Congratulations to Eric Hart, CFE, recipient of the 2015 Ray W. Ward Award, presented by the Regents of the Venue Management School (VMS) at Oglebay (which began 29 years ago with the generous support of the IAVM Foundation). The announcement was made by Regents Chair Michael Marion and was presented at the graduation banquet on June 11.

“I am honored and humbled by being named the recipient of this year’s Ray Ward Award,” said Hart, president and CEO of the Tampa Sports Authority. “Ray’s legacy with VMS is legendary, a person who has been a mentor to me since I become involved with the school. To receive the award named for this icon is the greatest recognition I could ever imagine.”

The award recognizes an individual associated with VMS whose dedicated service and extraordinary contributions over a period of at least six years have resulted in significant and long lasting improvements to the overall success and quality of the school. The award was created and initially  presented to Ward in August 1996.

“I’ve known Eric for many years, and his recognition is especially satisfying,” Ward said. “He has served in many capacities, all of which benefited the school, including as Regents Chair. He has served well, with great enthusiasm and has focused his considerable abilities and energy on expanding and improving all of the elements of the school.”

For the first time ever, two team owners sat down during the NBA Finals to discuss organizational success: Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Joe Lacob, owner of the Golden State Warriors.

The full session at Chat Sports: The Minds Behind the Game is available above, and several anecdotes shared during the conversation highlight how leadership and technology are two major ingredients in building a connected culture.

The potential of court-side virtual reality (VR) seats for future revenue was mentioned, and the 39-minute mark includes a brief discussion on the Veritix (just merged with AXS) Flash Seats ticket environment and how “fair, liquid, visible markets” are good for everyone and can help eliminate fans showing up at the box office with invalid tickets.

But above and beyond specific technology, it was the opportunity to listen to customers through social media that Gilbert focused on.

“A guy the other day complained that the cupholder on his seat was broken,” Gilbert said. “He tweeted it to me and the Cavs, I forwarded it to our guy, and within six minutes we’re up there fixing it. If you use social media right, you can get that real, live customer feeling that you can’t get in the ivory tower.”

Building a culture of connectivity, evidenced by Gilbert’s example, is where organizational leaders play a massive role.

For example, Lee Zeidman (@LeeZeidman)—president of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater, and L.A. Live—tweets backstage pics and gives away tickets to games and concerts. Look at his feed, and you’ll see photos of Kanye’s birthday party, video of the Nokia-to-Microsoft name conversion, and a ticket giveaway for opening night games to the Lakers, Clippers, and Kings.

What are you doing to build a connected culture with your customers?

If you need a little nudge (or a loving shove) into your role as a culture builder in social media, register for VenueConnect and do not miss Tweets From the Top: How Venue Executives Are Excelling in the Social Stream (Aug 2, 3:30 p.m.).

“If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.”
– Frank Lane

With more experience in the world of sports rather than meteorology, Frank Lane perfectly summed up what all venue managers need to keep in mind regarding severe weather. There are many different potential threats from the sky we all could face throughout the calendar year, but preparation will yield positive outcomes during some of the most challenging situations. Let’s start by reviewing some of the severe weather situations to be aware of and opportunities to better prepare venue staff and guests when these conditions present themselves.

As I type this piece for the IAVM Stadium Committee blog, the state of Arizona will experience the remnants of two hurricanes in a period of 10 days. June is normally the driest month of a year for an area that knows something about dry conditions. Before Hurricane Andres, there had been no measurable rain recorded in Phoenix on June 5 since record keeping started over 100 years ago. Bottom line, just when you think it can’t happen, Mother Nature has a strange way of reminding us that, yes, it can happen.

There is evidence and forecasts of a calmer weather cycle in the near term. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center, the Atlantic Basin, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, has a 70 percent chance of a below-normal hurricane season. NOAA predicts a likely development of El Nino during the summer or early fall and a 70 percent chance of six-to-11 named storms, which includes Tropical Storm Ana that formed in May. This comes on the heels of a similar, below-average Atlantic hurricane season that produced only eight named storms in 2014, the fewest since the 1997 Atlantic hurricane season. Conversely, the Eastern Pacific has a 70 percent chance of an above-normal season according to NOAA, with 15-to-22 named storms, of which seven-to-12 are expected to become hurricane strength.

Damage reports from tornadoes are much more likely to be seen on TV or the Internet. While the average number of tornadoes has been lower than normal, the threat remains. There were 888 tornadoes confirmed in the U.S. in 2014, of which 47 fatalities resulted. There were at least 903 tornadoes confirmed in the U.S. in 2013, accounting for 55 fatalities. So far this year, 716 tornadoes were reported according to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), of which at least 343 have been confirmed. While the number of deaths so far is only nine, it has been a particularly tragic first six months in China with over 100 deaths from tornadoes.

