By Mary Tucker

In a webinar on April 22, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) provided critical insights to the industry from results to a recently-fielded poll in addition to an update from CEIR’s economist, Allen Shaw, Ph.D., Chief Economist for Global Economic Consulting Associates, Inc.

“COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the U.S. business-to-business (B2B) exhibition industry,” noted CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, CEM. “The survey providing insights from the B2B exhibition organizer perspective and Dr. Shaw’s insights relating to when the economy is expected to rebound offer a very valuable understanding of where our industry is today, and outlook moving forward.”

This survey was fielded in April, inviting executives with oversight of U.S. B2B exhibitions run or managed by their organizations. It quantifies the impact COVID-19 has had on their staff, operations and events. It also captures areas executives plan to address based on the hard lessons learned by a pandemic that has blindsided economies worldwide. CEIR Vice President of Research Nancy Drapeau, PRC thanks IAEE and TSNN for providing the sample that made this important research possible.

Organization staff largely remain intact though if the pandemic persists, pay and staff cuts may deepen three to six months out. Today, only 16% of organizers have cut pay and fewer have furloughed or laid off staff.

Executives are working aggressively at revising their budgets (86%), with an aim of containing costs and retaining revenues. The brunt of lost revenues is being passed on to suppliers, via renegotiated (61%), or cancelled contracts (55%). The approach is unfortunately a product of many organizers cancelling, postponing or doing both for B2B exhibitions originally scheduled for 2020. Though the situation is grave, to-date, 2020 is not a complete loss if COVID-19 is brought under control. Results reveal 41% of organizers report postponing events. The bulk are scheduled to take place starting in late summer through November, with roughly 30% per month starting in August while 34% of organizers have postponed events to 2021.

Many hard lessons have been learned from this health crisis that has blindsided the world. It is motivating executives to consider options to ‘pivot’ to alternative event content or models if a physical event is unable to take place in the future due to an unexpected calamity. Results suggest there will be extensive experimentation with virtual options, whether plans will be in place to switch to a digital-only solution or adopt a hybrid event moving forward.

These executives are also very sensitive to the importance of creating and implementing hygiene protocols that make participants feel safe, and are effective in protecting them from the virus. They understand these accommodations are critical to the recovery of the industry once the market for trade shows reopens.

Dr. Shaw’s analysis focuses on when the U.S. economy is expected to rebound. The reason for this is that the U.S. economy must rebound before the U.S. B2B exhibition industry can reopen and recover. He notes that the economic recovery depends on gaining control of the virus, specifically as tracked by the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Recent data indicates that new confirmed cases in the U.S. appears to have passed the peak. Because of the lockdown across the country, all economic indicators currently point to a sharp decline in economic activities. An unquestionable recession is upon us. However, as Dr. Shaw noted, “Even though economic indicators are as bad if not worse than those of the Great Depression, the underlying economic fundamentals and causes are different.

“The recession we are experiencing now is caused by a supply shock. By comparison, it was a shock in demand that triggered the Great Depression of the 1930s and Great Recession of 2008. Supply shocks today include the economic lockdown due to stay at home orders, supply-chain disruptions, lower productivity of working staff and mortality.”

Dr. Shaw believes that when the economy reopens, more than half of the problem of the current recession will be solved. With monetary and fiscal policies in place injecting money in the system and pushing up demand for goods and services, and as business and consumer confidence is restoring, Dr. Shaw expects the economy will see a V-shape recovery. A ‘V’ shape suggests a very quick recovery once it begins. CEIR expects a full recovery in eight quarters, with GDP in the fourth quarter of 2021 exceeding the previous peak in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Click here to access the recorded version of the webinar, sponsored by GES, that provides more in-depth look and discussion of survey results as well as Dr. Shaw’s insights relating to the U.S. economy and B2B exhibition industry.

The annual CEIR Predict Conference will be held 21-22 September 2020 at the MGM National Harbor, just outside Washington, D.C. Predict will provide insights into the performance of the exhibitions industry and a forecast through year-end, along with an economic presentation by Alex Chausovsky of ITR Economics discussing how world events are expected to impact the global economy. Registration for the CEIR Predict Conference is now open, complete details are available here.

Mary Tucker is senior PR/communications manager for CEIR.

By Samantha Marker

Fans of many of Los Angeles’ most popular professional sports franchises will now have the chance to acquire merchandise bearing their favorite team’s recognizable logos and colors while also donating to the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles.

AEG, the LA Clippers, LA Galaxy, LA Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Sparks and Rank + Rally have joined forces to launch the TEAMS FOR LA ON-LINE SUPERSALE to sell logoed team merchandise, as well as classic merchandise from the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the GRAMMY Awards, to benefit the Mayor’s L.A. Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund. Proceeds from the website support critical needs as they arise in our city – such as childcare and meals for the neediest, relief and counseling for frontline healthcare workers, critical healthcare equipment, and services for our homeless population.

