By Emily Herr

Today, we are in a day and age (for better or worse) where we can access news and media outlets instantaneously. In many ways, venue managers have taken advantage of this by offering a wide variety of enhancements for our guests since we have access to them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Teams and venues send emails, tweets, texts, and push notifications daily to keep our guests involved and informed. From the operational standpoint, the Buffalo Bills remind guests in the days leading up to a game of all the NFL’s best practices including ease of entry, promotions, gate entertainment elements, and the Fan Code of Conduct. We send these constant alerts to engage our fans and to set a standard for our guests before they even begin their commute to the stadium.

We focus on setting high expectations of guest services and the experiences they will have once they do arrive. In sum, we spend countless hours focusing on how to put our venue in a positive light for our guests, the NFL, and to teams/leagues around the world, not only while they are here in our venues, but every day.

But what happens when this instant access to news, media, social media, and viral videos work against you? All of the hard work you’ve put in to build a brand, tarnished by a few bad apples. What steps is your venue taking when something like this happens? Are you being proactive in addressing these issues? Are you acknowledging the issues at all? How can we do better and what are the best practices?

In a venue that had an average of over 200 ejections and more than 20 arrests per game in 2010, we have worked extremely hard to change the fan behavior and ultimately the fan experience at New Era Field. In 2011 we had the least amount of Designated Driver pledges in the NFL, but today we are proud to say we have under 50 ejections per game, we are averaging only one arrest per game, we are fighting for the third-straight Responsibility Bowl title (a TEAM Coalition initiative http://www.fansdontletfansdrivedrunk.org/nfl/responsibility-bowl-iii/), and we are sitting in the top three for most designated driver pledges in the National Football League. However, if you are someone that follows the Buffalo Bills team on Monday morning in the media, you may have no idea the changes we have made and the efforts put in by many to change these rowdy perceptions.

Some of the more notable videos this year that we have been battling include fans jumping on tables, walking, running or jumping through fire, throwing objects on the field, and binge drinking. (It’s never a good feeling as a venue manager thinking your venue could single-handedly provide enough content for Deadspin all year!) And while this may sway some people from coming to a game, or returning back to one, those of us directly involved or those of us that have season tickets know this is far from normal at New Era Field. When asked about these incidents by the media we always keep it professional and say “we are looking into it” and are “making changes to improve the fan experience,” but how many venues have the resources to actually do so? I’m happy to say I work in a venue that does!

Here is how we handle these viral videos at New Era Field:

We start with the relationships. Several years ago we started having weekly meetings with our partners from the state, county, and town including Emergency Medical Personnel, Orchard Park Police, Erie County Sheriff, Erie County Emergency Services, Buffalo Bills Security, NYS Police, Apex Security, CSC Security, NFL representatives, etc. We meet regularly with these groups to ensure that everyone is on the same page and enforcing the same fan code of conduct while still providing a high level of guest services we have preached to our fans.

We are involved in their yearly trainings. Every year these groups have stadium training. Our Vice President of Operations and Guest Experience meets with every County Sheriff that works on game days. He delivers a guest service message and explains our expectations. We also meet with all Apex and CSC security teams to ensure the same message is getting across to all of our security partners. That way if an issue does arise, everyone knows what is expected of them in handling the issue as well as what is tolerated at the stadium vs. what needs to be stopped.

We have developed a plan. A few years back we developed a multi-year plan to enhance the guest experience and remove fans acting inappropriately. First, we started inside the gates – protecting our stadium, our home. We inserted the NFL’s Fan Hotline where guests can call or text issues to an in-house number and the necessary personnel is dispatched to the location to help resolve issues in the bowl or concourses. We have ejected people who were unruly, fighting, or violating the fan code of conduct. Our security teams keep a close eye on those entering the stadium. If they appear to be intoxicated, we do not allow them access to the stadium as we know their condition will only get worse. Buffalo Bills Security has installed security cameras throughout the entire stadium and we have adopted the NFL’s Fan Code of Conduct policy that makes every guest that has been ejected, turned around at the gates, or arrested take a 4-hour online class before returning to the stadium. Our ticket office has had a big hand in helping us instill this by freezing tickets if the offender is a season ticket member.