The strongest tornadoes this year were part of a two-day severe weather episode traveling across parts of the Great Plains and Midwestern United States. The most significant event of the outbreak was a violent, long-tracked, very high-end EF4 wedge tornado that moved along a 30.2 mile-long path across several counties in northern Illinois, killing two people and injuring another 22. Winds in this area were estimated to have reached 200 MPH, the very upper limit of the EF4 range. Overall, this relatively small outbreak produced 22 tornadoes, of varying intensity and duration, across populated portions of the country.

Preceded by more than a week of heavy rain, a slow-moving storm system dropped tremendous precipitation across much of Texas and Oklahoma during the nights of May 24–26, 2015, triggering record-breaking floods. Additionally, many areas reported tornado activity and lightning. Particularly hard hit were areas along the Blanco River in Hays County, Texas, where entire blocks of homes were leveled. On the morning of May 26, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for southwest Harris County (which includes the city of Houston) and northeast Fort Bend County. The system also produced deadly tornadoes in parts of Mexico and Texas. A total of 31 deaths are connected to this weather event, with 27 occurring in Texas.

Finally, lightning is a very real danger that needs to be considered during event days. There have been six documented lightning deaths in the U.S. this year, occurring in five different states.  According to statistics recorded by NOAA, during the 10-year period of 2004-2013 a total of 33 people were killed and 234 were injured by lightning strikes annually. On average, lightning strikes are fatal to about 10 percent of people who are struck. And while the vast majority survives, they often suffer from an array of long-term, often debilitating symptoms.

Regardless if you are golfing, at a youth sports practice, or overseeing an event at your venue, no place outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area. If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you. Immediately move those you are responsible for (including yourself!) to safe shelter, a substantial building, or inside an enclosed metal-topped vehicle.

The forecasting of severe weather has shown amazing advances in the past 10 years. Following are some topic points to keep in mind for your venue:

National Weather Service (NWS) Forecasts – Unless your stadium is hosting a National Special Security Event as deemed by the Department of Homeland Security, your local NWS will not (and cannot) provide specialized, site-specific forecasts or direct forecasting support to a venue manager. Conversely, NWS personnel are required to inform a designated public safety official when weather conditions may threaten life or property. The role in which NWS products and forecasts are utilized during events should be defined well in advance.

Communication of severe weather information – How many of our guests and employees simply tune out these warnings anymore? Past results show that threeout of every four times the NWS issues a formal tornado warning there is no evidence of one actually touching down. Thus the effectiveness of tornado warnings have reduced over the years, so much so that a test program by the NWS will feature new and more graphic descriptions of the potential damage and risks that people are likely to confront. The language used in a venue’s public safely announcements should balance the information people need to know with the call to action to seek a safe location immediately.

There was no better example of informing guests of severe weather than after a NBA playoff game in Houston. With a strong line of thunderstorms pushing through the area, venue management displayed weather information on the main videoboards and encouraged guests to stay inside the facility.

Have a Weather Watcher (with a clearly defined role) – Within your event command center or 24-hour security office, the monitoring of current weather is critical. Free weather websites and smartphone apps can provide an enormous amount of data in real-time. However, no venue staff member should be asked to interpret a local radar image or try to predict the path of severe weather. Venue managers need to determine if it’s prudent to employ a private meteorology company to provide this expert analysis to base life safety decisions upon.

Earlier this year, IAVM’s Academy for Venue Safety & Security (AVSS) offered a specialized course in Severe Weather Preparedness. The course will be offered again in 2016. The IAVM AVSS Severe Weather Planning Guide is an excellent resource to use when reviewing a venue’s emergency preparation and response plan. The importance of this plan cannot be overstated – it is a fundamental responsibility for all venue managers.

Weather preparedness needs to be a priority. The potential occurrence and damage from the skies outweighs most all of the other scenarios we train for. Take the time during the next sunny day to plan for what to do when the dark storm clouds appear on the horizon.

We’re excited to offer VenueConnect attendees a great session of top ticketing thinkers and leaders discussing trends, challenges, and opportunities affecting venues in the near future. The panelists include Jacquelyn Holowaty, vice president of ticketing for Spectra Venue Management; Joe Kustelski, CEO of Etix; Blaine LeGere, senior vice president of AXS Digital and Ticketing; and Marla Ostroff, executive vice president of strategic accounts and the arts segment for Ticketmaster.

In anticipation of the discussion, we asked some of the panelists for a preview of their session topic.

What specific development in ticketing could be a game-changer (for good) in the coming years?

Holowaty: Ticketing in recent years has become so much of an extension of the marketing department, and I think that is really only going to improve the way we continue to do business. With all the new technology that ticketing systems are providing, and all the social fan engagement that comes with ticketing, marketers need to be more box office minded, and box offices need to be more marketing minded. When you find that perfect combination, the possibilities are endless in what types of results venues like that can produce. In ticketing, our job is not just to provide the platform in which the ticket sells, but to know the numbers better than anyone. Know the daily trends, know when re-pricing makes sense, and know how to scale your venue for maximum revenue potential. One of my favorite quotes was from a panel about a year ago with Live Nation:

“You can be smart if you want to pay attention. Does your building have a box office manager who pays attention? I have 100 shows; you have three. Tell me how I’m doing on your three shows” [Brad Wavra, senior vice president, North America Touring, Live Nation]

“The strongest point in your building is your box office manager. There’s a guy at Madison Square Garden who really understands what he does. Even in smaller markets, the people who pay attention get our attention.” [Gerry Barad, COO, Global Touring, Live Nation]

The box office manager who understands and interprets the numbers “will make all of you GMs look so much better,” [Wavra].

