By Blair Cardinal

Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), which owns and operates select Minor League Baseball clubs, announced a partnership with global sports and entertainment company Oak View Group (OVG) to upgrade hospitality functions at select home stadiums across the DBH portfolio.

Working together with front office staffs and stadium facilities managers, OVG Hospitality, the food and beverage division of OVG, will rebrand, refresh and optimize the food and beverage operations across the DBH portfolio, beginning with five stadiums from the east coast to the west coast:

Mississippi Braves (Pearl, MS) / Trustmark Park
Midland Rockhounds (Midland, TX) / Momentum Bank Ballpark
Rome Braves (Rome, GA) / AdventHealth Stadium
San Jose Giants (San Jose, CA) / Excite Ballpark
Wichita Wind Surge (Wichita, KS) / Riverfront Stadium

The OVG Hospitality teams have already implemented technology solutions to bring faster service and a more seamless fan experience. Additionally, from fresh California flavors to Southern BBQ to soul food favorites, OVGH will infuse creativity, fun, and familiar regional favorites across menus and concepts.

“These five MiLB stadiums mark the start of what we expect will be a productive, long-term relationship with Oak View Group,” said Rick Barakat, SVP Business Strategy & Development, Diamond Baseball Holdings. “In the last year and a half, DBH has acquired more than a dozen MiLB clubs, and we’re just getting started. We brought in OVG Hospitality, with their expertise and best-in-class service, as a partner because they understand the opportunity to highlight and cultivate local traditions in each community while improving the fan experience and investing in growing the league as a whole.”

OVG Hospitality manages food and beverage services at more than 350 venues globally, including the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics (HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ), Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies (Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, AZ), and Triple-A ballparks in Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Isotopes), Omaha, Nebraska (Omaha Storm Chasers), Norfolk, Virginia (Norfolk Tides) and Syracuse, New York (Syracuse Mets). OVG also handles the concessions operations for the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers (Biloxi, MS) and the High Point Rockers (High Point, NC) of the Independent Atlantic League.

“Fans will have an entirely renewed and refreshed hospitality experience in each of the five stadiums,” Ken Gaber, president, OVG Hospitality, said. “Through everything from new hospitality staff uniforms to delicious new food and beverage options, OVG Hospitality is bringing new energy and service-oriented professionalism to concessions. And, drawing from our deep experience in sports and entertainment, specifically from our F&B operations at other baseball stadiums across North America, we’re re-engineering menus to blend fresh new concepts with favorite traditions that are unique to each stadium and club. With our shared commitment to and belief in nurturing the MiLB ecosystem and each community within it, it was clear from the onset that Diamond Baseball Holdings and OVG would be partnering for a long time to come.”

Blair Cardinal is VP, Communications for OVG360.

Photo: Momentum Bank Ballpark, Midland, Texas.

From Associated Press

Thanks to the pitch clock, the action is moving much faster at Major League Baseball games.

It also means a little less time for fans to enjoy a frosty adult beverage.

To combat that time crunch, at least four teams — the Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers — have extended alcohol sales through the eighth inning this season. Others, like the Miami Marlins and New York Mets, still stop after the seventh inning, the usual cutoff, but haven’t ruled out changes.

The Baltimore Orioles already sold alcohol through the eighth inning, or until 3½ hours after first pitch, whichever came first.

MLB games have been considerably shorter this season, largely thanks to a series of rule changes, particularly the pitch clock. Through the first week and a half of the season, the average game time was down 31 minutes, on track to be the sport’s lowest since 1984.

The minor leagues played with the pitch clock last season. One minor league general manager, Kevin Mahoney of the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, said there was no drop-off in concession sales even with shorter games.

Still, some big league teams have felt the need to make adjustments.

The Rangers allowed some alcohol sales in the eighth inning last season but have made that option more widely available in 2023. The team said the move to offer in-seat service to everyone — fans can order on their phones — was done partly in reaction to the pitch clock and the potential of shorter game times so fans would not have to miss extended action waiting in lines at concession stands.

Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger told MLB.com that their move to extend alcohol sales through the eighth was an experiment.

“If it turns out that this is causing an issue or we feel that it might cause an issue, then we’ll revert to what we have done previously,” Schlesinger said.

MLB said it does not regulate when teams sell alcohol. Most franchises have used the seventh inning as a cutoff, at least partly to avoid overserving customers who could then get in their cars and drive home.

But in reality, most teams already had areas around the ballpark where fans could get alcohol after the seventh, even if the concession stands stopped serving. Many parks are connected to restaurants or have VIP areas where the booze still flows.

“If it cuts off sales in the seventh inning, the eighth inning or the ninth inning, that really doesn’t affect our stance because, regardless, we just don’t want people to drink alcohol and then drive home from the game,” said Erin Payton, regional executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The NFL New Orleans Saints and NBA New Orleans Pelicans announced a three-year partnership with EngageRM.

