Long-time industry manager George Michael “Mike” Abington passed away on April 23. He was 73.

Mike was a true pioneer in the field of stadium management. Graduating from Northeast Louisiana State University in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in Radio/TV Management, Mike went on to Spartanburg, South Carolina. Following the wedding to Kathryn Myrick Abington, the pair moved to Hampton, Virginia, where Mike ran the Hampton Coliseum. Headed to the big leagues, they next ended up in Pontiac, Michigan, to serve as Stadium Director, where the Detroit Lions and the Detroit Pistons played their NFL and NBA games.

In 1992, Mike got the brilliant idea that he wanted to host the first indoor World Cup Soccer playoffs at his home stadium. This idea was met with disbelief and criticism. Over the next two years, he engineered a new type of stadium grass with Michigan State University and visited nine countries across the world to learn everything he could about soccer. 1994 dawned on the very first indoor FIFA World Cup Soccer playoff tournament, and Michael Abington, overnight, become a legend in his field.

Mike was also a former director of the Alamodome in San Antonio, where he made countless friends in the city as well as on staff.

“I know he worked with a lot of folks over his time in the industry, including Mike McGee,” said Kent Meredith, executive director of United Supermarkets Arena at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. “I was fortunate to work with him from 1994-1999 while I was at the Alamodome.”

In addition to his professional achievements, Mike was an avid photographer and loved the outdoors. He had a special fondness for fishing, and his passion for the land his family grew up on was infectious.

Mike was blessed to have Kathryn M. Abington by his side, who preceded him in death, and together they raised a daughter, Elizabeth Claire. His grandchildren, Charlotte-Joy Corinne Abington, Isobel Grace Abington Toms, and Harper Lucille Tunstall Abington were a constant source of joy and inspiration for him. Survived also by sister Michele Abington-Cooper, her son Raymond Cooper and wife Katherine, mother-in-law Ada J. Myrick, brother-in-law Tom Myrick Jr. and wife Carol, and numerous nieces, nephews, and greats.

Mike’s name will forever remain synonymous with the development of the grass that could be transplanted from outdoor to indoor, which revolutionized the World Cup soccer world.

As we look back on Mike’s life and the love he shared, we will always remember him as a true leader, a devoted friend, and a loving family man.

By Kara Nelson

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s Small and Emerging Business (SEB) Program has a new Program Manager and recently launched a new mentor-protégé pilot program. As a major economic driver for the region, the Convention Center works year-round to create opportunities to help Louisiana’s small and emerging businesses (SEB) and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) succeed.

The Convention Center recently appointed LaToya Martin as Manager of the SEB program. In her new role, Martin manages SEB and DBE initiatives designed to help promote diverse and small businesses’ access to Convention Center opportunities.

“LaToya’s leadership is proving vital to the Convention Center’s ongoing mission to give SEBs and DBEs more and easier access to opportunities, a goal that reflects the policy direction of our governing body, the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority,” said Convention Center President Michael J. Sawaya. “Since the SEB program launched in 2019, 1,300 certified vendors have registered, and more than $40 million has been awarded to area SEBs and DBEs. We are working to not just continue but accelerate that progress.”

Martin came to the Convention Center from the City of New Orleans, Office of Supplier Diversity. She served as compliance officer for two years and was later promoted to senior compliance officer. In that role, she trained and supervised a staff of four compliance officers and managed a portfolio of $700 million dollars of public and private sector funds.

After receiving a B.A. in Sociology from the University of New Orleans, Martin earned her Contract Compliance Administrator Certification from American Contract Compliance Association and Morgan State University for Continuing and Professional Studies.

Martin stepped into her new role after the SEB program’s former Director Rocsean Spencer was promoted to become the NOENMCC’s Chief Diversity Officer, the nation’s first person to hold this position at a Convention Center.

In other news, the Convention Center’s SEB/DBE program recently launched a new mentor-protégé pilot program, MoMentor. Since its May 17th kickoff, the program has begun matching mid- to large-sized “mentor” firms with emerging and/or disadvantaged “protégé” businesses. The pairs will work together to develop and improve participation in the Convention Center’s SEB/DBE contracts and subcontracts, establish long-term business relationships, and strengthen subcontracting opportunities through Convention Center incentives.

“It is hard to overstate the outsize impact the right mentor can make, especially for a small business,” Sawaya said. “Like our SEBConnected App, our plan is that the MoMentor program will help emerging and disadvantaged business owners learn from the larger companies, getting granular insight on planning and best practices for doing business with the Convention Center as well as other public institutions. We consider it a privilege to play a part in facilitating lasting connections that will help advance the success stories of local small businesses.”

To date, the NOENMCC has identified four companies for the MoMentor pilot: Airware Transportation & Logistics; Nano, LLC; Balthazar Electriks and B Interior Design Studio. The program began with an orientation class on May 17th and will continue with one-on-one sessions and cohort workshops. There are no fees to participate in the mentor-protégé program.

Kara Nelson is with The Ehrhardt Group.

By Erin Jepson, CVP, CMP

The Lynnwood (WA) Event Center announced the rebranding of its in-house audio/visual service provider, Offbeat Audio/Visual. This strategic move accentuates the distinctive offerings and elevates the market presence of the venue’s audio/visual services. By adopting the Offbeat Audio/Visual brand, the Lynnwood Event Center aims to enhance its competitive advantage by showcasing its unique capabilities, fostering a new level of creativity and innovation in event experiences.

With a rich history of delivering exceptional services, Offbeat Audio/Visual will leverage its newly defined identity to explore new opportunities and broaden its reach within the industry. The rebranding will allow the team to do business under a name that is distinctive and memorable, setting them apart from other audio/visual providers in the market.