Ticketmaster: The most transformative change has already occurred: integrating primary and secondary inventory inside a marketplace—basically giving fans all their options in one place.  This price and inventory transparency is great for both fans and industry stakeholders.

For one, it’s more convenient and less risky for ticket buyers.   In authorized marketplaces like Ticketmaster Resale (formerly known as TM+), fans also receive verified tickets, ensuring they get into venues to see the shows, artists and teams they love. In turn, industry stakeholders achieve true market value of their tickets, gain buyer data, and maintain the integrity of their brand. It’s a win-win.

The next big development in ticketing is the influence of digital in the fan’s live event journey; how they discover events, how they experience events and how they manage their events. Mobile alone enables some truly revolutionary possibilities.

Kustelski: 1) Delivery and tracking of mobile tickets is creating a direct connection between venues and fans; 2) Mobile payment options; 3)Web-based mobile push notifications will empower marketers with the ability to target fans at specific times and locations to sell more tickets, all without the need of a native app; 4) The aggregation of cross-platform data sets will help venues better understand customer behavior and target ticket purchasers to drive conversion rates, and better sell sponsorships; 5) Wearable technologies that enhance the event experience.

Which new data, new features, or new possibilities is the ticketing industry experiencing now that wasn’t possible in the recent past?

Holowaty: We are in a world now where there is a great opportunity to engage fans better than we ever have before. With technology, consumer, and demographic data, we can communicate with fans before, during, and after the event and create a relationship with them to keep them coming back. The event has become so much more than just one night, and with this new trend of fan interaction, we are now working with the idea of the “ARC of the event,” where we create an amazing experience with our customers even before they purchase the ticket. With new ideas and technology behind marketing automation push notifications, iBeacons, mobile technologies, loyalty programs, and a better customer interface with ticketing software, fans will feel more involved and understood than they ever have in the past. We can send an email to the fan the moment they walk in the door thanking them for coming, and based on their demographic profile, let them know the areas of the venue, or event, they may be the most interested in, and when they walk by those areas, send them a push notification to let them know.

Ticketmaster: To keep bringing fans into venues, our industry must focus on four big digital trends:  1) mobile and multi-screen behavior; 2) hyper-local content and media; 3) digital ticketing; and 4) fine tuning with big data.

Digital has opened up so many new ways for venues and promoters to engage fans, such as enhancing the in-venue experience, to identifying and reaching otherwise anonymous fans. These are just a few examples leading to more event revenue.

Some specific Ticketmaster digital innovations that are driving ticket sales and fan engagement are 1) the ability to for fans to seamlessly buy, manage, sell and transfer a ticket in mobile apps or on the mobile web (as well as via an improved desktop experience); 2) the power to truly predict which show a fan wants to see based on not just prior purchase behavior, but using big data’s predictive models, and then 3) the capabilities to smartly deliver that event content throughout various, personalized marketing channels.

Kustelski: 1) Google’s continued attention to the event marketplace makes it possible to present ticket purchase information directly in search results, saving fans clicks and improving conversions; 2) Continued NFC, RFID, and Bluetooth development is redefining access control and ticket-holder identification. 3) In-venue marketing and interactions drive fan engagement and data collection (and sponsorship $$’s) through dynamic promotions; 4) Better tools for re-marketing and re-targeting online and mobile ticket shoppers.  

For the full conversation and to talk further with our ticketing panel, join us at “Ticket Tomorrowland: What’s New, Next, and Needed,” on Sunday, August 2, 9:30-10:20 a.m., at VenueConnect 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland.

There’s a new buzz in Nashville, and it’s not just a new country band. More than 100,000 bees now make themselves at home on top of the four-acre green roof of the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

The bees’ four hives are expected to produce approximately 360 pounds of honey annually, of which half will be used by the center’s culinary team. The other half will be jarred for promotional use.

“We’ve made it a top priority to use local products in the kitchen, and this is as local as it gets,” said Chef Max Knoepfel, executive chef of the Music City Center. “We can literally walk out the back door and get honey for anything we need. The bees should produce more than enough needed for the kitchen, and we can give what’s leftover to clients and visitors.”

Not only are the hives a source of food, they’re also a positive contributor to the environment.

“Honey bees play a key role in our ecosystem, and the widespread use of insecticides is killing off the honey bees at an alarming rate,” said Jamie Meredith, the Music City Center’s beekeeper. “Bees fertilize about 85 percent of plants, so it’s incredibly important that we create a safe home for them.”

The first harvest is expected by spring 2016.