced by promoters and producers as well as venue operators, and the interface between them. He has been a strong fighter for maintaining the integrity and the public’s perceptions of the live event marketplace, particularly in relation to the fair availability of tickets and the suppression of scalping. He also worked on the development of Live Performance Australia’s Ticketing Code of Conduct.

“I am gratified to have had the opportunity to be part of the development of a strong entertainment business that provides a lot of pleasure for many people in the communities we serve, as well as the business outcomes that are so important for venue owners, artists, performers, players, presentation professionals, and the myriad of others who make this business work,” Pilbeam said. “At ASM Global, we have teams of the best professionals in our industry focused on delivering successful outcomes for all stakeholders.

“I have also had the opportunity to make great contacts around the world who have provided extraordinary assistance and often enduring friendships throughout my career. My wife Judy and I are keen to rekindle some of these relationships now that COVID has eased.”

A former President of the Venue Management Association (Asia & Pacific), Pilbeam also served on the World Council of Venue Management, the International Association of Venue Managers, the International Ticketing Association, and the Public Venue Management School in Australia. He has served as a member of the Executive Council of Live Performance Australia, the entertainment industry employers’ association.

In 2013, the Venue Industry recognised him as its Professional of the Year.

ASM Global (APAC) Chairman & CEO Harvey Lister AM said, “Rod and I met in 1973 when working for hit music station 4IP and from there we launched into the live music industry.”

Together they progressed into the professional management of venues at the very start of that trend when there were few precedents either in Australia or internationally – so they effectively had to make it up as they went along and established the policies and procedures that, to this day, are the hallmark of ASM Global’s commercial management reputation.

“Rod’s contribution to the growth of our business, and to the maturing of the venue industry, is immeasurable,” Lister added. “Rod is simply a giant of our industry with achievements too many to mention but, above all, he is a great friend and mentor to all who have worked with him.

“We have enjoyed a great business partnership where we shared the same business morals, stuck to what we believed were the right things to do and our thoughts were so aligned that Rod and I can still finish each other’s sentences – even after nearly half a century in one of the most challenging sectors of the events industry.

“Rod will continue to be my great friend and we are so fortunate that, in stepping back from those 80+ hour working weeks, Rod has agreed to transition to be our Group Director of Venue and Event Innovation – two of his enduring passions, maintaining his presence in the APAC Regional Headquarters in Brisbane.”

One of the group’s most senior venue professionals, Bob O’Keeffe AM, GM at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre for nearly thirty years, will take up the role of COO – Venue Operations for ASM Global (APAC) as well as continuing in the newly-created role of CEO at BCEC.

Separately, and on a continuing basis, Pilbeam is the Acting Chair of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

Gail Sawyer is Group Communications Manager – ASM Global (Asia Pacific).