In the world of associations, benefits offered make all the difference. C-level employees have different wants and needs than a young professional, and catering to both is no easy task. While upper management may have the luxury of expensing their memberships, many young professionals do not have such luxury and must really weigh the benefits of membership versus saving a few extra dollars. While IAVM offers many fantastic resources from industry conferences to online publications, for young professionals, there is no better benefit than the Mentor Connector Program.

When looking into becoming an IAVM member earlier this year, the Mentor Connector Program was the selling point for me. While it is great to go to VenueConnect, read industry publications, and discuss forum topics on VenueNet, none of those perks have as great a value as the ability to talk one-on-one with an industry veteran at least once a month asking any and all questions I may have. Sure young professionals have their supervisors and direct reports to help show them the ropes, but there is a different feeling when talking with a “mentor” versus talking with a supervisor. There is no pressure to impress the boss, no insecurity in admitting you don’t fully grasp a concept, and no feeling of annoyance from asking a plethora of questions. Mentees are encouraged to point out their weaknesses in order to turn them into strengths and ask the hard questions they might feel uncomfortable asking in another setting. Young professionals don’t know what they don’t know, and mentors are there to give that insight.

My advice to all young professionals or those on the fence about the Mentor Connector Program is to do it. Just do it. There is nothing to lose and all to gain. Some of the most successful people on the planet credit their achievements to a mentor, so why not you? Even if you think there is nothing more for you to learn, the Mentor Connector Program at its foundation is another way to strengthen your network in an industry that revolves around relationships. There are not many instances in life where a complete stranger volunteers time month after month to help better another complete stranger, so take advantage of it while you can so you don’t regret it later.

A warm welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in January 2016—a total of 219 new members. Thank you for being a part of the association!

Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

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These are selected news articles that showed up in our inboxes on Monday morning that we want to pass along to you.

Los Angeles May Throw Out Convention Center Redesign Plan For Something Much Bigger (Curbed.com)
“Last week, the City Council’s Economic Development Committee approved a proposal from City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana that would send the city down an entirely new path to redevelop a much more extensive LA Convention Center campus in a public-private partnership (aka P3), where LA would essentially hand over the project to a private developer to do its thing.”

Bucks Arena Project Players Grow with Wisconsin Center District Pick of Owner’s Representative (Milwaukee Business Journal)
“PC Sports Inc., which has handled owners-representative duties on NBA and NCAA basketball arena projects, will represent the Wisconsin Center District on the $500 million Milwaukee Bucks arena project.”

Marcia White to Retire From SPAC after 2016 (Albany Times Union)
“Marcia White, a former nurse and political aide who, with minimal arts experience, rescued the Saratoga Performing Arts Center from its worst crisis in history and years of red ink, plans to retire as president and executive director at the end of 2016.”

Melbourne Soccer Teams May Play in Empty Stadiums if Flares Continue, Police Warn (Herald Sun)
“Assistant Commissioner for North West Metro Region Stephen Leane said dangerous behaviour was from active supporters, the equivalent of cheer squad members in AFL, and he called on club bosses to ramp up their efforts to weed out rogue fans.”

New Outdoor Cobo plaza May Host Biergartens, Movies (Detroit Free Press)
“Thom Connors, general manager of Cobo, said activities ranging from music, art events, yoga and other exercise programs, biergartens, outdoor movie nights, corporate game events, and possibly a downtown farmers’ market could all be programmed for the Cobo Square space that fronts onto East Jefferson.”

(Image: HMC/Populous)

Fox Sports and NextVR have signed a five-year, non-exclusive deal to broadcast major sporting events in virtual reality (VR).

“It’s important for us to be at the forefront of how sports fans are consuming content well into the future. I think virtual reality represents that,” David Nathanson, head of business operations for FOX Sports, told Fox News. “We believe what NextVR is doing in live sports is best in class.”

The first broadcast of the new deal will be of the Daytona 500 this Sunday. The VR broadcast will be free via the NextVR portal.

“This is a watershed moment, or tipping point in the world of virtual reality,” Brad Allen, executive chairman at NextVR, told Fox News. “FOX Sports is a major player and this partnership with them is a milestone in VR and providing these live experiences is unlike anything before. We’re very excited.”

VR viewing is not done in order to replace regular viewing, the organizations explained. It’s there to supplement it.

“We’re calling this the Daytona 500 experience, we’re not trying to cover the race,” Allen said. “It’s going to be as if you’re there, but you’ll be in pit row, the start line, the finish line, up in the stands, on the infield, in the garage—lots of places you normally can’t go.”

(Image: The Golden State Warriors/NBA)

I don’t recall ever meeting a stadium management professional who thought that they had an easy job. Even if we are surrounded by talented people and have the support we need to do our job, managing the safety and security function for stadiums today is a complex and demanding proposition. But if we break it down and understand the challenges thoroughly, we can identify some strategies that can help us achieve success.

But before we look at our current challenges, let’s consider the “olden days.” And by that, I really only mean about 20 years ago. That’s not too long ago, but it takes us back to a time when stadium management was less complicated and less demanding than it is today. Back then, the stadium manager’s concern was largely on the building itself. The area of responsibility started at the gates and flowed through the building and onto the playing field. On event days, we made sure that the building was provisioned, the equipment readied, and we opened the gates and took tickets. Event days required minimal planning, few resources, and very little changed over time.

Fast forward to today. Modern stadiums at all levels—high school, college, minor league, and major league—have a range of amenities, a variety of spaces, and operations that have a lot of moving parts. Even older buildings enter the fray as multimillion dollar renovation projects add clubs, suites, outdoor event areas, and other elements. What was once a simple process of opening a building has now evolved into managing a complex site with multiple concurrent activities.

To understand and appreciate the complexities of modern stadium safety and security management, let’s consider three factors: the environment, resources, and processes. By examining each of these factors, we can better understand the scope and scale of the challenges we face and identify how we can manage the growing needs of safety and security for stadium events.

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