By R.V. Baugus

To think, when I was a kid the big deal at a baseball stadium was just hoping to afford seats so I didn’t have to sit on those hot aluminum bleachers at Arlington Stadium when the Texas Rangers relocated from Washington, D.C., in 1971.

Today? Seems the latest in hospitality and the every-growing customer experience is to give fans the ultimate Airbnb experience. Count the New York Mets and Citi Field as the latest sports venue to offer up the grand opportunity.

Partnering with online marketplace Airbnb, the Mets made the announcement recently to coincide with Bobby Bonilla Day on July 28, in which fans will mark one of the most wildly — ahem — unsuccessful contracts in MLB history. Yes, the slugger was let go by the team in January 2000 after hitting .160 with four home runs and 18 RBIs the previous season, when a knee injury limited him to 119 at-bats.

Thankfully, both player and team let bygones be bygones as Bonilla will serve as host for the experience where guests watched both a day and a night game from their own VIP suite, enjoying limitless ballpark hotdogs and drinks.

The fans will even spend the night in the suite, while they are also be able to access the Mets gym during their stay. To top things off, they will then throw the ceremonial first pitch before the night game on July 28.

The one-time, one-night stay is not a contest, as fans are able to book the stay for up to four guests Said Bonilla: “As a born and raised New Yorker and a longtime player in the city, there is a special place in my heart for Mets fans and it’s wonderful to see the faithful back in some green seats in Queens.

“This year, I’m joining in on the fun, trying on a new glove as an Airbnb Host and hopefully giving a few folks the night of their lives at Citi Field.”

The wait is finally over! Registration is now open for IAVM members at VMS and VMS-GI, which will be held December 4-10, 2021, at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Florida (Tampa Bay area).

Venue Management School (VMS) and the Graduate Institute (VMS-GI), are considered two of the best professional education programs available for venue managers. Those new to the industry, or managers looking to expand their overall understanding, will find solid principles and practices for venue management in the VMS program. Venue professionals can further expand their universe of management and leadership skills and understanding by attending the Graduate Institute. For more information on VMS or VMS-GI, CLICK HERE.

VMS and VMS-GI spots fill quickly, so REGISTER NOW!

Voting is now open and will remain so through July 23, 2021 at midnight CT. The complete slate including biographical information and photos can be viewed on the IAVM web site.  Our voting process has changed with the introduction of a new nomination/application process for sector directors.  The ballot you will see this year will only include the Second Vice Chair election, and if you identified as a stadium, you will find the election for Director – Stadiums.  At most, you will be voting for two incoming positions on the 2021 – 2022 Board of Directors.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL:  All voting members should have already received an email titled “2021-2022 IAVM Board of Directors Election-login information below”. The email contains a generated user name and password to use when logging in to submit votes.  If you haven’t received the email, please contact Rosanne Duke via email or by calling 972.538.1025.

As in the past, the ballot is available through Survey & Ballot Systems allowing complete confidentiality and security to our members.  The results of the voting will be posted following the closing of the ballot on July 23. 

The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) has entered into a partnership with The Power of Preparedness (TPOP) to provide IAVM members with state-of-the-art online training for workplace violence prevention, verbal de-escalation techniques, and active shooter preparedness. The industry-tailored training will empower venue managers and their teams to identify, prevent, and if necessary, minimize potentially violent conflict as venues begin to reopen after Covid-19 shutdowns.

“IAVM continually strives to bring best-in-class training and education to our members,” commented Mark Herrera, IAVM Director of Education and Life Safety. “Our partnership with TPOP effectively extends our reach by providing an online solution customized to the unique challenges of the events industry. The IAVM/TPOP course can ensure that venue managers and their teams are constantly prepared, regardless of their location, schedule, and when they joined the organization.”

“As meetings, conventions, and trade shows get underway again, organizers must take into account societal stressors exacerbated by the pandemic, including economic upheaval, high unemployment, and social and cultural tension,” said William Flynn, TPOP’s co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, and former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Infrastructure Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “We are delighted to partner with IAVM to provide venue management teams with the confidence and knowledge they need to protect lives and property.”

Course topics include situational awareness, verbal de-escalation techniques, and active shooter preparedness. IAVM members can take advantage of exclusive member discounts and obtain even larger discounts for training their entire organizations. The online training is accessible from any Internet-enabled device and is ideal for reaching teams of all sizes without the need to organize in-person group events or work around difficult schedules. Members can also request a free trial in order to evaluate the training for their organization. Click here to learn more and request trial access.

About TPOP

The Power of Preparedness (TPOP) provides state-of-the-art online preparedness training customized for a growing number of industries. Our flagship course, “Think & Survive”, provides baseline active shooter, situational awareness, and de-escalation training in less than one hour. Taught by internationally recognized subject matter experts, TPOP’s superior content is delivered in short videos and quizzes that maximize engagement and retention.

By City of Toronto Media Room

On June 27, 26,771 Torontonians joined the City of Toronto and Team Toronto vaccination partners at the Toronto Vaccine Day “Our Winning Shot” clinic at Scotiabank Arena. The total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered are believed to be a new world record for most one-day COVID-19 vaccinations given at a single clinic.

Mayor John Tory visited the “Our Winning Shot” clinic yesterday during setup. The Mayor, joined by renowned Toronto Maple Leaf alumnus Wendel Clark, thanked all those working to get the clinic ready and acknowledged that while a world record is something to celebrate, the real prize is the protection people, their families and communities now have against COVID-19. This morning, Mayor Tory received his second dose of vaccine at the “Our Winning Shot” clinic.