Under the agreement, both teams will employ the EngageRM platform to drive day-to-day operations, strengthen fan engagement, and attract new audiences for the teams. Both the NFL’s Saints and NBA’s Pelicans will drive sales, ticketing, partnerships, event, and customer services management capabilities through the EngageRM platform, deepening the relationship with their global fanbase.

The partnership with the Saints, who play at Caesars Superdome, represents EngageRM’s first move into the NFL. The Pelicans, whose home is Smoothie King Center, joins a growing list of NBA clients including the Milwaukee Bucks, LA Lakers, and LA Clippers.

The EngageRM solution, native to Microsoft Dynamics 365, will work within the New Orleans organizations’ technology ecosystems to enhance capability and connect datapoints across their businesses.

Rich Barbier, vice president consumer insights and analytics at the Saints and Pelicans, said: “We’re proud to partner with the team from EngageRM. Their platform is a leader in sports technology and will strengthen connections with our passionate fans and partners.

“The capability and power of the platform is significant, and we look forward to leveraging EngageRM to create experiences that boost the quality of our engagement.”

EngageRM’s partners include major US sports franchises including the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, LA Clippers and LA Lakers, in addition to teams and venues across the US, UK, and Australia, including the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground and Co-op Live in Manchester.

“The Saints and Pelicans are a dominant force in their respective leagues, with both organizations boasting an exceptional global fanbase,” said Tim Barber, chief commercial officer at EngageRM.

“It is thrilling to join forces with Rich and his team to deliver amazing digital experiences and help them connect with their supporters in new ways.”

From LiveNationEntertainment.com

Ticketmaster, the global leader in live event ticketing, continues its strategic expansion in Latin America with the launch of Ticketmaster in Brazil and Peru. Ticketmaster has a strong presence in Latin America, bringing its advanced technologies and services most recently to Chile and Mexico, alongside Argentina.

“Brazil and Peru’s national expression of music and culture has made them an international destination for live entertainment and an obvious choice for our continued Latin America expansion efforts,” said Mark Yovich, Ticketmaster President. “On the ground, we’ll bring innovation and global expertise to elevate the fan experience and support both countries’ rich history of hosting world-class events.”

From industry-leading insights and unrivaled products, Ticketmaster offers the most advanced technology in the world to connect artists and event organizers with their fans. With a mobile-first approach, fans have ease, security, and flexibility when using Ticketmaster’s digital ticketing tools and products.

Donovan Ferreti, an internationally recognized executive with extensive experience in the ticketing industry, will serve as the Managing Director of Ticketmaster Brazil. “We’re thrilled to have Donovan leading operations in Brazil,” said Adam Newsam, Ticketmaster Executive Vice President of Latin America. “Donovan’s unparalleled knowledge of the local market combined with his experience on the global stage makes him the perfect fit for Ticketmaster Brazil.”

Ticketmaster Brazil operations began at the end of 2022 supporting smaller niche events to better understand and customize the platform for the Brazilian market. This work quickly led Ticketmaster Brazil to be named the official ticket sales platform for the most anticipated music festival in the country, Rock World’s The Town, which sold out in just three hours in a hugely successful on-sale last month.

Hippie Gonzalez Orellana, a ticketing industry veteran, will serve as the Managing Director of Ticketmaster Peru. “Hippie’s deep roots in Peru’s ticketing industry made him the clear choice to lead the team,” Newsam said. “He will be joined by a group of like-minded local ticketing experts to oversee the rollout of our leading technology across concerts, sports, arts, and attractions around the country.”

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in March 2023. 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 here to share your story and photo.