The site, which will be updated regularly, will offer jerseys, hats, t-shirts, warm-ups, scarfs, bobbleheads and other specialty items bearing the current and classic logos of the LA Clippers, LA Galaxy, LA Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Sparks, Ontario Reign and TEAM USA (basketball), as well as merchandise from high-profile events that have taken place in Los Angeles including the 2011 and 2018 NBA All-Star Games, the 2017 NHL All-Star Game, the Amgen Tour of California, memorable championship boxing events and music events such as the GRAMMY Awards and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

“All of us in the Los Angeles sports community have been looking for additional ways to support the tremendous efforts of our City’s leadership and to help those in our community that are most impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak,” said Dan Beckerman, President and CEO, AEG. “Our collective donation of merchandise will provide our fans a way to show their ongoing support for their favorite teams while also contributing to help their fellow Angelenos in need.”

In addition to the 30,000+ items offered at discounted prices, fans can also send gear through the site directly to local shelters and non-profits for those that need it most. All financial contributions will be donated directly to the Mayor’s Fund.

Fans are encouraged to visit the site often as new items will be added as they become available as well as other ways to support those affected in our region.

Samantha Marker is Manager, Communications & Social Media, for STAPLES Center & Microsoft Theater.

By R.V. Baugus

Ah, KeyArena. The green and gold of the Seattle SuperSonics and some of the loudest fans in the National Basketball Association who were crazy about their team. Jack Sikma, Gus Williams, Dennis Johnson, and, hey, even Kevin Durant for a year before the team relocated to Oklahoma City.

But now work continues on the old Key for a new National Hockey League arena that is ongoing in the midst of COVID-19. The development project led by Oak View Group is slated for a 2021 opening and will also serve as home to the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. The NHL awarded the franchise in December 2018 and, other than an iconic roof, fans will see a new venue inside the old venue. The original opened n 1962 for the World’s Fair and had a major renovation in 1995.

Now, 35 years later, the $930 million New Arena at Seattle Center moves along s the venue’s square footage will double to 855,999 for state-of-the-art back of house, hospitality, loading and concessions areas.

About that roof. The removal of the temporary roof support has now started and, once finished, the new roof will appear as though it is floating. On the north and west sides of the complex, foundation excavation, new foundation placement, waterproofing and shotcrete work is continuing during daytime hours only, while on the south side, lagging, tieback, foundation placement and excavation work is also going ahead. On the east side, construction work including waterproofing, shotcrete, foundation excavation and new foundation placement continues.

The roof of the former KeyArena has been designated as a historic landmark, having been a part of the Seattle skyline since the facility opened in 1962. Given its status, it was decided that the roof would remain in place during the revamp.

Other projects around the country are in various phases of construction during the pandemic. Two of the biggest and most anticipated new football stadiums are also moving forward with SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, as well as the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the Raiders.

One new arena that is on hold due to the pandemic is for the NHL New York Islanders, who are building a 19,000-seat venue as part of a $1.3 billion Belmont Park redevelopment project. The team broke ground on the area last September.

By R.V. Baugus

Bobby Goldwater, CVE, Georgetown University Sports Industry Management faculty and long-time IAVM member, along with IAVM Education Manager Greg Wolfe, will launch a new series of live ZOOM question-and-answer sessions between industry executives and student members and young professionals beginning this Thursday at 4 pm Eastern Time. The sessions, titled 2020 Vision, will run for at least the next eight Thursdays.

“I put together a sub-committee and we determined that there was enough interest and there were a number of projects that deserved and could be received in some form from an academic perspective,” Goldwater said. “This was not to replace any other committee and was not to do something that someone else was doing but there were just things that frankly no one was doing. I and others thought that this would benefit the association by having this kind of a focus. We are happy it got approved.”

Goldwater well understands the challenges and quite frankly the confusion that many graduating seniors and those in his graduate program are facing when it comes simply to guessing what the future holds.

“Greg and I were talking and we certainly understood that people in venue management, whether they were still in school as undergraduates or graduate students or young professionals, might have a lot of questions, might need some guidance, and might need to hear from about the industry and what might be next,” Goldwater said.

Goldwater cited IAVM’s Upstart program that began years ago at VenueConnect and the session called Game Changers.

“It was IAVM executives, kind of like speed dating with executives,” he said. “Two executives sit at a table and students and young professionals get to go sit at a table and meet with the executives, talk to them for 15 minutes, and then move to the next table about the 15 minutes are up. I said to Greg, why don’t we just do a version of Game Changer? We’ll do it once a week and have one executive and a conversation to offer career insights and perspectives on the future of venue management for the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes would be Q&A from the participating audience of young people.”

Goldwater pointed out that all the executives lined up so far have participated in the Game Changer sessions, so they know exactly what this is about. “I will give them some questions and they will answer and provide their very distinctive career insights and then answer some questions,” he said. “We hope it will be both instructive and informative, and hopefully inspiring, too.”

Goldwater placed a little extra emphasis on the word inspiring, especially in light of these very uncertain times caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“What is going on right now is a speed bump,” he said. “We are going to get over the speed bump. We are going to continue down a path where venue management is a privilege. It is a wonderful career. Whether it is a student studying it or a young professional at the beginning, it is a wonderful career, a privilege to be a part of. That needs to be reinforced.

“As we talked about this, we both recognized that we wanted to maintain engagement with the next generation of our industry and young professionals, or as I call them, the young and aspiring professionals. That’s what they are. To be able to maintain that contact, to allow executives to interact with this audience, to provide and share some guidance, some career advice, talk about some experiences that they have had, that’s what these live sessions are designed to provide.

“We will kick off with Angie Teel. If there is anybody in our industry more energetic than Angie Teel … she is a great person to kick off. We are frankly envisioning this may go on (beyond eight weeks). The first handful of dates are pretty well set up. We also have Mac Campbell, Joyce Leveston, Richard Andersen, Jimmy Earl, and Julia Slocombe. That’s the first group and others that we’re waiting to hear from.”

Goldwater said that the response from the original group of speakers has been nothing short of impressive.

“Again, all of these people have participated in previously in the Upstart Game Changer session at VenueConnect,” he said. “We know that they have a history of participating with this audience. We are very excited that this provides the opportunity for them to do that again but more importantly for the aspiring and young professionals to get the benefit of their experience.”

Goldwater also cited the support of others in launching the program, including his contacts from the university world in Jim Wynkoop and Dusty Saine, and from IAVM Brad Mayne, Mark Herrera, and Tammy Koolbeck.

Ready to register NOW? Click here.

By R.V. Baugus

The state of Florida has become one of the “hot spots” in the United States as it relates to positive coronavirus cases, deaths, and unemployment. The need for medical equipment is great throughout the Sunshine State, and with the NBA season on hold, Orlando’s Amway Center is now being utilized as a medical equipment distribution center housing supplies that AdventHealth will use to treat those with the virus.

Local officials are warning that the peak may not occur until the first two weeks of May, making the need for immediate medical equipment essential. With Amway Center serving as a staging area for supplies and equipment, we spoke with IAVM member Allen Johnson, CVE, CPM, Chief Venues Officer for Orlando Venues, to discuss the arena’s help during this time of crisis.

What is the Amway Center set up at this time to do in the assistance of the coronavirus pandemic?

Because Amway Center’s calendar of events has been cleared through at least May, we’ve been working with AdventHealth, one of our Champions of the Community partners, to serve as a distribution hub for much-needed medical supplies and equipment for their 50 units. This effort began last week and we’ve been using the arena floor and other areas of the Event Level to warehouse pallets that arrive daily. The equipment and supplies will be distributed among 50 hospitals in Central Florida and facilities in seven states.

How did this come about and when did the setup take place?

It started with a conversation between Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Daryl Tol, President & CEO of the Central Florida Division of AdventHealth. The initial site visit for logistical and operational purposes took place early last week and the first pallets of medical supplies began arriving a few days later on the morning of Thursday, April 9.

To this point, how has everything gone as you distribute supplies and such?

It’s actually been running very smoothly. AdventHealth is overseeing the operation and deliveries are taking place routinely. Much of the inventory goes out for distribution almost as quickly as it comes in. On weekdays we have two shifts of 30 workers each from 6am – 2pm and 1pm – 9pm. We’re happy this arrangement has created paid job opportunities for part-time employees of our venue partners.

Any other of the Orlando venues under your oversight helping in any way?

We’re finalizing details with the Florida Department of Health to use Camping World Stadium as a drive-thru community test site for west side Orlando residents displaying coronavirus symptoms.

Will you be set up in this capacity for as long as you are needed?

As of now, we’re planning to house all the supplies at Amway Center as needed through the month of May. Following that, we have some contingency plans in place based upon when events might start returning to the arena.

It has to make you and your team feel good to be able to assist in some way, does it not?

Because we are City owned and Operated we are an into-woven into our community. It gives all of us a tremendous sense of pride to see how our Central Florida community always pulls together during crises. We’ve seen it in the aftermath of the Pulse tragedy with the creation of the Family Assistance Center, working with the Florida Department of Children & Families to provide “Food for Florida” and our sandbag operation during Hurricane Irma.

Photo by Kirk Wingerson