Licensed sports merchandise business Fanatics has agreed on a multi-year, omni-channel retail partnership with BSE Global, the company that owns New York’s Barclays Center.

Under the deal, Fanatics will become the official e-commerce and physical retail partner of National Basketball Association (NBA) team the Brooklyn Nets and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) franchise the New York Liberty, both of which play at the venue.

Fanatics will power online and in-person shopping experiences at Barclays Center, with both teams’ online stores set to feature a wider range of merchandise.

The deal will also see Fanatics take over all physical retail sites at Barclays Center, including the renovated Brooklyn Fanatics store.

In addition, BSE Global will have access to Fanatics’ platform to sell inventory, while Fanatics will collaborate with both franchises on team and city-centric merchandising strategies.

“Brooklyn’s basketball fans are both passionate and fashion-forward, and we’re excited to collaborate with BSE Global to elevate the overall shopping experience and selection of relevant products to continue building two incredible sports brands – the Nets and the Liberty,” Fanatics’ senior vice president of business development Ed O’Brien said.

BSE Global chief commercial officer Michael Wandell added: “Our teams’ ability to transcend the court and permeate culture through music, art and fashion is what differentiates us as a brand.

“In Fanatics we’ve found a partner that can match our momentum and fuel global growth through our apparel business and retail experience. We look forward to evolving our product mix together with a unique eye towards balancing hyper-local, community-driven concepts with the global sensibilities that define our fan base.”

By Natalie Caplan

Arena Network, Inc. recently announced that Justin Kujawa has joined the company as Booking Director. In his new role, Kujawa will focus on identifying and actively pursuing national and regional bookings for the company’s member venues.

Kujawa joins the Arena Network team after working with Nederlander Concerts in Los Angeles, CA for many years, where he booked many of the premiere concert venues in California including The Greek Theatre, Vina Robles Amphitheater and The Forum, to name a few. Prior to Nederlander, he worked 17 years for Live Nation, starting his career at Deer Creek Music Center in Indianapolis in operations, and working his way up to Talent Buyer.

“My years of experience as a talent buyer in many different markets throughout the country has provided me with a unique perspective to help Arena Network’s venue members”, Kujawa said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to build strong relationships with agents and promoters alike, and I’m looking forward to driving more content to our venues and getting to know many new markets and venue execs in the process.”.

“We are thrilled to have Justin joining our team,” said Arena Network CEO Andrew Prince. “As we all navigate this unprecedented time and venues welcome back fans, having someone with his experience and knowledge will be an incredible asset to all our members. We couldn’t be happier to have Justin with us as we continue to grow our membership and services.”

Natalie Caplan is Vice President of Entertainment for Arena Network and Theater Network.

By Jim Kelley

Fern, a leading national provider of exhibition and event services, announced that Angi Van Berg, CEM, will be joining the company on September 13 as a Senior National Sales Manager.

Van Berg joins Fern after a storied and successful career at Louisville Tourism. She will be part of Fern’s National Sales Team, focused on business development related to key trade show and association business across North America while also representing Fern at select industry events.

“Angi will be an exceptional addition to the Fern team. Angi has been a long-time friend of mine personally and of Fern. Her familiarity with our organization and her alignment with our values and culture made asking her to join our team an easy decision,” said Aaron Bludworth, Fern CEO.

Along with bringing a solid reputation as a collaborator and trusted advisor to show organizers, Van Berg’s vast network and knowledge of the industry are expected to create an immediate and positive impact.

“I have always admired the leadership team at Fern and the core values they have as an organization. It is a win/win for me to join a team that I respect and to be able to continue my career with Fern in the industry I love,” Van Berg said.

Van Berg is an active member of IAEE, both locally and nationally, and a member of PCMA. As of September 13th, she can be reached at avanberg@fernexpo.com or 502-472-6022.

Jim Kelley is Vice President, Marketing & Industry Relations for Fern, based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Comcast Spectacor, the operator of Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center in Pennsylvania, has established a dedicated events division.

The new Spectacor Events & Entertainment arm will focus on creating and producing events for the Philadelphia market and serve as the in-house booking agent for Wells Fargo Center, home of NHL ice hockey franchise the Philadelphia Flyers and NBA basketball team the Philadelphia 76ers.

The division will also collaborate with tour promoters to bring shows and concerts to the venue, as well as work on expanding the facility’s portfolio of events.

Spectacor Events & Entertainment’s first major event will be the Philly Tailgate Games, a block-party style event where participants will compete in tailgating competitions to win prizes, including a pair of tickets to every concert at Wells Fargo Center for a year.

Comcast Spectacor chairman and chief executive Dave Scott said the idea for the division came during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, when Wells Fargo Center was closed to the public and business found new ways to safely host events.

With few national touring options, Comcast Spectacor decided to build and promote its own events.

“Our business is driven by innovation, and in the face of a pandemic that impacted our entire industry, we once again found ways to innovate, safely host events, and lay the groundwork for this exciting new division of Comcast Spectacor,” Scott said.

Emily Dunham has been brought it to serve as senior vice-president of Spectacor Events & Entertainment and will lead the division. Dunham has managed concert bookings and event hospitality for multiple venues and organisations during her 20-year career.

“There isn’t a better city in America for live events than Philadelphia, and we’re thrilled to bring all kinds of exciting, new concepts to the city and the entire region,” Dunham said.

“As we create events, we’re focusing on what makes Philadelphia great – its sports, its food, its art, and most importantly, its people.”

By Sarah Maio

The Wisconsin Center District (WCD) and its construction firm partners Gilbane Building Company and C.D. Smith Construction are taking the first physical step towards construction of the multi-million dollar Wisconsin Center expansion. Fencing has been erected around the perimeter of the former parking lot north of the Wisconsin Center in preparation for early site work, with groundbreaking still planned for later this year.

“It’s incredible to see physical progress being made on the expansion,” said Marty Brooks, president and CEO of the WCD. “We’ve spent the past several years laying the groundwork behind the scenes for this project. Countless hours have been spent seeking feedback and thoughtfully sketching the expansion project on paper. It’s extraordinary to see the team’s hard work beginning to come to life in real time.”

As part of the expansion project, which will double the size of the convention center, the WCD has committed to contracting with at least 25 percent of minority-owned businesses, five percent of women-owned businesses and one percent of disabled veteran-owned businesses. The organization has also pledged that at least 40 percent of on-site construction labor hours will be performed by trade workers residing in the city and/or certified through the city as part of its Residential Preference Program (RPP). The expansion is expected to create 1,150 new on-site construction jobs and 1,150 off-site construction jobs during the build, plus 2,300 FTE jobs upon completion. Once finished, the expansion will allow the WCD to host multiple events simultaneously and offer flexible space arrangements to meet various clients’ needs.

The expansion is expected to be completed and open for business in Q1 of 2024.

Sarah Maio is Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Wisconsin Center District.