Kevin Abke, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Becky Allen, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Sean Astrov, Landers Center, Southaven, MS
Joe Baker, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Sean Baldwin, Johnson & Wales University – Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Logan Barham, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Kearra Barkley, ESa, Nashville, TN
Gary Beckert, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Daniel Blackdeer, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison, WI
Rick Bornhauser, NRG Stadium – Houston Texans, Houston, TX
Rachel Brown, St. Charles Convention Center, Saint Charles, MO
Stewart Brown, Nook Pod, Wonder Lake, IL
Melissa Busch, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Jasmine Cawley, Tacoma Venues & Events, Tacoma, WA
Craig Chapman, Oracle Park – San Francisco Giants, San Francisco, CA
Natalie Chapman, Wise County, VA, Big Stone Gap, VA
Carolyn Clow, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Greg Condry, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Jason Cornelius, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Melissa Coulter, Spokane Public Facilities District, Spokane, WA
Jeremy Cox, Global Rope Access, Las Vegas, NV
Jono de Leon, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison, WI
Kevin Donovan, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
David Embree, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Kevin Eorio, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Terrell Estes, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Marva Evans, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK
Sarah Finnegan, Smart City Networks, Las Vegas, NV
Erin Firestone, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Jon Frost, Landers Center, Southaven, MS
Francesca Furfaro, Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Christian Gagnon, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, Raleigh, NC
Dailee Gardner, Legacy Events Center, Farmington, UT
Cody Garza, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Ashley Gile, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Mary Goedken, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison, WI
Ben Gordon, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Jessica Gorman, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Dustin Gratto, Vepe Hockey, San Diego, CA
Greg Green, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Junior Greenidge, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Ramon Grijalva, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Joe Guthrie, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK
Hope Hall, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK
Bryan Harris, Breslin Center, East Lansing, MI
Jake Hartman, St. Charles Convention Center, Saint Charles, MO
Gail Hatch, Landers Center, Southaven, MS
Jordyn Hattenhauer, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Jake Havemeier, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
Chris Hearn, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS
Adam Heffron, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Aimee Herman, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Zenik Hite, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, Raleigh, NC
Brad Hodl, Spokane Public Facilities District, Spokane, WA
Sharon Holmes, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Emilie Hook, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Priscilla Horvath, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
Kris Hughes, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Benjamin Huss, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Peter I’anson, Secure My Booking, London, United Kingdom
Cynthia Ille, The Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel, IN
Alisha Iniguez, Fairplex, Pomona, CA
Katie Johnson, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Jim Jones, Landers Center, Southaven, MS
Nicholas Kazmierczak, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Carter Keenan, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Orion Kimberlin, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Michaela King, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Maggie Koszala, St. Charles Convention Center, Saint Charles, MO
Aleksander Kozlov, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL
Donald Kraft, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Dakota Kretschman, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
David Langford, Smart City Networks, Las Vegas, NV
Ben Leonard, St. Charles Convention Center, Saint Charles, MO
Jean Leonard, Proctors Collaborative, Schenectady, NY
Sarah Litster, ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID
Talya Mamane, Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
DJ McCaffery, Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ
JT McCreary, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Jeff McDermott, The Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel, IN
Kat McDonald, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Brittany McFarland, Landers Center, Southaven, MS
Anjanette Merriweather, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Shawnaia Miranda, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Sophia Mobayen, SoFi Stadium – Group 1, Inglewood, CA
Mohammed Mohammed, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Jose Montoya, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Gerri Morgan, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Kelsey Morrisson, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison, WI
Jennifer Nath, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK
Laura Newell, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Paula Newman, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, Dallas, TX
Morgan Nyren, Tacoma Venues & Events, Tacoma, WA
Nicklas Oelze, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Michelle Ohley, St. Charles Convention Center, Saint Charles, MO
Monica Ortega, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Greg Oswalt, Landers Center, Southaven, MS
Tim Overall, Smart City Networks, Las Vegas, NV
Elliot Overton, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, TX
William Parker, Cadence Bank Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA
Taylor Pearson, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
Briana Pedroza, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex – Group 2, Raleigh, NC
Heather Perrin, Honda Center/ocV!BE, Anaheim, CA
Chelle Phillips, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Nathanael Pretlow, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
David Quackenbush, POSitive Technology.com Inc., Frederick, MD
Steven Rackley, Rice University, Houston, TX
Liana Ramos-Izquierdo, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, Raleigh, NC
Justin Ratushniak, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada
Barb Ray, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Nancy Reimer, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Rachel Rhodes, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Ramie Rice, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Eric Richardson, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK
Alyson Robb, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada
Karen Robles, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Antonio Rodriguez, El Paso County Coliseum, El Paso, TX
Katie Ryerse, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Eimis Sakalauskas, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Victor Salazar, The University of Texas at San Antonio – Student Union, San Antonio, TX
Erika Salgado De La Paz, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Vanessa Schauer, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Kassi Schlund, Rose Quarter, Portland, OR
Justin Schramm, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Mount Prospect, IL
Chris Schultheis, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Donlisa Scott, Tacoma Venues & Events, Tacoma, WA
Rebecca Scott, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Elizabeth Selders, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Brittany Shouse, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Shamaree Singleton, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Natalie Skigen, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Alan Sokolsky, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Courtney Spell, St. Charles Convention Center, Saint Charles, MO
Jackson Stachnik, Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL
Emily Stomberg, Las Vegas Ballpark, Las Vegas, NV
Jensen Swaim, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, IN
Keith Talbert, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, Dallas, TX
Kevin Tapia, Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
Ben Taylor, Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX
Chris Taylor, Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Jennifer Volpi, MTS Seating, Temperance, MI
Jillian Wagner, Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ
Elizabeth Washington, Walton Arts Center/Walmart AMP, Fayetteville, AR
Garrett Weller, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Adam Wheelock, St. Charles Convention Center, Saint Charles, MO
Sarah Whitfield, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Sarah Whyman, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK
Zach Wickencamp, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS
Meghan Wilcox, The Momentary, Bentonville, AR
Greg Williams, Alameda County Fair Association, Pleasanton, CA
James Willis, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Alison Wright, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Marlee Yahn, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Genevieve Young, Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC
Meghan Ziegler, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR