From populous.com

The PGMOL have unveiled the recently created, state-of-the-art VAR (Video Assistant Referee) facility at Stockley Park, near London. The bespoke facility has been built by the Populous EMEA Design and Build team.

The facility includes preparation and debrief areas for pre- and post-match, and a dedicated VAR Hub for each match being covered by the Video Assistant Referee and Assistant Video Referee, along with an elite conditioning space and a designated recovery area for the officials to maintain their optimum physical training in line with schedules.

Investment through the Elite Referee Development Plan is enabling enhancements across all aspects of refereeing, which includes this new home designed to provide an elite environment for VAR teams to best support the on-field officials.

Following consultation with football stakeholders, PGMOL subsequently worked closely with partners Populous, Instinct Laboratory and IMG on the creation and design, technical, and build of the facility.

Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb said: “It’s a cutting edge and completely bespoke elite performance facility, an environment where the best possible outcomes can be achieved in the VAR space to benefit the game.

“It’s not only the perfect space for our officials to work when they are acting as VAR or AVAR though, there are other areas for our officials to focus pre-game and debrief post-game, whilst there’s a gym and a recovery area, as well as a training centre, both for VAR work and for general refereeing development.

“This has been an exciting project to work on with PGMOL. From initial space planning through to the final buildout, we collaborated closely with Instinct Laboratory and IMG to create a bespoke facility that is designed to help the VAR officials perform to their optimum level.

“Good officiating always starts on the field of play, and we expect good performance, but VAR plays its part to ensure that outcomes of games are not decided by clear and obvious errors – we want VAR to be a positive influence.”

David Land, MD of Populous EMEA Design & Build group, added: “This has been an exciting project to work on with PGMOL. From initial space planning through to the final buildout, we collaborated closely with Instinct Laboratory and IMG to create a bespoke facility that is designed to help the VAR officials perform to their optimum level.”

From celebrityaccess.com

AEG Global Partnerships, the sponsorships division of AEG, announced the completion of its first naming rights deal after brokering an agreement that will see international bank UOB become the inaugural marquee sponsor for the new entertainment venue UOB LIVE in Bangkok.

Scheduled to open in February 2024, the state-of-the-art 6,000-capacity venue will host live performances, major sporting events, and concerts by internationally recognized touring artists. Along with entertainment offerings, the new venue will anchor a retail district that includes shopping, restaurants, and other amenities, AEG Global Partnerships said.

The deal brokered by AEG Global Partnerships is the division’s first major announcement for Asia-Pacific after the company expanded its operations into the region in October 2022.

In addition to the partnership in Thailand, the AEG Global Partnerships team is currently seeking naming rights partners for the company’s new, state-of-the-art, multi-purpose arena projects in Nagoya and Osaka in Japan, and a new 20,000 seat arena in Seoul, Korea.

“UOB is leading the way by taking on the naming rights to one of AEG’s new portfolios of world-class live entertainment venues across the APAC region. The partnership marks the first of its kind in Thailand, associating UOB’s name with Bangkok’s premier live entertainment venue, and providing the company with opportunities to build deeper relationships with its customers,” said Matthew Zweck, Vice President – Asia-Pacific at AEG Global Partnerships.

“Our global partnerships business is unmatched in terms of its ability to offer partners access to unique platforms to engage with customers, and we are delighted to further expand these opportunities in the APAC region. With new venues scheduled to open across Thailand, South Korea, and Japan in the next couple of years, more brands will be able to take advantage of the immense value that naming rights and venue partnerships can add for their businesses and their customers,” added Paul Samuels, Executive Vice President at AEG Global Partnerships.

“UOB LIVE marks a significant leap in transforming live entertainment for our customers. With AEG’s global expertise and The EM District’s leadership position in the local market, we will redefine the entertainment landscape in Southeast Asia,” concluded Tan Choon Hin, President and CEO of UOB Thailand.

By Kay Rollinson

JCA Arts Marketing, a division of JCA that helps arts and cultural organizations leverage data-driven insights to grow audiences and revenue, recently released a new study on Trends in Audience Behavior: What’s New in 2023?

Coming out of the 2022-23 season, the headlines have many performing arts administrators concerned. Several performing arts companies around the country have cancelled seasons or closed their doors because of smaller audiences and higher costs.

In the study, JCA Arts Marketing provides a glimmer of hope. While ticket sales across the industry have not reached pre-pandemic levels, the study shows that ticket sales and income trend lines are rising and there are marked signs of improvement. While some performing arts genres are having a more difficult time than others—and subscriptions continue to drop—the bleak picture from the headlines does not come across in the data.

Data for the Subscription Sales Study was gathered from 21 major organizations in different regions of the U.S., including eight regional theatre companies, six music organizations, four opera companies, and three performing arts centers (PACs). The analysis compares subscription sales for 2022-23 to past seasons in 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2021-22.

Key findings include:

On average, ticket sales are trending up. Across all genres, tickets sales and ticket income have increased since the reopening 2021-22 season.

Music organizations are leading the way in audience rebound. While music organizations have not seen a complete rebound in pre-pandemic ticket sales, they are closer to pre-pandemic sales levels than theatre and opera.

Theatre audiences returned in greater numbers in Spring 2023. The audience decline for theatres since the pandemic is more pronounced than other genres, but sales showed signs of improvement in Spring 2023.

The decrease in ticket sales post-pandemic is not a pricing problem. There isn’t data to suggest that the audience is any more price sensitive than the pre-pandemic audience, and prices have not kept pace with inflation.

Single ticket sales are increasing since 2021-22, but not enough to replace subscriber decline. Where we see that single ticket sales continue to represent a large proportion of the audience, single ticket sales are not making up for lost subscribers since the pandemic.

We can’t expect late sales any more than we could pre-pandemic. The timing of when people buy tickets has not changed since the pandemic.

“We are encouraged by the positive trend in ticket sales we’ve seen since last year,” said Jamie Alexander, Director of JCA Arts Marketing and co-author of the study. “While we aren’t out of the post-pandemic woods quite yet, there is light coming in—but we must keep focused on what inspires audiences in today’s world.”

View the full study by clicking here.

Kay Rollinson is Operations Administrator for JCA.

By Maddison Devoy

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has released an online toolkit to help customers implement corporate social responsibility as part of their event.

Launched as part of MCEC’s new website, the Positive Impact Guide will help event organisers make a difference for both their delegates and the community.

While showcasing sustainability, inclusion, and accessibility offerings at the venue, MCEC’s Positive Impact Guide can also help customers recognize Traditional Owners, reduce event waste, support children’s charities, and conserve the iconic Yarra River.

In addition, MCEC’s leading community partnership program can provide meaningful add-on experiences for delegates attending events at the venue.

This includes the OzHarvest’s flagship Cooking for a Cause program, a team building experience in MCEC’s kitchens that reduces food waste and helps feed those in need.

MCEC is the only convention and exhibition center nationally to have formal ‘Awesome’ partnership with food rescue organization OzHarvest.

Through MCEC’s Club Melbourne Ambassador Program, and partnership with The Startup Network, customers can also be connected to inspiring potential speakers for their event.

By incorporating corporate social responsibility, event organizers can adapt to changing delegate expectations and help attract sponsors, speakers, and exhibitors.

MCEC’s Head of Advocacy, Impact & Reputation Rohan Astley said the venue hoped to grow its Positive Impact Guide for organisers over time.

“This online resource is a way for us to work with customers and partners, to deliver positive environmental, social and economic outcomes through events,” he said.

“At MCEC, we have an ambitious five-year sustainability strategy, and a long-standing community partnership program that sees us give more than $2 million of in-kind event services to charities per year.

“However, we know many organizers share our commitment to leave positive legacies, be they big or small.

“We’re hoping this resource is just the beginning, and that in the future we can continue to offer new ways for our customers to make an impact in the community.”

To view the guide, click here.

Maddison Devoy is Corporate Communications Specialist – Media at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

By Andra Bennett

A 20-year planned expansion of the Fort Worth Convention Center is finally underway. In August, fencing went up to signal the beginning of construction on Phase 1 of the project, which will deliver new state-of-the-art food & beverage facilities, demolition of an outdated 1983 annex, increasing the center’s loading docks from seven to eleven, and realignment of Commerce Street to the east to create a site pad for a future convention hotel. This $95 million phase is expected to be completed in early 2026.

On August 9, a Convention Center District Town Hall meeting informed more than 300 downtown stakeholders, residents, businesses, and elected officials about the timing of specific construction activities, street and parking lot closures, traffic flow, green space, and infrastructure plans. The meeting was promoted by Downtown Fort Worth Inc. and included presentations by the Texas A&M System and the Omni Fort Worth Hotel, both of which are planning new developments on either side of the convention center.

“According to the State of Texas, Fort Worth’s visitor economy generates over $3 billion annually and employs over 30,000 of our residents,” Mike Crum, director of Public Events for the City of Fort Worth, told the audience. “This expansion will allow us to deliver an even more delightful experience to our guests and remain competitive with other Texas cities.”

Texas A&M broke ground in June on its new Fort Worth campus, which will include an innovation and research facility, a law and education building and a gateway office building. It is expected to cost $340 million and be complete by October 2025.

The Omni Fort Worth Hotel, 26 steps from the convention center with 618 guest rooms, outlined plans for a new $200 million adjacent structure with an additional 400 guest rooms and 50,000 square feet of new meeting space. Opening is anticipated in 2026.

“Our development teams are very cognizant of the amount of construction that will be happening concurrently in this area of downtown and are in communication with each other and will remain in communication with community stakeholders who may be impacted,” Crum said.

Andra Bennett
Marketing Communications / Public Events Department