The second phase of this plan was moving out to our parking lots. In Buffalo, we have over 12,000 parking spaces on our property and several more thousand in surrounding lots. We have placed additional security in all of our parking lots on foot, golf cart, and horse. We know many of these videos that have gained the most attention take place outside of our venue. Since placing additional armed sheriffs and Apex guards in the parking lots, our issues have decreased significantly.

The third phase is making efforts to control the surrounding private lots. We know this is where those image-damaging viral videos are taking place, because there is minimal security and no supervision of the property. While this phase is still in motion, we have started by requiring the residents with private lots to have permits for their space. The next hopeful step is for Sheriff and New York State Troopers to gain access into these lots to observe and be proactive in the lots in addressing fan behavior issues when necessary.

The Plan in action: Fortunately, we have been very successful over the past several years implementing our plan with the help and support of our security partners. One of our viral videos from last year showed a man sliding down the railing from the 300 level and in the end, falling down to the 100 level. Thankfully no one was badly injured, but due to the camera systems and our security partners we were able to find out who the individual was and we were able to take action. We revoked his tickets and banned him from our stadium. This year, one of our viral videos showed two guests throwing an object onto the field. Luckily, the two brothers couldn’t stop bragging about it and because of this, we used social media to track them down, find their website, and reach out to them directly. They too have had their season tickets revoked and are not allowed back into the stadium. Lastly, we had a viral video that involved binge drinking in one of our private parking lots. The Orchard Park Police in conjunction with the Buffalo Police, found this individual realized there was a warrant for his arrest and the necessary action was taken to ensure he will not return to our venue. In working with the law enforcement officials and media partners, we were also able to hold press conferences announcing these reactions to show how serious we are taking inappropriate fan behavior at our games. They are not true representations of our fan base and work directly against the guest experience we have worked so hard to create.

Fortunately, our efforts are not going unnoticed. We have improved our ejection/arrest numbers tremendously over the last five years, we have moved from worst in the league to top three in the NFL in designated driver pledges, and we have improved the overall experience for thousands of our guests. But most importantly, many of the returning season ticket holders have written letters, called, emailed, or thanked us in person for making these improvements. Ticket holders that said they would never bring their children or grandchildren to a Bills game, can comfortably do so again. I’m fortunate enough to work in a venue that takes these behaviors seriously and actually wants to improve our image in the media. With enough time and continued efforts, I believe we can change the mentality of ALL of our fans and end the damaging viral videos.

What actions is your venue taking to make sure your image isn’t tarnished by viral videos?

Emily Herr is coordinator of event services for the Buffalo Bills and currently serves on the IAVM Stadium Committee.

When Levitt Foundation Executive Director Sharon Yazowski got together with other producing organizations across the country to float the idea of a webinar for performance venues, little did she know that the dominos would start falling and her private foundation would join with IAVM for staff training for the organization’s six (and soon to be seven) venues that feature free concerts in an outdoor setting for their communities.

We’re all aware of the incidents that have been happening on public spaces across the country over the past two years,” she said. “All of our venues are outdoor spaces. We have become more proactive in terms of how we are preparing for unfortunate situations should they happen.”

That very scenario, in fact, played out last June when protesters disrupted an outdoor concert at the Levitt Pavilion Arlington (Texas) in a demonstration against a grand jury’s decision not to indict a police trainee who fatally shot a teenager the previous year. Two of the protesters were reportedly armed with rifles. One person with an AK-47 was arrested for disorderly conduct at the concert by the Humming House band, which reportedly drew an audience of about 3,000 people.

“The protesters marched on the lawn and wanted to get on stage, so it was an incident that disrupted the performance,” Yazowski said. “It became very clear that these sorts of things could happen at Levitt venues because they are open to the public. The executive director at the venue, Patti Diou, reached out to (IAVM Director of Education) Mark Herrera because she had heard him speak during the webinar.”

Herrera conducted onsite training with the Levitt Arlington team, and after Diou reported back to Yazowski that it was an “incredibly positive experience and we should provide the training for all the executive directors at the venues,” the wheels were set in motion for the group to become proactive in its support and resources to its venues across the country.