Offbeat Audio/Visual will continue to offer a comprehensive range of cutting-edge audio, visual, and lighting services, designed to transform events into unforgettable experiences. Through this rebranding initiative, the Lynnwood Event Center reinforces its dedication to exceeding client expectations and maintaining its position as a leader in the event services industry.

The Lynnwood Event Center is owned by the Lynnwood Public Facilities District, and operated by OVG360, a division of Oak View Group.

Erin Jepson, CVP, CMP is General Manager of the Lynnwood Event Center.

By Amy Procaccini

In what has become a beloved tradition, the San Diego Convention Center announces a sweet suite of limited-edition chocolate bars to be sold during this summer’s world-renowned Comic-Con International: San Diego (Comic-Con) event. 5,000 handcrafted bars, 1,250 of each flavor, will be sold during Comic-Con from July 20-23, 2023.

The Convention Center’s Executive Chef Sufi Karaien and Pastry Chef Kristianna Zabala teamed up to develop four new flavors that honor the fun and whimsy of the convention. The Sodexo Live! culinary team makes 100 candy bars every 90 minutes inside the onsite kitchen, hand-wrapping each one with care during the weeks leading up to the major pop culture event.

First Look at the 2023 Flavors

A s’more like never before, the Oooh Bay bar is a fresh take on the classic fireside snack. Overflowing with torched ube marshmallow and house-made ube graham, the white chocolate shell brings it all together for a chocolate bar as picturesque as the San Diego Bay.

The champion of our childhoods comes to save the day again! The Lunchbox Hero bar evokes the classic PB&J in a milk chocolate shell with peanut butter rice crisps and concord grape jelly.

Strange sightings in the fields at night can only mean one thing: the out-of-this-world flavors of the Crop Circle Crunch bar (pictured) brought visitors from beyond! This sweet blueberry cornbread creation features white chocolate, crispy sweet cornbread, dried blueberries, and honeycomb candy.

Flavors pop like colorful costumes in the Cosplay Crackle bar, a spectacular combination of dark chocolate, strawberry Pop Rocks, freeze-dried strawberries, and basil garnish.

“Beyond the creative combinations, the flavors reflect the diversity of our culinary team and our region, especially evident through the vibrant ube flavor of the ‘Oooh Bay’ bar,” Karaien said. “Here in our kitchen, you know it’s summer when the chocolate-making begins!”

After the chefs develop the concepts, the Convention Center’s creative team tastes the chocolate for inspiration while developing names and themes. The bars are then brought to life through design by Grayson Van Loon, Graphic Designer and video animations by Dylan James, Digital Communications Specialist.

The craft chocolates will be priced at $10 each. In 2022, the Convention Center’s food and beverage team created more than 4,000 chocolate bars over four days, selling out every day of the convention. This tasty tradition started in 2016 as an exclusive offering for event attendees.

Golden tickets will be hidden inside four of the chocolate bars. Each golden ticket can be redeemed for a $100 Starbucks gift card. Concessions available during the event include Starbucks, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Craft Beer-Battered So Cal Fish Tacos, Carne Asada Burritos, and additional grab-and-go options throughout the building.

With a robust program of speakers, exhibits, films, and games, Comic-Con attracts more than 135,000 attendees, creating a regional economic impact of more than $160 million and tax revenues of more than $3 million to the City of San Diego.

Amy Procaccini is Strategic Brand Communications Manager for Sodexo Live!

From celebrityaccess.com

According to a recent Pricewaterhouse Coopers International (PwC) study, the global live music industry is set to exceed its pre-pandemic performance this year.

The Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2023–2027 report reveals that live music ticket sales are projected to reach $23.0 billion in 2023, surpassing the $21.5 billion generated in 2019, the last year before the global outbreak.

After experiencing a significant decline to $5.4 billion in 2020, a gradual recovery to $10.2 billion in 2021 and $20.3 billion in 2022, the live music sector is predicted to continue growing steadily.

The study forecasts continuous live music revenue growth throughout the forecast period, with an estimated $25.6 billion expected in 2027. Additionally, live music sponsorship is anticipated to reach the 2019 figure of $5.7 billion by 2024 and increase to $6.1 billion in 2027. Moreover, the combined revenue from live music and cultural events is projected to surpass the $66.6 billion mark achieved in 2019 by 2024.

PwC emphasizes the significance of the live music sector`s resurgence, stating, “After a prolonged period of inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic, live sectors have regained momentum and are positioned to outperform the overall Entertainment & Media industry. From 2023 to 2027, revenues from live experiences are projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.6%, which is four times the 2.4% CAGR predicted for the overall consumer revenue. This highlights the enduring appeal of live experiences.”

In addition, the study highlights the recovery of cinema box office revenue, which is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2025, reaching $43 billion, up from $39.4 billion in 2019. China is anticipated to regain its position as the largest global box office market by 2024, having overtaken the United States in 2020 and 2021.

Furthermore, the study reveals that global e-sports ticket sales revenue rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, following a doubling of revenue in 2021 and a growth rate of 147.8% in 2022.

PwC`s research also highlights a decline in physical recorded music revenue, which is expected to continue its downward trend, decreasing from $6.1 billion in 2022 to $4.5 billion by the end of the forecast period. Conversely, digital recorded music is projected to increase its share of recorded music revenue, rising from 74.3% in 2022 to 80.7% in 2027.

The Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2023–2027 report provides comprehensive projections of consumer and advertiser spending data across 13 segments and 53 countries and territories, offering valuable insights into the industry’s future.