“Good governance is everyone’s business,” says Mike Canduff, president and CEO of the Elim Group, in his forward remarks to Boards That Matter, a book about implementing effective governance systems, written by Linda Dawson and Randy Quinn, consultants to the IAVM Board of Directors.

Taken at face value, the statement seems simple enough. Surely we all understand that, right? We know it’s important because we see governance working all around us, whether it be in the realm of politics, our school system, home-owners’ association, or with the many charitable or other volunteer-based organizations in our communities. For most people, governance is merely to be observed and only occasionally experienced when our personal lives happen to intersect with such entities. But as a venue professional, you need to look no further than your membership in IAVM to find a direct and personal connection to governance.

As a member-led and governed organization, IAVM is guided by several key principles that are expressed in the form of its Mission Statement, Vision Statement, Code of Ethics, and a set of Value Statements (www.iavm.org/about-us) that includes the following statement regarding Service:

To serve and assist one another and to encourage all IAVM Members and international partners to be actively involved in their Association.

And that is where the connection begins … in service to your Association.

At the grass roots level, your service to IAVM and your influence on its governance begins to manifest in you as a volunteer. Did you know that at any given time there are between 25 and 30 committees and task forces in operation in support of the Board of Directors and our professional staff? Each year, hundreds of your fellow IAVM Members actively serve in the volunteer committee structure that effectively runs the Association. Such service is a privilege that should not be taken lightly, as it carries with it serious responsibilities … as well as life-changing opportunities.

As a committee or task force member, you have the responsibility to influence and manage change within the organization. In so doing, you are required to consult with and carry the message of your peers, to be respectful of all opinions, and to ultimately consider what is in the best interests of the Association and your fellow IAVM Members. At the same time, you have the opportunity for significant personal and professional development, to learn or hone new skills, expand your network, to gain new experiences and insight, and ultimately to make a difference in the worldwide industry of venue management.

Volunteering at the committee level is not the only avenue of service available to you. Each of the seven regions within IAVM has its own leadership structure and supporting committee network. Service as a Regional Officer can often lead to a role as Regional Director and a seat on the Board of Directors. After serving at least one full term on the Board, voting members of IAVM are then eligible to be nominated to serve as an Officer of the Board, serving a four-year term that includes a year as Chair of the Board.

As the saying goes, “none of us is as smart as all of us,” and the effective governance of IAVM is dependent on a sound governance model to set the course and an equally supportive management system. The management system, in turn, is similarly dependent on a strong volunteer committee structure. As an active volunteer Member, you have the opportunity to extend your influence on governance all the way from the grass roots level to the top volunteer position as Chair of the Board.

Because, good governance is everyone’s business.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”—Margaret Mead

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

At a Glance: Mercedes-Benz Stadiums Around the World (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
“While Mercedes-Benz vehicles fall into different classes of size, purpose and statement, its global stadiums represent the best of what the luxury company has to offer.”

Spectra Takes Charge in Nampa (Venues Today)
“The new agreement is a management fee deal. The city will pay a fixed fee of $11,250 per month, to be increased annually in accordance with the percentage increase in the CPI over the previous 12 months.”

Football Stadiums, Speedway to Play for State Cash (News4Jax.com)
“Florida’s three professional football stadiums and Daytona International Speedway are seeking millions of dollars from the state to help pay for upgrades that in most cases are already underway.”

Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts Celebrates 1 Year (ClickOrlando.com)
“As for the next year, 320 performances are planned. Groundbreaking for the next phase in the project is set to begin in spring of 2016. It includes Steinmetz Hall, a 1,700-square-foot acoustical theater. The project still needs $35 million before it can be completed.”

VMS Live Partners with Ticket ABC for University of East Anglia, Trinity St David and Aberystwyth Student Unions (Business Wire)
“We can sell tickets on our Facebook pages, can scan both our own and external tickets and have exclusive ownership of all our customer data.”

(Image: Kenneth Lu/Creative Commons)

The first soccer-specific stadiums in the U.S. were built in 1999 on low budgets, but a new wave of stadiums are in the works as Major League Soccer (MLS) continues to grow. As mentioned in previous blog posts, it seems like plans for a new soccer-specific stadium are announced every month, such as Orlando, Florida; Washington, D.C.; Minnesota; and Los Angeles. Additionally, David Beckham’s plan in Miami could be announced shortly, and San Antonio is considering major renovations to their 8,000-seat stadium to pursue MLS expansion.

“Soccer is on the tipping point and the facilities are starting to reflect that,” Bruce Miller, Populous architect and designer of the new venues in Orlando, D.C., and Minnesota, told Sports Illustrated. “The experience doesn’t start at game time, it starts when people leave work, meet their friends at a pub or restaurant, kick a soccer ball, play music, and then march to the match to their seats.”

Orlando City’s stadium is currently under construction and will include multiple European stadium features such as a canopy, as well as a safe-standing section with a capacity of 4,000 for their Supporter’s Section, also known as The Wall. Safe-standing sections were the topic of last week’s soccer post.

Sporting Park, home of Sporting Kansas City, set the benchmark for the new wave of soccer-specific stadiums when it opened in 2011 after a US$200+ million construction project. With a focus on a canopy that shelters fan from weather and reflects the fan noise back onto the pitch where Sporting KC is approaching 70 straight sellouts, it’s obvious the stadium has been quite the hit.

“The canopy creates a sense of enclosure to the building, it intensifies the fan experience,” Miller said. “Soccer is different where the fans create the experience and the megaphone that is the supporters section drives the energy in the building.”

It’s pretty clear what the next wave of soccer-specific stadiums will include. What do you think the next wave of convention centers, arenas, and performing arts centers should include?

(Top image: Populous. Sounders march: Joe Szilagyi/Creative Commons. Sporting Park image: Brent Flanders/Creative Commons)

The Sacramento Kings are partnering with Appetize, a cloud-based point of sale (POS) platform, in order to enhance the guest experience at Sleep Train Arena and the Kings’ future home at Golden 1 Center.

Appetize replaces two separate systems and includes advanced payment options, such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet, RFID, Bluetooth, and mobile ordering. It will also align with the Kings’ loyalty platform, which allows fans to earn points via scanned ticket barcodes. The mobile ordering portion will work inside the Kings’ iOS and Android apps.

“Our fans don’t want to miss a second of Kings basketball or world-class entertainment. Now that our concession stands have the latest technology and fans can order from their seat, they’ll spend more time enjoying the action on the floor,” said Kings President Chris Granger in a statement. “We’re excited to upgrade Sleep Train Arena for our final season and then incorporate Appetize’s innovative solutions at Golden 1 Center next year.”

The Appetize platform features analytics, reporting, and live inventory management. It’s used in more than 300 U.S venues.

“Working with forward-thinking partners like the Kings is absolutely our sweet spot” said Kevin Anderson, vice president of business development at Appetize, in a statement. “We’re putting faster, easier-to-use interfaces in front of operators and giving managers more controls and insights, all while increasing fan experience. This is a huge win for Appetize to work with one of the true leaders of innovation in all of sports.”

(Image: Sacramento Kings/NBA)

L to R: Commissioner Ajit Pai, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Chairman Tom Wheeler, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, and Commissioner Michael O’Rielly.

You may have heard by now about the latest US$718,000 FCC fine for electrical contractor M.C. Dean for blocking Wi-Fi connections at the Baltimore Convention Center. What you may not have heard, though, is the ruling has two dissenters: FCC Commissioners Michael O’Rielly and Agit Pai.

“We are, once again, trying to set important and complex regulatory policy by enforcement adjudication,” O’Rielly wrote in his dissent. “This is backward and not the best course of action.”

Before the FCC can enforce rules, Pai wrote in his dissent, rules must exist.

“That’s why I believe that the FCC should adopt rules that limit Wi-Fi blocking,” Pai wrote. “In this case, the Commission proposes to fine a company $718,000 for engaging in Wi-Fi blocking. But here’s the rub. Because the Commission dropped the ball earlier this year, we do not have any rules that limit Wi-Fi blocking. Indeed, the only relevant rules we have on the books preclude liability in these circumstances.”

Pai believes that Wi-Fi blocking is currently lawful under the FCC’s rules.

“But even if I am wrong about that, the Commission’s case would still founder,” Pai wrote. “That is because it is certainly not clear that Wi-Fi blocking is currently unlawful under the Commission’s rules. And a core principle of the American legal system is that the government cannot sanction you for violating the law unless it has told you what the law is.

“This decision is the latest evidence that the FCC’s enforcement process has gone off the rails,” Pai continued. “Instead of dispensing justice by applying the law to the facts, the Commission is yet again focused on issuing headline-grabbing fines,” Pai wrote. “And while I have no doubt that this NAL [Notice of Apparent Liability] will generate plenty of press, I cannot support this lawless item. Therefore, I respectfully dissent.”

For more on this story, please read Bob Brown’s article in Network World.

(Image: FCC)