Preliminary counts from today’s clinic indicate 26,771 doses administered. Throughout the day, the clinic administered 978 first doses and 25,793 second doses, with 25,476 adults and 1,295 youth vaccinated. On average, immunizers gave 1,785 vaccines per hour. At 2:21 p.m., the clinic surpassed the Canadian record of 10,470 vaccinations given at a single clinic in one day. At 4:58 p.m., the “Our Winning Shot” clinic surpassed the North American record of 17,003 doses by one clinic in a single day.

People attending the clinic were entertained by Kiss 92.5’s DJ Clymaxxx and Breakfast Television’s Devo Brown, with visits from Carlton the Bear and the Raptor. Fifty lucky vaccine recipients – one every 30 minutes – also won Toronto Maple Leaf or Toronto Raptor tickets for an upcoming game.

The “Our Winning Shot” clinic was made possible through a partnership between the City, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), Scotiabank, University Health Network and Michael Garron Hospital. All partners want to thank the nearly 1,500 staff and volunteers that made the day a historic success.

Now is not the time to slow down, Toronto. Tomorrow at 8 a.m. eligibility for accelerated second doses further expands to all adults who received a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine at least eight weeks ago or a first dose of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine at least 28 days ago. As of yesterday, Toronto youth age 12 to 17 who received a first dose of vaccine at least 28 days ago are also eligible to book an accelerated second dose. Appointments for City-run immunization clinics can be booked by residents through the dark blue “Book a Vaccine” button on toronto.ca/covid-19 or by calling the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900.

More than 35 per cent of Torontonians now have their second dose of vaccine. Getting a second dose is vital in Toronto’s fight against COVID-19 and the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) that is more infectious than other strains of the virus. Recent studies have shown that two weeks after the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, a person’s protection against the Delta variant is 50 per cent higher than one dose alone.

To easily connect to resources including vaccine appointment bookings, information on vaccines and upcoming telephone town halls, Toronto residents can text “VACCINE” to 1-833-750-0888 or 833-750-0888 for more information.

Quotes:

“Toronto Vaccine Day at Scotiabank Arena is a huge success and demonstrates the progress Team Toronto is making getting people vaccinated. Thank you to our dedicated partners along with all the staff and volunteers who worked to make sure today was a winning shot in our fight against COVID-19. And thank you to the thousands of Toronto residents who stepped forward today to get either their first or second shot and set a record in the process. I continue to encourage all Toronto residents to get fully vaccinated so we can bring this pandemic to an end.”

– Mayor John Tory

“Toronto, we did it. 25,000 Torontonians stepped up to protect themselves, their community, and their city. It’s a remarkable record-breaking achievement. Today’s clinic was a remarkable Team Toronto logistical effort. Now, let’s keep pushing, keep working, and get Toronto vaccinated”.

– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health

“What an accomplishment! Thank you to all involved in this incredible achievement. And thank you Toronto, for showing up and rolling up your sleeves to protect yourselves and our communities.”

– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health

“Throughout this pandemic, those working on the frontlines have worked tirelessly to care for and protect our communities from a virus that has tested our strength and resilience. Today’s milestone marks a bright light in this pandemic and demonstrates the incredible power of partnerships across sectors in the City of Toronto. At MGH, our guiding principle is to get as many vaccines into arms as expediently as possible; we are so proud to be a part of this remarkable day and do our part to bring our community one step closer to the lives we knew before this pandemic. Congratulations to our exceptional teams who made this day possible – and thank you Toronto for your outstanding showing of collective action and support in the fight against COVID-19.”

– Sarah Downey, President and CEO, Michael Garron Hospital

“Stunning is the only word to describe Toronto Vaccine Day. To vaccinate 25,000 people, set a world record and work so effectively with the City of Toronto, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, Scotiabank, Scotiabank Arena, Michael Garron Hospital and the vaccine teams from hospitals and community agencies across the city – what a demonstration of cooperation and support for the citizens of this city.”

– Kevin Smith, President and CEO, University Health Network (UHN)

“This record setting vaccination clinic is another important example of partners coming together to help our community overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, but more importantly, of the caring spirit of this community as they responded so emphatically to the opportunity to take their shot to protect themselves and each other. Having 25,000 Torontonians back in Scotiabank Arena Sunday, plus the hundreds of volunteers and others making the event happen, reminds us of how much we look forward to hosting our fans again very soon and why this Team Toronto vaccination effort is so vitally important. Thank you to our friends at the City of Toronto, Team Vaccine and Scotiabank for their leadership, as well as to everyone who contributed in any way to today’s success. MLSE was proud to be a part of this effort and we are always proud to be a part of Team Toronto.”

– Michael Friisdahl, President & CEO of MLSE

“A heartfelt thanks to all of our partners, and the volunteers, who helped make Toronto Vaccine Day at Scotiabank Arena an overwhelming success. Defeating the virus requires that we work together as a team, while also doing our part by getting our shots. I’m more hopeful than ever that the next time Scotiabank Arena has 25,000 people move through its doors, they will be fans, cheering on the Leafs and Raptors.”

– Brian Porter, President and CEO, Scotiabank

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter Opens in new window, Instagram Opens in new windowor Facebook Opens in new window.