BEVERLY HILLS – JUNE 6, 2017 – Oak View Group (OVG) today announced the launch of VenuesNow, a next-level consortium for the sports and live entertainment industry, that will debut July 12-14 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
This three-day conference will focus on venue-centric content related specifically to sports, entertainment events, technology, event safety, concessions, ticketing, operations, and programming. This year’s conference will be invite-only, consisting of arena operators throughout North America including executives from major sports leagues and entertainment facilities.
“Our intent is to host a conference unlike any in our industry, focusing on innovation and positive disruption in the venue space through premier content, technology, security, branding and sponsorships, fan engagement, and the presentation of sports and live entertainment,” said Tim Leiweke, CEO, Oak View Group. “The speakers and presenters at VenuesNow will be an elite group of thought leaders and visionaries across this dynamic industry, and we look forward to three days of compelling content and candid discussion about the myriad of opportunities and challenges that face our industry.”
"If we weren't going to do something completely different and game-changing, we would not be entering the industry conference space," added OVG board member Irving Azoff, chairman/CEO, Azoff MSG Entertainment. "We have set the bar very high and the VenuesNow conference will be an elite event that moves the industry forward. VenuesNow is the conference even I would attend."
Panel topics include “Four Tech Trends Venues Should Know About,” “The New Paradigm in Event Safety,” “Blurred Lines: Music Meets Sports, Fans Rejoice,” and “The Art of the Enhanced Experience,” among other sessions and keynotes featuring agents, team executives, tech entrepreneurs, managers, promoters, brand and marketing professionals, venue operators, event producers, and more. The conference also includes several networking opportunities including breakout sessions, lunches and cocktail receptions.
"Playing a role in programming the first VenuesNow conference is one of the most exciting projects of my career, and tapping into the melding of the sports and live entertainment worlds where they converge—at the venue—will change the way people think about industry events," said Ray Waddell, President Conferences & Publications, at OVG. "From the earliest planning stages, Tim and Irving made it very clear they were seeking only the most dynamic content, presented by insightful, out-of-the-box thinkers who continue to make a mark on this industry and our culture."
For more information on VenuesNow please visit here. For more information on OVG, please visit here.
ABOUT OAK VIEW GROUP:
Oak View Group (OVG) is global advisory, development and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industries. Based in Los Angeles, OVG is helmed by its CEO Tim Leiweke and backed by Azoff MSG Entertainment. OVG comprises of a sponsorship/partnership company, a consulting division, a venue security company, a media division, a venture fund/equity division and an Arena Alliance. The Arena Alliance is designed to serve a select group of leading facilities with access to unprecedented scale and resources through sponsorship optimization, untapped revenue streams, insights and access to premier sports and live entertainment content.