Category: News

Legends to Lead Planning, Project Management, Sales and Partnerships for New Stadium

The Buffalo Bills and Legends announced today an expansive partnership for the data-intelligence fueled global premium experiences company to lead planning, project management, sales and partnerships for the new Bills stadium project. The Bills recently secured a signed Memorandum of Understanding with New York State and received NFL approval for G-4 funding, significant steps towards final approval of the stadium.

Legends has been involved in the Bills new stadium project for the past year, working closely with the team and Pegula Sports & Entertainment on the feasibility study for the project and more recently, conducting valuable initial focus groups and surveys to help inform stadium design and sales. In addition to its work on the new stadium project, Legends currently handles e-commerce for the Bills.

“As we continue toward our goal of constructing a new stadium for our team, our fans and the Western New York community, having the right partners in place is critical to our success,” said Ron Raccuia, Bills executive vice president. “As we have seen in recent years at SoFi Stadium and Allegiant Stadium, the team at Legends brings an incredible level of expertise, success and understanding around NFL stadium development as well as sales and partnerships. We are proud to partner and get to work with them on our new stadium project.”

“Legends is proud to partner with the Buffalo Bills and Pegula Sports & Entertainment to apply our data-intelligence fueled 360-degree service solution to bring their fans a new, modern stadium that will dramatically enhance the game day experience,” said Shervin Mirhashemi, CEO, Legends. “Our seasoned execution team will apply their vast experience and institutional knowledge working with NFL teams on project development, sales campaigns, PSL programs, naming rights and founding partner engagements to deliver a stadium that is unique to Buffalo.”

Legends has provided its holistic solution powered by data and analytics to a number of high-profile stadium and venue projects that have opened in the past few years. Most recently, Legends provided planning, project management, sales and partnerships, including naming rights, for the Los Angeles Rams’ and Chargers’ SoFi Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium, Hollywood Park’s YouTube Theater, Los Angeles Football Club’s Banc of California Stadium and the Columbus Crew’s Lower.com Field.

 

Manchester United has appointed a team of leading consultants to begin work on creating a Masterplan for the redevelopment of Old Trafford.

The team will be led by Legends International and Populous, both of which have a wealth of stadium development experience from across the globe.

Work will begin immediately on developing options for Old Trafford and studying their feasibility, with the aim of significantly enhancing the fan experience.

Fans will be at the heart of the process, starting with a meeting between the consultants and the Manchester United Fans’ Advisory Board later this month.

A similar process is already under way in relation to the club’s training facilities, with KSS appointed to develop a Masterplan for an expanded, state-of-the-art facility for the Men’s, Women’s and Academy teams.

Legends International appointed as Project Manager

Stockholm Globe Arena Fastigheter AB (SGAF) have announced a best-in-class team, led by the premium experiences company Legends International, has been appointed to support them in reimagining the performance space of Avicii Arena, Stockholm, Sweden, in accordance with preliminary decisions made by Stockholm City Council.

Legends International has been appointed to deliver project management services, and to lead a team of experts in supporting SGAF, creating a concept design and contributing to the business case, with the focus on enhancing the fan and guest experience and additional revenue generation.

“It has been a long and rewarding process, and we feel confident that we, together with our tenant Stockholm Live among others, have procured a very competent team in Legends International. We are looking forward to working up proposals for the Stockholm City Council and begin the development of Avicii Arena“, says Mats Viker, CEO, SGAF.

“Avicii Arena is an iconic venue, which our team are privileged to be helping SGAF reimagine,” Martin Jennings, Managing Director UK & Head of Global Planning for Legends International, said. “We believe we have brought together a great combination of international design and project expertise, combined with local knowhow, to help SGAF make Avicii Arena a landmark venue for live entertainment and top-tier Ice Hockey for years to come”

“Avicii Arena is such a significant and wonderful landmark in Stockholm and has a long and storied history as a premier destination for concerts, entertainment and hockey,” said John Rhodes, director of Sports + Entertainment at HOK. “We are honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate with Legends International and SGAF to infuse the arena with new offerings and energy that will elevate the spectator, athlete and performer experience.”

• Legends International (project managers): is a premium experiences company that specialises in delivering holistic solutions for legendary brands. Our Global, multi-disciplinary service solutions collaborate on every project to ensure success across each of our verticals. Headquartered in London, together with our US colleagues, our experts have delivered over 1,800 innovative solutions across our six verticals. From creating a robust financial model for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, developing retail strategies for the Rio 2016 Olympics, providing award-winning catering at Manchester City, and 360-degree services for The View From The Shard – Legends International deliver it all.
• HOK (architects): HOK’s Sports + Entertainment practice specialises in the design of arenas, stadiums, ballparks, training facilities and entertainment centres. The group plans and designs world-class sports complexes that are centrepieces of successful, vibrant entertainment districts and communities. Current and recent arena projects include FC Barcelona’s New Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona, Spain; Casal España Arena in Valencia, Spain; Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi; the Footprint Center modernization in Phoenix, Arizona; the renovation of State Farm Arena in Atlanta; and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
• schlaich bergermann partner (structures): is an internationally renowned structural engineering and consulting firm based in Stuttgart, Germany with expertise in large-scale, long-span, high-rise, sports and entertainment projects which are architecturally and aesthetically pleasing, but also innovative, efficient and lightweight. With a multidisciplinary team of more than 200 members designing and delivering holistic and sustainable solutions, projects of note include many stadium projects for the FIFA World Cups in Korea and Japan, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, and the first fully demountable container stadium for the 2022 World Cup, several club stadiums throughout the world, and various multipurpose arena projects in Europe. The rehabilitation of BC Place Stadium (Canada) or Stadium Maracanã (Brazil), and more recent projects such as Wanda Metropolitano Stadium (Spain), or Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Great Britain), are just a few of these highlights.
• Ramboll (engineering): Across the world, Ramboll’s 16,000 experts combine local experience with a global knowledge base to create sustainable cities and societies. In this project, Ramboll are leading building services engineers, including, for example, MEP, fire safety, sustainability, and 3D scanning expertise. Ramboll Sweden and Ramboll UK collaborate on this project, delivering enduring and resource-efficient solutions. Previous experience for the Ramboll team include work on the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Tampere Arena, Finland.
• Efterklang (acoustics): Based in Europe with a team of over 130 engineers with architectural, musical and physics backgrounds, Efterklang is appointed to design the acoustics for the arena.  With a long running track record designing sports arenas and live performance venues, they work to optimise the sonic experience of live events by careful design of architectural form, materials and sound systems.  Their recent work includes the new Bratislava Congress Center and they have provided acoustic designs for several sports arenas in the Nordics including the Swedish Hockey Stadiums in Skellefteå, Karlstad, and Umeå.
• Light Bureau (lighting): Having recently completed award-winning lighting projects such as The Twist at Kistefos Museum in Norway, Maggie’s Cancer Care Center in Leeds, and the restoration of the Sammy Ofer Centre in London, Light Bureau has been appointed as the lighting designer at Avicii Arena.  Light Bureau is a design studio based in London & Oslo and has a portfolio of projects worldwide that showcase elegance and innovation in lighting.
• AFRY (cost management): AFRY are a European leader in engineering, design, and advisory services, with a global reach.  Since 2017, AFRY has provided cost calculation for the Globe Arena and has a history with the project throughout its lifetime.  AFRY has consulted on many of the major stadiums in the Nordic countries including Tele2 Arena and Friends Arena in Stockholm.
• Movement Strategies (crowd dynamics): Movement Strategies, part of the GHD group of companies, is the world’s leading crowd dynamics consultancy, advising new-build and existing sports and entertainment venues, major events, transport and cultural venues globally. Long term clients include Liverpool Football Club (Anfield), The FA (Wembley Stadium), and AELTC (The Wimbledon Championships).

Partnership Furthers Legends Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Growth

Legends, a global premium experiences company, will serve as a presenting partner of the National Sports Forum’s Business of Diversity in Sports & Entertainment (BDSE) program. The multi-year partnership starts with the 2022 National Sports Forum that begins today through March 2 in Austin, Texas.

BDSE, in conjunction with the National Sports Forum, recognizes the need for more programs supporting the importance of diversity in the front office. The program aims to increase the opportunities for up-and-coming ethnic minority and/or women sports professionals to have access to the senior-level best practices of revenue generating responsibilities within the industry and networking opportunities. Each year through an application process, 31 individuals that are early in their sports career from around the world are selected by the BDSE committee to receive a scholarship to attend the National Sports Forum. This provides them with full day workshop and access to network with 1,000+ sports business professionals over the 3-day conference.

The year-round partnership between BDSE and Legends builds on Legends’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and provides a unique platform for the company to offer current employees professional development opportunity through the BDSE program at the National Sports Forum. Beyond the onsite conference, BDSE members will have access to quarterly speaker sessions, to attend National Sports Forum Virtual Summits, networking sessions and mentorship program.  Since 2013, BDSE has had over 250 leaders go through the program and continue their rise within the sports and entertainment industry.

Legends will work with the National Sports Forum and BDSE to integrate employees into the BDSE’s annual programming, workshops, events and mentorship program. The company’s employee resource groups – BE Collective and The LEAGUE of Legendary Women – will be key partners in the program. BE Collective’s mission is to promote a culture of inclusion, which specifically ensures Black team members are engaged, empowered, and treated equitably in efforts to grow professionally and personally. The LEAGUE of Legendary Women seeks to create an empowered, best-in-class network committed to the advancement and development of women at all levels and foster values of inclusion and respect.

To learn more about National Sports Forum’s BDSE platform visit https://sports-forum.com/bdse/. For more information about Legends’ commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Growth, visit https://www.legends.net/diversity-inclusion.

Highest Overall Per Cap in History for Full Capacity Super Bowl

Legends, a global premium experiences company, today announced record-breaking sales for food and beverage, as well as merchandise for Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Legends operates hospitality, which includes concessions and premium spaces, at SoFi Stadium and is partnered with the NFL to execute on-site retail for the Super Bowl and other NFL tentpole events.

The overall per cap for Super Bowl LVI, including general concessions, premium dining and merchandise sales, was $167.37, the highest overall per cap in history for a full capacity Super Bowl. This marks a 14% increase over the previous record at Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco. The number is for Super Bowl game day sales at SoFi Stadium only.

In total, Legends generated over $18 million in revenue for all NFL related activities (Feb. 5 – Feb 13), including SoFi Stadium sales, NFL Shop presented by Visa at the Super Bowl Experience, additional Super Bowl retail pop-up and hotel locations throughout Los Angeles, and on-site merchandise for the 2022 Pro Bowl in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Our team was incredibly proud to be a part of Super Bowl LVI, turning up the spotlight on Los Angeles and celebrating the diverse culture of the area through our food and beverage program at SoFi Stadium and unique merchandise partnerships with local artists,” said Dan Smith, president of Legends Hospitality. “The buzz around the game and the city was incredible, with the home team playing and back to a full capacity Super Bowl. Our team worked around the clock to ensure an expedient, first-class experience for fans inside the stadium and at the retail locations throughout the city.”

“SoFi Stadium was built to host world-class events like the Super Bowl. We collaborated with Legends on our point-of-sale infrastructure from day one. For the Super Bowl, we added additional point-of-sale locations and provided multiple types of access points throughout the building and across the Hollywood Park campus for food, beverage and merchandise. This allowed us to operate for the NFL at the highest level and create an unforgettable Super Bowl experience for guests at SoFi Stadium,” said Jason Gannon, managing director, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park.

Throughout the stadium there were more than 900 concession points of sale (fixed and handheld), making for easy access for fans to get food and beverages without having to wait in long lines. There were 24 merchandise locations inside the stadium, including the main team store. Outside the venue there were 12 portable retail trailers.

Legends was the NFL’s official retail merchandise concessionaire for Super Bowl LVI. The NFL Shop presented by Visa at the Super Bowl Experience was open for one week from Saturday, February 5 through Saturday, February 12 and covered 30,000 square feet. The store offered the largest collection of Super Bowl merchandise anywhere, with the majority of the product mix being exclusive. In addition to the main NFL Shop presented by Visa, there were five pop-up locations throughout Los Angeles and 30 hotels carrying merchandise, all operated by Legends.

Legends manages on-site retail at NFL tentpole events, including the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, NFL Draft and NFL Combine. In addition, Legends and the NFL partnered recently to open NFL Las Vegas presented by Visa, an innovative NFL-themed store located in the renowned Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Focus on Leveraging Integrated 360-Degree Solution for High-Growth Sports and Entertainment Properties, Attractions, Events and Platforms

Acquisition of Maestroe Sports & Entertainment Fuels New Division

Legends, a global premium experiences company, today announced the launch of Legends Growth Enterprises, a new business unit focused on leveraging the company’s intelligence-fueled 360-degree service solution to support sports and entertainment properties, attractions, events and platforms positioned for accelerated growth.

Legends Growth Enterprises will bring a unique and differentiated approach to supporting high-growth ventures backed by the company’s industry leading service divisions – Global Planning, Global Sales, Global Partnerships, Hospitality, Global Merchandise and Global Technology Solutions. Legends Global Technology Solutions division, which recently expanded its robust technology, analytics and digital service offerings with the acquisition of 4FRONT, will play a key role providing actionable insights to help drive revenue for Legends Growth Enterprises clients. In addition, Legends Growth Enterprises will provide broadcast and media rights partnership support for clients.

To accelerate the launch of the new division, Legends has acquired Maestroe Sports & Entertainment, an agency focused on emerging sports and entertainment property development, sponsorship, global growth strategies and revenue creation for fast-growing sports and entertainment properties and platforms.

“The launch of Legends Growth Enterprises, and acquisition of Maestroe Sports & Entertainment, is a natural progression of the work we are already doing in this space using data and insights to deliver our innovative and impactful solutions to drive business and accelerate expansion for sports and entertainment ventures that are at a high-growth stage,” said Shervin Mirhashemi, CEO, Legends.

Sports and entertainment industry veteran Gabby Roe, founder and President of Maestroe Sports & Entertainment, will join Legends as President of Legends Growth Enterprises. Roe has more than 30 years of experience in high-growth ventures including at Beach Soccer Company, Major League Lacrosse, Pro Beach Volleyball and ASA Entertainment.

“High-growth sports and entertainment properties are gaining an ever-stronger foothold within the industry, delivering top entertainment to fans and terrific returns to participants and owners,” said Roe. “We see these properties as the ‘tech stocks of the sports and entertainment industry’ and are proud to continue to be the flag bearer for this attractive segment of the industry. We could not be more excited to now be a part of Legends whose global resources and expertise will bolster the growth and create even more value for all aligned properties.”

Added Mike Tomon, Co-President and COO, Legends: “The sports and entertainment landscape is expanding and evolving at a rapid pace. We are excited to bolster our expertise with the addition of Gabby and his team and their successful track record of building, operating and driving revenue for high-growth ventures. Legends will continue to leverage its entire global platform and provide the operational capabilities, as well as strategic capital, to help propel emerging sports and entertainment properties to next level growth and success.”

The launch of Legends Growth Enterprises is part of the continued growth of Legends. In January 2022 the company announced the acquisition of 4FRONT, a global data and analytics, innovation, and digital media agency, that now operates as part of Legends Global Technology Solutions division, building on Legends’ expertise in data consulting and digital activation.

Josh Kritzler and Dan Migala Named Co-Presidents  of Legends Global Technology Solutions

 

Legends announced today the acquisition of 4FRONT, a global data and analytics, innovation, and digital media agency. 4FRONT will retain its company name and operate as part of Legends Global Technology Solutions division, building on Legends’ expertise in data consulting and digital activation. Co-founders Josh Kritzler and Dan Migala will now oversee Legends Global Technology Solutions. Kritzler will serve as Co-President and Chief Operating Officer and Migala will be Co-President and Chief Revenue Officer of the division.

 

“Legends provides a holistic solution for clients that is powered by data and analytics,” said Shervin Mirhashemi, CEO, Legends. “4FRONT has developed a strong position as a leader in data driven solutions and delivery of actionable insights that drive increased revenues and enhanced experiences. With 4FRONT joining our Global Technology Solutions portfolio, we are further amplifying our already robust technology, analytics and digital service offerings for all our clients across Legends’ integrated 360-degree service solution platform.”

4FRONT was founded in 2007 and over the last 15 years has grown to become an innovation-fueled sports and entertainment marketing company working with organizations, properties, teams and leagues around the globe. The company is focused on using its actionable insights and data-driven solutions to drive revenue for a global roster of clients, which has included Chelsea FC, Chicago Bears, Cricket Australia, Colorado Rapids, Evil Geniuses, Minnesota Wild, NCAA, New York Mets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Space Center Houston and UFC.

 

“We have collaborated with the team at 4FRONT on several clients over the years and always been impressed with their innovative, data-driven approach,” said Mike Tomon, Co-President and COO, Legends. “Josh and Dan have built a company that not only delivers results for properties around the globe, but also is full of creative, forward-thinking people that love what they do. With Josh and Dan’s leadership, we will continue to invest in and expand Legends Global Technology Solutions to further enrich the services and experience we provide clients.”

Added Kritzler: “4FRONT’s growth is born out of a world-class team of incredibly passionate people that has fueled our culture and it’s fitting that the origin of this partnership is the chemistry of our team and the Legends team. As we start this new chapter, this connection will be the heartbeat to the growth of our company and the personal development opportunities for our team as we ignite Legends’ 360-degree platform.”

Migala further stated: “4FRONT has been on the frontline of helping world-class organizations embrace an innovative mindset through our suite of analytics, digital and technology solutions. This new partnership with Legends will allow us to provide the industry with an unprecedented solution to drive results from actionable insights.”

Legends Global Technology Solutions is an industry leading sports and entertainment digital, technology and experiential advisory with the deepest experience in some of the largest, most complex projects in the world of sports and entertainment. The division is keenly focused on the digital space of technology, analytics, and data services, and curating the latest innovations in the world. They work to enable value and revenue for clients through technology by leveraging data and analytics, insights, innovation, and digital solutions. Integrated across all of Legends’ 360-degree platform of services and its clients, Legends Global Technology Solutions offers tech-forward solutions and actionable insights to help solve any problem.

 

Migala has worked for or advised virtually every level of sports franchises throughout his career. This includes organizations in MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA, NCAA, MLS, the LPGA, Cricket Australia, New Zealand Rugby and more on issues related to marketing, non-traditional revenue generation, sponsorship, technology, ticket sales and using analytics to drive revenue growth.

 

Kritzler’s business pursuits as an entrepreneur and sponsorship executive have taken him to the Green Monster, Melbourne Cricket Ground and the pits of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Prior to launching 4FRONT, he was a founder of InStadium, a Chicago-based alternative sports media company. Leading a national team of sponsorship executives, Kritzler secured media rights to more than 25 MLB and NFL stadiums; including Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium and Dodger Stadium.

Anticipated Invite-Only Celebration to Take Place Immediately Following

NFL Honors Show Inside SoFi Stadium on Thursday, February 10

 

The Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC) announced today that DIRECTV will serve as Presenting Sponsor of The Chairman’s Party, the exclusive after-party following the NFL Honors Show inside SoFi Stadium at The Canyons, an open-air location within the SoFi Stadium footprint. The invitation-only celebration on Thursday, February 10 will include a special performance by eight-time Grammy winner Usher on the BET Network Stage.

 

The Chairman’s Party will be the most exclusive event of Super Bowl weekend, with a star-studded invitation list that includes current sports icons, Hollywood celebrities, Pro Football Hall of Famers, and NFL team owners. Guests will enter SoFi Stadium via the DIRECTV “Blue Carpet” and receive an early look at the site of Super Bowl LVI. Once inside guests will enjoy creative food and drink offerings and photo opportunities near the SoFi Stadium field.

 

“We look forward to welcoming fans to Los Angeles and officially kicking off Super Bowl weekend with the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission at The Chairman’s Party Presented by DIRECTV,” said Bill Morrow, CEO, DIRECTV. “Our company has been synonymous with world-class Super Bowl festivities in years past, and this event will continue that long tradition.”

 

One of the world’s most successful artists in recent decades, Usher has earned some of the music industry’s top accolades. He has been nominated for more than 600 awards, winning 320 of them, including eight Grammys; 18 Billboard Music Awards; and nine American Music Awards. Usher has sold more than 43 million albums worldwide, repeatedly earning Diamond, Multi-Platinum and Platinum status. He has had 18 Billboard Top 10 singles, including nine No. 1 singles. He recently served as a coach on TV’s No. 1 reality competition, NBC’s “The Voice,” as well delivering a sold-out residency in Las Vegas.

 

“The Chairman’s Party Presented by DIRECTV is a culmination of hard work and perseverance on behalf of all the Super Bowl stakeholders. We appreciate the artists and other supporters who are contributing the success of the weekend,” said Casey Wasserman, Chairman, Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee.

 

In addition to the announcement of The Chairman’s Party presented by DIRECTV, as an extension of the Super Bowl LVI Legacy Program, DIRECTV will award one of the 56 community organizations an additional $25,000 grant award, for the tremendous work they are doing in the community. Two additional organizations, also focused on empowering youth through storytelling, will receive $5,000 each.

 

“Thanks to the support of DIRECTV, we are excited to host the official post-NFL Honors party at SoFi Stadium and give our guests an exclusive kickoff to Super Bowl weekend,” said Kathryn Schloessman, President & CEO, Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. “The Chairman’s Party presented by DIRECTV, will celebrate the return of Super Bowl to the Los Angeles region, for the first time in nearly 30 years, and shine a light on a deserving Super Bowl LVI Legacy organization with the DIRECTVxChampionLA Award.”

 

Additional upcoming events supported by LASEC and ChampionLA include the 2022 MLB All-Star Game, 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, 123rd U.S. Open Championship, 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball West Region Championship, 2026 U.S. Women’s Open, and the 2028 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games. Los Angeles is also a Candidate Host City for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.

 

Legends Global Partnerships division represented LASEC in establishing this strategic relationship with DIRECTV.