The live-streaming video app Meerkat made a splash at this year’s SXSW. A few weeks later, Twitter released it’s own live-streaming app called Periscope, which proved to be just as, or more, popular with the social media crowd.

I admit, I love technology. I think new developments should be embraced with an eye toward how they can be used for good. However, progress and new technology come with skepticism, and occasionally fear. After all, new technology—especially the great, innovative variety—is disruptive and often pushes past current boundaries (or policies). It makes me happy, then, to see an organization use an app like Periscope in a positive manner.

The Seattle Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League, for example, streamed its whole match against the Portland Pilots via Periscope. While this is a great marketing practice, the issue of money shouldn’t be ignored.

“Given the insane amount of money networks spend for TV broadcast rights, are sports teams even allowed to live stream their own games with an app like Periscope?” Taylor Scoper wrote for GeekWire. “Can fans do the same from their seats? And what other impacts will Meerkat and Periscope have on the sports world?”

Those are fair questions, and Scoper does a great job at detailing the live-streaming policies for fans and reporters from the NBA, NFL, and MLB. If you’re not familiar with the policies, I’ll let you visit his article to learn more. What I want to bring up, though, is a question Scoper asks.

“Think about 70,000 people at an NFL game—even if a small subset of those fans decide to launch a Periscope stream, can the NFL really track down each user and shut down those feeds?” Scoper wrote.

I don’t see this being an issue now, because one would have to hold a phone up for the whole game. Arms get tired. Attention meanders. Still, though, wearables are getting smaller, stronger, better, and more commonplace. For example, you can already take a photo every 30 seconds with a clip-on camera that hardly anyone notices. As technology enables new levels of content capturing from anyone and everyone, venues will have a hard time focusing on specific products, but will need to figure out how to manage the more ambiguous realm of guest intentions.

(Image: Anthony Quintano/Creative Commons)

Cirque du Soleil founder, Guy Laliberté, sold his controlling stake in the circus to Texas-based TPG Capital and the China-based Fosun Group on Monday, April 20.

Laliberté will retain 10 percent interest and continue as a creative adviser to the circus company, which will keep its headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. TPG will control 60 percent, Fosun will control 20 percent, and 10 percent will be controlled by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

The Fosun Group news is interesting because Cirque wants to increase its presence in Asia.

“We have a Chinese partner who knows the market well, and who has a lot of international connections,” Laliberté said during a news conference.  “We have a precise plan that we will be announcing soon. China is a complex market, and we are doing our homework, doing our research, having many consultations, and will soon have a more organized plan.”

Cirque was sold for personal reasons, Laliberté said.

“In all consciousness and with a rigorous personal reflection and corporate reflection, I believe I am making the best decision for Cirque du Soleil and its future, and the best decision for myself and my family,” he said.

Financial terms weren’t released.

(Image: OSA Images)

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) last week released its 2014 CEIR Index Report, which takes a look at the exhibition industry and offers a three-year outlook. The analysis found that the industry grew 1.8 percent for the year as a whole, which is one percentage point higher than 2013 and below the 2 percent forecasted growth.

“The best performing sectors in 2014 were the Financial, Legal and Real Estate and Building, Construction, Home and Repair sectors, which respectively gained 5.2 percent and 5.1 percent,” CEIR’s President and CEO Brian Casey, CEM, said in a statement. “Alternately, the weakest exhibition sector was Education, where the index declined by 3.0 percent.”

The overall industry is expected to grow at a rate of 2.8 percent for 2015.

“We are optimistic for the performance of the industry overall this year,” said CEIR Economist Allen Shaw, PhD, chief economist for Global Economic Consulting Associates Inc. “Economic and job growth should continue to drive expansion in exhibitions.”

The CEIR Index measures year-over-year changes in four key metrics to determine overall performance: net square feet of exhibit space sold, professional attendance, number of exhibiting companies, and gross revenue, and the Index provides data on exhibition industry performance across 14 industry sectors, such as education, sporting goods, and travel and entertainment.

(Bottom Image: CEIR)

Earth Day is this week on April 22, but the single-day theme can definitely be used all month long during April. Often we associate Earth Day activities with being outside in the sun and natural environment, but one topic that has been newsworthy lately are the effects that plants may have on indoor air pollution. Some sources, including NASA, show research that house plants can have a very beneficial effect on indoor air contaminants, and to the point that some even “clean the air.” The EPA is a bit more conservative and states that more research needs to be done, and the most effective way to improve indoor air quality is still through mechanical ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Either way, indoor and outdoor plants are a welcomed sight to our buildings and facilities. Our guests and staff alike seem to “breathe a little calmer” when they are walking in one of our gardens, sitting next to a planter, or working in an office with a plant on their windowsill.

To learn more about this topic, please visit these sites: “9 house plants that clean the air and are hard to kill” and “Can plants control indoor air pollution?”

(Image: Sean Hagen/Creative Commons)

The Minnesota Vikings plan to build 15 additional suites in the new stadium set to open in 2016.

The new, 10-person suites will be known as the Norseman Lounge Mini-Suites and will replace three of four loge lounges planned in the stadium’s original design. The suites will be available for all Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority events year-round.

“With the tremendous interest we have seen through the first year of suite sales, it became apparent that we should add a smaller, unique seating product,” said Vikings Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve LaCroix in a statement. “We think the Norseman Lounge Mini-Suites will be highly-desired by both individuals and businesses.”

The Vikings’ new stadium will have a total of 131 suites, including the new mini-suites, when it opens. Approximately 70 percent of the total suites have been sold.

(Image: Minnesota Vikings)