By Beckie Liwacz

The Village of Hoffman Estates and Spectra, the provider of Venue Management and Partnerships at Sears Centre Arena outside Chicago, recently announced a new multi-year partnership with NOW Health Group, Inc. in which the arena will be renamed NOW® Arena.

NOW Health Group, Inc., a leading, family-owned natural products manufacturer based in Bloomingdale, Ill., will take over naming rights to the Sears Centre Arena as of September 1, as part of a 15-year agreement unanimously approved by the Village of Hoffman Estates on June 22. The NOW® Arena contract, valued at $11.25 million over the term, takes over from Transformco (formerly Sears Holdings Corp.), the arena naming rights partner since the venue opened in 2006.

“As a company that values family and community first, this partnership couldn’t be a better fit,” Jim Emme, CEO of NOW Health Group, Inc., said. “We’re excited to support the neighboring Village of Hoffman Estates and families from the surrounding communities and beyond. The NOW® Arena will continue to be a resource for them to enjoy family-friendly entertainment, high school graduations, concerts and sporting events, while also providing them with opportunities to learn more about healthy products they can feel good about.”

“For long-term naming rights, I can’t overstate the importance of having a local, corporate partner like NOW Health Group,” Laurie Kemmit, Regional Vice President of Partnerships for Spectra, said. “We’re proud to partner with a company that has a vested, demonstrated interest in the community of Hoffman Estates—a key differentiator in a partnership that holds benefits beyond simple marketing exposure.”

“I am excited to welcome NOW Health Group as the new naming rights partner of the arena. There is a lot of coordination that goes into an agreement like this and NOW Health Group has been creative, engaged, and exciting to work with.” Bill McLeod, Mayor of Hoffman Estates, said. “I want to thank Sears/Transformco for their commitment to the venue since the building first opened in 2006. We look forward to continuing that relationship as Sears/Transformco remains an active supporter of the community.”

A natural product manufacturer with a portfolio of more than 1,500 products including supplements, sports nutrition, foods, beauty and health products, and essential oils, NOW® falls into a nontraditional category of naming rights sponsors, different from the usual mix of banks, car dealerships, insurance, and healthcare.

“This past year alone, our Spectra Partnerships team has been able to develop several unique naming rights partnerships in the Midwest region: the Stormont Vail Events Center, formerly the Kansas Expo Center, in Topeka, KS; Cable Dahmer Arena, previously named the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, in Independence, MO; and most recently, the renamed NOW® Arena for the Village of Hoffman Estates,” Bryan Furey, Senior Vice President of Partnerships for Spectra, said. “These recent successes signify that brands—even in turbulent times—continue to recognize the power of people assembling to enjoy live entertainment.”

NOW® has become a household name as part of a thriving wellness industry, and has seen double-digit growth for nine consecutive years, with NOW® products available in more than 80 countries. The company was recently ranked the 106th largest privately held company in Chicago based on 2019 revenue by Crain’s Chicago Business, and is one of the largest independent manufacturers of natural products in the U.S. health food store channel. Despite its international growth, NOW® retains its hyper-local focus, employing more than 900 full-time employees across its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Bloomingdale, and its distribution center in Roselle, Ill. NOW® also owns the 13 Chicagoland-based Fruitful Yield natural health food stores.

As a part of its mission to foster ongoing relationships and provide value in the Hoffman Estates area, NOW Health Group, Inc. will regularly engage local partners within the arena, including utilizing the arena space and events for local charities. NOW® looks to bring additional business to the arena, including industry conferences, and will have a full branding and promotional presence throughout the venue.

Beckie Liwazc is a Communications Publicist at Spectra.

By Erin Goldmeier

The Virginia Beach Convention Center (VBCC) was recently presented with a 2020 Leadership Award by the U.S. Green Building Council Virginia Chapter (USGBC VA). These prestigious awards recognize Virginia building owners and project teams for their extra effort to accomplish Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and celebrate the local leaders who are working to create a healthier, more sustainable and more resilient future for all in the Commonwealth.

As an organization, the VBCC was recognized for its accomplishments in the community and sharing the knowledge they attained through LEED certification with the hospitality and tourism community. Staff has shared best practices in recycling, composting and energy efficiency, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of sustainability.

“We are honored to have received this award. It truly is a testament to our ongoing dedication to sustainable practices and good stewardship of public dollars,” said Bryan Miller, Assistant General Manager for the VBCC.

The VBCC was the nation’s first convention center to earn LEED Gold certification as an existing building in 2010. As is required, the VBCC renewed certification in 2015 and is currently seeking certification renewal using the new LEED Arc platform. The VBCC is also an active partner in the Commonwealth’s Virginia Green program, which promotes sustainability in the tourism industry.

Erin Goldmeier is Director of Public Relations for Visit Virginia Beach.

Spectra, the providers of Venue Management to the Owensboro Convention Center and the Owensboro Sportscenter is pleased to announce two staff promotions for their Owensboro team.

Cody Thomas has been promoted to Director of Events for the Owensboro Convention Center. Most recently Cody was Senior Event Manager. He will directly oversee the Event Managers and the coordination of all events in the venue. Cody has been with Spectra since November 2016. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Management from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University.

Jeanette Goins is now the Director of Marketing for the Owensboro Convention Center and the Owensboro Sportscenter. She joined the Spectra team in March 2015 as the Marketing and Public Relations Manager. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications with an emphasis in Broadcast Production (ACEJMC Accredited) from Murray State University. She has several years of marketing and media experience having worked for network affiliates in Evansville, IN and Indianapolis, IN, a minor league professional hockey team working with two venues, now Indiana Farmers Coliseum and Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and prior to joining Spectra was the Sales and Marketing Manager for the Ford Center and Victory Theater in Evansville, IN. Most recently Jeanette has assisted in marketing efforts for Spectra’s reopening plans across the U.S. and in Canada.

By R.V. Baugus

Seems like either yesterday or a year ago (depending on my frame of mind any given day) that I blogged about the unheard of move of the Ivy League canceling its 2020 spring sports schedule. That announcement in early March seemed like the most radical, extreme idea I had ever heard of until … a couple of days later when the NBA postponed its regular season, as did the NHL, and then the cancelations of NCAA spring sports, the Final Four, etc.

Looking back, the Ivy League — in what should be no surprise — was the trendsetter and the prudent home of wisdom about what was looming on the horizon with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, the Ivy League just announced it is canceling all fall sports including football as the pandemic blazes on with no apparent end in sight. This time, I reacted to that news in all candor and honesty with a nod of approval in the league doing what just seems the right thing to do.

I awoke this morning to news that the Big 10 would play a “conference-only” football schedule, thus eliminating three non-conference games. In the conference’s official statement, even that announcement came with the caveat of “should the league be able to participate in athletic events in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.”

The first domino has been somewhat toppled, and which are to follow among the other Power 5 conferences on the college landscape? What about high school sports? What about professional sports?

I view all this was a hint of sadness. There is no greater sports fan than yours truly. I have held NBA season tickets for the Dallas Mavericks since 1984-85 and NCAA football tickets for the University of Texas since 1996. I do public address for high school football for the Irving Independent School District and PA for Irving Nimitz High School basketball. I contribute a high school basketball section for Dave Campbell’s Texas Basketball magazine as a fun hobby to keep my “basketball Jones” happy.

But something strange has happened to me since sports went dark back in mid-March. I have missed it but I haven’t missed it. Don’t worry, dear venue professionals, I am not saying that I am not coming back, because I am. I need my fix! What I am saying is that I, like you, have a greater appreciation for safety first and a healthy respect for the coronavirus.

I read comments from many websites and the debates rage on from those wanting to be out and about RIGHT NOW versus those who with or without government mandate believe it best to stay at home. But, folks, we won’t get better until we … get better. If we are out, let’s be sure to adhere to the protocols set in place and designed to get us faster through the pandemic. It CAN be done.

I highly recommend for reading the most recent issue of Sports Illustrated and an article written by Tom Verducci that has to be the longest article to ever appear in the magazine. Tom writes about a relative a century ago who covered the Boston Red Sox in 1917 and 1918 at a time when World War I was claiming lives but not as many as a pandemic sweeping the United States that came to be known as the Spanish Flu. The deadly virus would take the life of the relative at the young age of 31 just mere months after his bride of less than two years died from the virus. As awful as COVID-19 is, this virus claimed three times more people than the current pandemic, as of right now.

It is difficult for us to imagine fighting an invisible enemy and just how dangerous that enemy can be. For those of you who have had or know someone who is fighting the virus or has lost their life to it, you know what I am talking about. But position a person in front of me with a weapon and I know the enemy because I can SEE the enemy. Tell me there is an enemy floating in the air and I have a much more difficult grasp of it. But to say it is not real? Numbers do not lie, friends.

So here we are today with Major League Baseball getting ready to PLAY BALL! Not far behind, 22 NBA teams are under a “bubble” in Orlando ready to finish out their regular season and move on to the playoffs. Colleges and high schools are still figuring things out for football but must do so quickly. As of right now, the NFL is still a go with a shortened exhibition — oops, pre-season — schedule. We don’t even want to get into the tricky situation of fans in or not in the stands.

Come back to me in a month and decisions will have been made and they may not be too surprising either way, depending in part of where the COVID statistics line up.

As for me, yes, I have already paid for my 2020 football tickets and my 2020-21 basketball tickets. If those seasons end up not played, I will feel for our member venues and the economic impact that seemingly never stops hitting them. At the same time, this guy who could not live without sports will continue to find out that he can until we are safe to resume such activities.

But can we please hurry it up? Asking for a friend …