PPB October 2018

Spo r t i ng Even t s And Venues GROW 46 | OCTOBER 2018 | Take Me Out ToThe Ballgame Professional sports make their mark on cities and states with stadiums built on a grand scale, often sporting the names of their corporate benefactors. The old guard among these athletic venues includes Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears, which opened in 1924; Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, which opened in 1914; and Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox, which opened in 1912. Today’s sports complexes are engineering marvels with retractable roofs, modern architecture and food markets. Portland, Oregon’s professional soccer teams and their faithful followers can look forward to a 2019 expansion of their 91-year-old stadium, Providence Park, that will include a street-level public arcade area and an increase in seating to accommodate 25,000 fans. Getting InOn The Ground Floor The Pulse Of The Industry • Stadium Managers Association www.stadiummanagers.org • International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities www.iaks.org • Sports Turf Managers Association www.stma.org • The Journal of Sports Facility Management www.scoop.it/t/the-journal-of- sports-facility-management Trends • Innovative ticketing and pricing • Digital and social advertising • Social activism among athletes Challenges • Fan engagement • On-site digital technology and mobile capabilities • Improving fan safety at venues Jobs At Sports Venues Facilities/Maintenance Event Management Marketing/Communications Sales Security Guest Services Concessions Concierge/Valet Operations