Month: November 2023

LEGENDS TURBO CHARGES SUPER RUGBY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

New Zealand Super Rugby fans can look forward to a world-class merchandise offering for 2024 and beyond after the five Kiwi Super clubs signed a collective agreement with sports and entertainment premium experiences company Legends.

Legends is a globally recognised retail and merchandising company that delivers the retail experience for some of the most iconic brands in sport such as Real Madrid and the New York Yankees. 

Most recently, Legends managed the on-site merchandise offering for the FIFA Women’s World Cup held in New Zealand and Australia, the Rugby World Cup in France, and golf’s Ryder Cup in Italy.

As part of this new collective agreement, Legends will take over the management of the New Zealand SuperRugby club’s online and in-venue merchandise programmes. Legends will also work with each club to deliver improved merchandise infrastructure and sales support tools.

Highlanders CEO, Roger Clark, said the partnership is a positive step forward for Super Rugby.

“We’re thrilled to have Legends on-board; they will bring a level of consistency to the merchandise offering throughout the country,” Clark said.

“As Super Rugby clubs we’re getting significant investment from Legends to improve the retail experience in our stadiums so we can expect to see larger retail spaces in more prominent positions throughout the country.

“Legends have worked with some of the biggest names including the Yankees, Real Madrid and the Dallas Cowboys so to have them partnering with Super Rugby is a real coup from a business perspective.” 

The online experience is set to be smoother as well with a uniform look across all e-commerce sites and easy access from superrugby.co.nz.

Victoria Hawksley, Executive Vice President of International Retail, Legends said: 

“Legends is proud to partner with the New Zealand Super Rugby clubs to deliver an exciting new merchandise offering and enhanced shopping experience online and in-venue for their passionate fans.”  

Super Rugby fans can look forward to hearing more about the new retail experience in-venue and online in the New Year.

FC Porto and global premium experiences company Legends announced today a 15-year strategic partnership focused on transforming the fan experience. Legends will support global partnerships, the food and beverage experience at Estádio do Dragão, and collaborate with FC Porto to explore opportunities to improve the overall fan experience at the stadium and enhance commercial opportunities for the club.

“On the day that the Dragão turns 20 years old, we continue to be at the forefront, as one of the most beautiful stadiums in Europe with the best atmosphere. This partnership with Legends makes us look forward to the future, because we are linking with a group that is involved with the most modern stadiums, such as the new Santiago Bernabéu and the future Camp Nou, and the most important competitions, such as the football and rugby World Cups. After the pitch with the latest technology, which has shown great quality, we continue to invest in modernization,” said Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, President of FC Porto.

The holistic partnership aims to drive long-term success for FC Porto leveraging Legends’ unique 360-degree service solution. As part of the partnership, Legends will oversee global partnerships for the club as well as naming rights and sponsorship assets for Estádio do Dragão. FC Porto and Legends will evaluate new opportunities to deliver a premier matchday experience for fans. Legends will utilize its hospitality expertise to reimagine the culinary and beverage experience at the stadium, namely in FC Porto Partner’s Club VIP boxes and seats.

“Legends is proud to partner with FC Porto to help the club innovate the fan experience at Estádio do Dragão and deliver world-class results for partners,” said Jesus Bueno, Managing Director of Iberia, Legends. “FC Porto has an incredibly passionate fan base and the organization is committed to excellence.  We are excited to collaborate with their team and provide our expertise delivering exceptional experiences and driving sustainable commercial revenue to ensure long-term success for the club.”

Legends is partnered with many of the world’s most iconic sports, entertainment, and attractions brands. Throughout Europe, Legends also counts Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Arsenal FC, Manchester City FC, FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup 2023, and Ryder Cup as clients.

Portuguese Press Release

Focus on Leveraging Legends’ Holistic Service Solution for Leading Universities,Collegiate Organizations, and Events

Mike Behan Appointed President, Legends College

Legends, a global premium experiences company, announced today the launch of Legends College, a new business unit that will provide the company’s integrated 360-degree service solution to support leading universities, collegiate organizations, and events. Mike Behan has been appointed as President, Legends College and will oversee the development and implementation of Legends’ services in the collegiate industry.  

“Over the past decade-plus, Legends has built a robust business in the collegiate space across all our service divisions that continues to grow,” said Mike Tomon, Co-President and COO, Legends. “To better serve our current and future collegiate partners, we are excited to form Legends College and appoint Mike Behan as President. Under Mike’s leadership our collegiate business has experienced unprecedented growth, overseeing transformational projects for marquee institutions. We are excited to continue working with our partners to provide our holistic service solution to enhance the fan experience across every touch point and optimize sustainable revenue streams for their business.”

Added Behan: “Legends College will bring together our best-in-class industry experts across our 360-degree service solution to create an unmatched platform to support our collegiate partners. The college athletics landscape is rapidly evolving, and we are excited to build upon the great work our team has done with leading institutions over the past decade to continue providing innovative solutions to deliver on our partners’ goals.”  

Born out of the impact Legends continues to have across the collegiate landscape, Legends College provides a holistic service solution unrivaled in the industry including research, project development, premium ticket sales, sponsorships, food and beverage, merchandise, business intelligence, marketing and philanthropic fundraising and engagement.

Legends’ college business has grown exponentially over the past 10-plus years and includes partnerships with countless marquee institutions. A core area of business has been advising leading athletic departments on major transformation facility projects to heighten fan experiences and maximize annual revenues. This list includes renovation and new facility projects at Northwestern University, University of Kansas, University of Maryland, University of Notre Dame, University of Oklahoma, University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Utah, Villanova University, and San Diego State University, amongst many others.

Behan previously served as COO, Collegiate Partnerships, where he was responsible for expanding Legends collegiate athletics business. Under his leadership Legends secured partnerships with leading institutions such as University of Notre Dame, University of Oklahoma, University of Southern California, University of Louisville, University of Wisconsin, University of Utah, Villanova University, and the Rose Bowl, to assist in maximizing revenue associated with over $2.0B in new and renovated facility projects. Behan joined Legends in October 2011 as Vice President, Collegiate Partnerships and was promoted to COO, Collegiate Partnerships in June 2021. Prior to Legends, he served as Sr. Director of Team Marketing & Business Operations (TMBO) at the National Basketball Association (NBA). In this role he was responsible for advising NBA, WNBA, and NBA-Development League franchises on all aspects of business operations, including ticket sales, sponsorship development, premium seating, customer retention, digital sales, and marketing to drive revenue through sharing of best practices. Earlier in his career, Behan was the Director of Business Development for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Combination Creates Global Live Events Company Dedicated to Serving the Most Iconic and Innovative Brands in Sports and Entertainment

Legends and ASM Global today announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which Legends will acquire ASM Global to create a premium live events company dedicated to providing outstanding experiences for fans around the world.

The acquisition of ASM Global’s venue management capabilities will enhance Legends’ services portfolio, positioning Legends to meet the expanding needs of sports organizations, entertainment venues, convention centers, and attractions globally while supporting its vision to deliver exceptional live experiences for fans in the digital age.

“Legends and ASM Global are both deeply client-centric and fan-focused and together we will deliver maximum value for our global client roster with even greater support and service options,” said Shervin Mirhashemi, CEO of Legends. “Welcoming ASM Global to Legends is a capstone achievement in our 15-year journey toward becoming the world’s trusted partner for connecting people with the brands and communities that matter most to them, and for helping our clients create memorable moments that keep their fans and patrons returning time and again.”

Ron Bension, President and CEO of ASM Global, said: “We’re thrilled to join Legends, which shares our client-first approach and advances our goal of offering our partner organizations a truly seamless experience while driving the growth of their businesses. Our clients will benefit from Legends’ robust services, innovation, technology, and global partnerships which, combined with ASM Global’s venue management and content and event booking expertise, will provide our clients with locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve outstanding fan experiences and improved venue owner results.”

Legends provides venue planning and project management, premium sales, sponsorship, hospitality, and merchandise services to many of the world’s most iconic sports, entertainment, and attractions brands, including Real Madrid, SoFi Stadium, One World Observatory, Dallas Cowboys, FC Barcelona, University of Notre Dame, New York Yankees, and Ryder Cup, as well as leagues and properties such as the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, PGA of America, and FIFA World Cup. Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm with over $74 billion in assets under management, is the majority investor in Legends in partnership with YGE Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of the New York Yankees, and the Jerry Jones family, owners of the Dallas Cowboys.

ASM Global manages a portfolio of live event entertainment venues worldwide and provides best-in-class venue operation and content and event booking. With clients spanning five continents, ASM Global operates venues that serve live events for more than 164 million guests annually including at ICC Sydney Convention Center, Avicii Arena in Stockholm, OVO Arena Wembley in London, Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, and State Farm Stadium, among many others.

Through this acquisition, Legends will expand its geographic reach and range of services as it continues to innovate and create data-driven solutions tailored to the needs of each individual client. By adding ASM Global’s complementary capabilities, Legends will be able to support its clients from project conception and planning to venue development and management, content and event booking, revenue strategy and sales execution, as well as omnichannel merchandising and hospitality services.

As part of the transaction, current ASM Global equity holders Onex and AEG will sell their ownership interests. ASM Global will continue to serve existing and in-development AEG venues.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Moelis & Company LLC and BofA Securities, Inc. are serving as financial advisors to Legends, and Ropes & Gray LLP is serving as its legal counsel. ASM Global’s financial advisors are Goldman Sachs and Jefferies, and its legal advisors are Latham & Watkins LLP, Hogan Lovells, and Arnold & Porter.

 Legends to innovate entire food & beverage program to support renovation goal of delivering a modernized fan experience

The Toronto Blue Jays and Legends today announce a long-term partnership in which the global premium experiences company will deliver a new food and beverage program as part of an enhanced hospitality experience for fans at Rogers Centre. Legends will oversee all food and beverage at the ballpark beginning this season, including general concessions, premium clubs and suites, and catering.