“We invited Mark to join our executives,” Yazowski said. “It was a wonderful experience and really just the tip of the iceberg. The training was set to get everyone’s minds thinking in a circular way. We are now working with Mark and IAVM to develop onsite training for all our venues so that he is not only working with executive leadership but also with those on the front line … the staff, production crew, volunteers and others.”

Yazowski acknowledged that preventing those with bad intentions can’t always be headed off, but without advance training the chances for safeguarding venues drop significantly.

“Sometimes no matter how much training you do, you can’t prevent something from happening,” she said. “But if you are trained you have the tools, you have the knowledge, to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible. We want to make sure we are putting measures in place that would make our sites undesirable to that sort of interruption, but if an event happens all of our people are ready to manage the situation in an efficient manner that can secure everybody and ensure everyone’s safety as quickly as possible.”

Based in Los Angeles, the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation’s website describes the foundation as one “dedicated to reinvigorating America’s public spaces through creative place-making and creating opportunities for everyone to experience the performing arts. The need for more third places—those informal gathering spots outside the realms of home and the workplace—has become increasingly clear in today’s world and guides us in our community-driven efforts. Our goal is to reflect the best of American city life by creating community and social interaction among people of all ages and backgrounds; empowering cities across America to reclaim green spaces and reinvigorate public spaces; and ensuring the performing arts are accessible to all through high quality, free concerts.”

“We are a national funder so we provide grants to each of the venues, and we facilitate network dialogue and network cohesion, but each of the individual venues has its own team in place that’s responsible for the programming and the sustainability of the venue and what happens on the ground level,” Yazowski said. “We support them in those efforts and provide training resources, but ultimately they will work with Mark in a way that makes the most sense for their venue and for their communities.”

Yazowski said that the leaders in place at the Levitt venues all exemplify the organization’s ideals.

“They are excellent at what they do,” she said. “These venues are an integral part of their community. They are really excited to have this opportunity because they know it will benefit the venue and it will benefit the community at large.”

By Jim Kinney

Stuart J. Hurwitz, a restaurant owner known as “Mr. Springfield” when he ran the Springfield (MA) Civic Center, died Sunday, February 19. He was 83.

In a 2003 profile in The Republican, Hurwitz answered the question “I’m successful because” with “I’m willing to work hard and because I love what I do.”

He listed “People who don’t give their all to the job” as a pet peeve in the same piece.

According to his obituary, Hurwitz lived in Longmeadow, where he raised a family with his wife, Joan. Along with his sons he established the American Restaurant Management Corp., which operates several UNO Pizzeria & Grill and Sonic Drive-In locations in the greater Springfield area.

He left the business in the hands of his sons in 1999 to become general manager of the Springfield Civic Center. He was at the arena until 2005, using his business acumen to revitalize the operation.

He guided the center through major renovation and transition into state ownership as the MassMutual Center.

He served as a board member and leader of a number of civic organizations including JGS Lifecare, Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Springfield Business Development Corp., Springfield Performing Arts Development Corp. and the Economic Development Council of Western MA.

Following his time at the Civic Center, he rejoined the restaurant business. The Hurwitz family opened Rein’s Deli locations in West Springfield and in Tower Square, but both locations closed in the face of the Great Recession.

Hurwitz brought a West Coast chicken restaurant concept, Pollo Campero, to Boston Road. He quickly recognized that it was a poor fit and replaced it with the region’s first Sonic.

In 1990, Hurwitz was asked why he established a Pizzarea Uno downtown the year before. He said he did it because of the diversity and dynamism present in the central business district.

“You find unique things here that you can’t find anywhere else,” he said.

He wasn’t afraid to add to that dynamism. Here is how he expanded on a call for “crazy ideas” to enliven downtown: “We can’t have a nudist party, but we could have a toga party or some other event to put Springfield on the map,” Hurwitz said.

He is survived by his wife Joan (Solomon), his children Steve, Michael and Mark and their wives, his sister Ida Ward and seven grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to JGS Lifecare, 770 Converse St. Longmeadow, MA – JGSLifecare.org, or to Temple Beth El, 979 Dickinson St. Springfield, MA. For further information please visit AscherZimmerman.com.

Jim Kinney is with MassLive.com and The Republican.

By Alexis Berggren
Director of Event Services, New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

The Region 5 Conference is rapidly approaching on April 4-7 in New Orleans. Plan now to be at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for the education and networking opportunity of a lifetime.

Sessions will feature a variety of content and speakers aimed at providing value to everyone from the new venue professional to the industry veteran. Topics and speakers will include:

Natural Disasters & Weather Phenomenon

The last calendar year has provided many challenges for areas throughout Region 5: floods in Louisiana, fires in Tennessee and tornadoes in Mississippi, among others. Join us for a panel featuring your industry colleagues and emergency management experts to discuss the impact of these events on their venues and communities.

Panelists:

Doug Thornton, Executive Vice President, Stadiums & Arenas (SMG)

Michael Day, General Manager (Raising Cane’s River Center, Baton Rouge)

Pat Santos, Emergency Management Expert (Thompson-Booth, LLC)

Phil Constantin, Department of Homeland Security Advisor, Gulf Coast

Home Grown: Creating & Producing Your Own Events

A panel of venue operators and festival producers will share with you best practices for generating ideas, sourcing sponsors, revenue opportunities and the tips & tricks to executing successful in house events!

Panelists:

Matt McDonnell, Executive Director (Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center)

Marci Schramm, Former Executive Director, French Quarter Fest

Dottie Belletto, President & CEO (New Orleans Convention Company)

Tim Hemphill, Vice President, Sales & Marketing (New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)

Creole, of Course

Creole, of Course is a multi-sensory, multi-media culinary & historical jazz “dinner theater” show to celebrate New Orleans’ Tri-Centennial. This exciting program will be featured within the schedule as one of the lunch activities during the conference.

Presentations and keynote addresses from notable figures in the tourism and hospitality industry, including J. Stephen Perry, President/CEO of New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau. Perry serves on the board of directors and executive committee of the U.S. Travel Association as we as the US Travel Advisory Board, which is the body that advises national policy as it pertains to tourism.

We will also offer hands-on practical learning opportunities includes IAVM’s Situational Awareness and Trained Crowd Manager programs as part of your registration!

Region 7 was host to an IAVM Arizona Chapter Meeting on February 1 at the Phoenix Convention Center with a full one-day itinerary that touched on several topics and issues that qualify as hot in the venue management industry.

“It was a successful meeting,” said Robby Elliott, Mesa Arts Center. “We had more than four 40 people present and had three sponsors to thank in Aventura Catering, Sico Seating and Ticketforce.”

In addition to networking, a silent auction and Town Hall session, the slate of events included sessions on Practical Application of Continuing Risk Assessment with the convention center’s own Kevin Mattingly, Gender Issues led by Michael Soto of Miller Russell Associates and Best Practices for On-Boarding New Employees by the venue’s Jon Brodsky and the NBA Phoenix Suns’ Yolanda Mendez. IAVM Chairman Mark Mettes, CFE, Herberger Theater Center, provided a briefing on IAVM updates as well as the One Member, One Vote campaign.

“A result that came out of the Town Hall was that the technical directors and production supervisors of all the major performing arts centers have decided to meet quarterly to discuss labor trends for stagehands in the area and to discuss better ways to cultivate new talent,” Elliott said. “We also discussed the recent immigration ban and the possible pop-up protests and other security concerns that are becoming all too frequent for all sectors.”

With gender issues now very much in national headlines, attendees were updated by Soto, whose background includes working in the public sector for government and non-profit agencies including the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Arizona Citizens for the Arts, Equality Arizona, and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

“Mostly the conversation stemmed around venues acting in a neutral capacity and how to deal with facility renters who have strong opinions one way or the other,” Elliott said. “An example that was brought up is that a religious group rented a portion of the Phoenix Convention Center and an individual was denied access to a restroom that was rented by the religious organization.”

The Silent Auction raised $680 toward the Arizona Chapter’s VMS Scholarship fund.

“Overall, it was a great event that was well attended by mostly PACs and convention center personnel,” Elliott said.