Author: Ryan Schroder

PRESS RELEASE: Charlotte 49ers Athletics and Legends Announce New Partnership

Posted on by Ryan Schroder
Charlotte 49ers Athletics x Legends

Charlotte 49ers Athletics and Legends today announced a new, multi-year partnership focused on enhancing the 49ers fan experience at Jerry Richardson Stadium. The global premium experiences company will lead sales strategy, execution, and marketing to maximize Charlotte revenue generation through a data-driven sales approach for premium and general seating associated with the Stadium renovation.

The first phase of construction for Jerry Richardson Stadium will include new luxury suites, club seats, loge boxes, and ledge seats, as well as additional general seating for fans. Construction on Phase 1 will begin in 2025. Legends will collaborate with Charlotte to establish its approach to optimizing revenue generation and curating experiences for all fans as part of the new offerings at Jerry Richardson Stadium, including premium product development and pricing, corporate hospitality, premium seating, and ticket sales.

“The expansion of Jerry Richardson Stadium is an exciting project and will truly elevate the game day experience for Charlotte Football,” said Charlotte Director of Athletics Mike Hill. “We are thrilled to partner with Legends in order to maximize that experience for our fans.”

“We are excited to work closely with Charlotte to identify new, engaging, and entertaining platforms for 49er fans to connect with their school, alma mater, or favorite team while positioning the University for success and growth in the evolving collegiate athletics landscape,” said Mike Behan, President, Legends College.

Legends is the leader in advising university athletic departments on major transformational facility projects to enhance fan experiences and maximize initial capital and annual revenues. The company has partnered with Kansas University, Northwestern University, 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 others.

PRESS RELEASE: The Maryland Club Set To Open For 2024-25 Basketball Seasons

Posted on by Ryan Schroder

Maryland Athletics announced the Maryland Club will open for the 2024-25 Terrapin men’s and women’s basketball seasons overlooking Gary Williams Court at XFINITY Center. 

The Maryland Club will be a showcase venue as part of the comprehensive partnership with global premium experiences company Legends. The Maryland Club is an all-inclusive premium club on basketball game days, providing an elevated bar, dining and social experience. With an unparalleled view of the main court, it will be the premier gathering place for Terp fans to enjoy drinks, food, and the best college basketball in the country. The Maryland Club will debut to the public on Monday, Nov. 4 as the Terrapin men’s basketball team hosts Manhattan. 

“The opening of the Maryland Club is a centerpiece of Maryland Athletics reimagining the Terrapin fan and alumni experience,” said Damon Evans, Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics. “Our partnership with Legends demonstrates a major investment to our fanbase and I can’t wait for them to come out to join us at the Maryland Club for a night they will never forget while cheering on their Terps.” 

On non-gamedays, the Maryland Club will serve as an exclusive private social club, showcasing a refined bar, elegant dining room, upscale lounges, private event spaces, and collaborative workspaces. A place where members can work, dine, and socialize, surrounded by the pride of Maryland Athletics and the University of Maryland. 

Maryland Athletics also announced the creation of a new Club Seating section, just steps from the main court behind the northside basketball hoop. This new 200-seat section will come with exclusive access to the Maryland Club, in-seat food and beverage service, high-back padded chairs with side tables, and commanding views of Maryland men’s and women’s Basketball games. 

Terrapin Club members will have an exclusive opportunity through October 22 to learn more about the amenities and benefits of the Maryland Club and Club Seating. If availability remains after October 22, the Maryland Club and Club Seating will be made available to the general public. For more information, please visit https://themarylandclub.com/. For further questions, please contact our team at premiumseating@umd.edu.

Legends has vast experience operating membership clubs and premium hospitality in professional, collegiate, and international venues globally, 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 BernabĂ©u, 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.

CORE architecture + design, based in Washington, DC, led the design of the Maryland Club.

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL: Game Changer Kirta Carroll – Legends

Posted on by Ryan Schroder

Via Sports Business Journal

Kirta Carroll SBJ Game Changer
-Yesi Fortuna / Fort Lion Studio

Longtime marketing pro Kirta Carroll oversees Legends’ extensive merchandise business, but she didn’t have a direct path to the sports world, first working across industries as varied as health care and luxury fashion. That was until 2011, when Carroll landed at Foot Locker.

Carroll was initially tasked with guiding Foot Locker’s then-nascent efforts with female consumers. She developed marketing strategies and helped roll out custom product launches, including a collaboration between Puma and Rihanna, that ultimately produced record revenue for Foot Locker’s women’s division.

“Hitting that milestone was a really proud moment,” Carroll said. “It was hard, and it took external factors, internal factors, sort of getting the team to believe that we could do it. And being really strategic around how do you grow a segment of the business that is underperforming?”

Carroll spent over a decade at Foot Locker before departing for Legends in August 2022. In leading the Legends Global Merchandise team, comprising more than 1,700 employees around the globe, Carroll oversees relationships with organizations including FIFA, PBR, the PGA and Real Madrid.

She also negotiated Legends’ recent acquisition of AdPro Sports, which strengthened the company’s wholesale and licensing efforts, and led the launch of Legends’ proprietary e-commerce platform. Next up, Carroll is focused on further developing efforts to provide more support for the burgeoning women’s sports space.

“How do we give women’s sports the sort of accelerator that they need from a commercial revenue standpoint?” said Carroll. “We’re starting to see it in some of the partners that we have. 
 But to me, there’s a lot of upside yet to be had for women’s sports in general, so helping to build that goal forward is something I’m supporting and passionate about.” â€” Chris Smith

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL: Legends builds out largest ever Fan Shop for Solheim Cup

Posted on by Ryan Schroder

Via Sports Business Journal

By Josh Carpenter

A consistent theme in women’s golf in recent years has been to try and elevate all facets of the game to the same levels experienced by men’s players. From major championship courses to TV windows to shot-tracking data.

This week in Virgnia, the merchandise pavilion at the Solheim Cup is more evidence of that trend.

The Solheim Cup Fan Shop, which is being handled by Legends, spans 10,000 square feet, the largest ever for the event. While not at the same scale as some of the men’s tournaments — the PGA Championship pavilion this year was 50,000 square feet — the structure at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club gives off a big-event feel.

“Our goal here was to partner with the LPGA on what’s the most electrifying event in women’s golf,” said Mike Quirk, the chief commercial officer for Legends Global Merchandise. “We go into all of our relationships just trying to paint that picture for them and extend the story or the brand.”

Legends first signed with the LPGA in the spring of 2023 to manage e-commerce sales as well as the merchandise buildout for the Solheim Cup.

“As women’s sports continues to grow, so are the things that are connected to it,” Quirk said. “The size of the tent warrants the level of the event and the attendance they’ll see this week.”

The pavilion this week is being staffed with about 50 volunteers, four college interns and around 10 Legends employees. Brands inside include Dunning, Imperial, Summit Golf Brands/Zero Restriction for the U.S. team and Ping for the Europeans.

Other collaborations include Malbon Golf, Barstool Sports, Lululemon, G-Fore and New Era.

Merchandise is available for both European and U.S. teams, as well as event-specific items and accessories themed to the Northern Virginia and DC areas.

“It connects with the state of Virginia but also with the global presence of the Solheim Cup,” Quirk said. “It’s trying to do both. You’ve got the Solheim brand and the global presence it has, but then also trying to work in the local flavor.”  Â