Legends has an established connection to the Blue Jays business, having consulted on both phases of Rogers Centre renovations and executing on the Blue Jays’ vision to elevate the culinary experience for fans.

“We know that bringing Toronto’s incredible food and beverage scene into the ballpark is an important part of the Blue Jays experience for our fans, and we are committed to continuing to expand our offerings while providing exceptional hospitality service,” said Marnie Starkman, Executive Vice President of Business Operations, Toronto Blue Jays.  “Legends helped us design many of the positive changes fans saw last season, and those offerings – traditional ballpark fares and fan-favourite foods and beverages – will continue with more new items this season.”

Rogers Centre is currently undergoing a more than $300 million privately funded renovation to transform the stadium into a ballpark and modernize the fan experience. The first phase of the renovations unveiled the popular Outfield District last season, with a reimagined 100 level seating bowl and three new premium clubs opening during the 2024 season. Legends’ global planning division serves as the owner’s representative on the renovation project, working closely with the Blue Jays. In addition, Legends’ hospitality division provided valuable consultation on the Outfield District and the new premium clubs. 

“The Toronto Blue Jays are delivering a first-class destination for sports and entertainment fans at Rogers Centre, and we are proud to build upon our relationship with them to offer attendees an innovative and delicious culinary experience throughout the ballpark,” said Mike Tomon, Co-President and COO, Legends. “Together with the Blue Jays, we will leverage our operations and hospitality expertise to ensure the fan experience continues to be memorable for every game and event.”

In 2024, the Blue Jays will debut all-new menus from Legends in the TD Executive Suites and the three new premium clubs, which will each have their own unique hospitality experience. Fan-favourite food and beverage offerings at concession stands will continue alongside new offerings ensuring there is something for everyone. More details on the new menus will be revealed ahead of the 2024 season.  

Legends is partnered with many of the world’s most iconic sports, entertainment, and attractions brands,and provides first-class hospitality experiences at venues globally, including Budweiser Stage in Canada. For more information on Legends, please visit Legends.net.

Wide-Ranging Collaboration Includes Build-Out of New Hospitality Area and Year-Round Membership Club in XFINITY Center

Legends to Manage Ticket Sales for Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Football

and Daily Hospitality and Operations for New Club Space

University of Maryland and Legends, a data-intelligence fueled global premium experiences company, today announced a long-term partnership centered around reimagining the Maryland Athletics fan and alumni experience.

The comprehensive partnership includes the debut of a new premier hospitality club overlooking Gary Williams Court at XFINITY Center. This space will also serve as a membership club open 365 days a year with a premium culinary and beverage hospitality. The new 400-person event day hospitality club and membership club will be part of a renovation project at XFINITY Center designed to reflect the Terps spirit and offering a culinary experience with bold, local flavors.

The membership club will offer a tailored benefit and amenity program including access to members-only events, the ability to rent the club for private events, reserved meeting space, and more.

“Maryland Athletics is focused on building premier experiences, amenities and spaces for our Terps fans,” said Colleen Sorem, Maryland Deputy Athletics Director. “We are thrilled to be working with Legends, a worldwide leader in premium hospitality, sales and service. This represents a major investment in the overall fan experience and we can’t wait to bring these enhancements to our loyal fanbase.”

Legends research arm, CSL, has conducted a comprehensive market research and feasibility study providing analysis on the best approach and sales opportunity for the new premium spaces. The company’s industry-leading hospitality team will oversee operations and the culinary and beverage program for the membership club and event day hospitality club. In addition, as part of the overarching agreement, Legends will manage sales for the membership club and ticket sales and premium seating, marketing and business intelligence for men’s and women’s basketball and football.

“Legends is proud to continue to align with marquee universities and athletics programs like University of Maryland to serve as a trusted partner in evaluating complex problems and finding innovative solutions to reimagine the fan experience,” said Michael Behan, Chief Operating Officer, Collegiate Partnerships, Legends. “We are excited to work alongside the team at Maryland to develop a first-of-its-kind premium hospitality experience providing a unique opportunity for the university to create a deeper connection with fans and alumni.”

Legends has vast experience operating membership clubs and premium hospitality in professional, collegiate, and international venues, including at SoFi Stadium, AT&T Stadium, BMO Stadium, Cowboys Club at The Star, Spurs Club at The Rock at La Cantera, Doak Campbell Stadium (Florida State), Etihad Stadium, Santiago Bernabéu, and Yankee Stadium. As well, Legends’ is the leader in advising university athletic departments on identifying opportunities to enhance fan experiences and optimize revenue streams on new and renovated facility projects, having partnered on Northwestern, University of Kansas, University of Notre Dame, University of Oklahoma, University of Southern California, University of Utah, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Villanova University, and San Diego State University, amongst others