VENUESNOW

Opening Address
1:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Irving Azoff, Co-Founder, Oak View Group
Tim Leiweke, Co-Founder and CEO, Oak View Group

Four Tech Trends Venues Should Know About
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

A breakdown of four cutting-edge technology trends that will chart the course of sports and live entertainment and change the way fans experience events—and the way venues present them. 

Moderator:
Mike Lorenc, Head of Industry, Ticketing and Live Events, Google

Speakers:
Christos Karmis, President, Mobilitie
Deepen Parikh, Partner, Courtside Ventures
John Paul, CEO & Founder, VenueNext
Eric Johnson, CEO, LaneOne

The Brand Perspective: What Companies Want From Live Events
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

A panel of the most innovative thinkers aligned with some of the most active brands in the sports and live entertainment space will discuss where this sector is heading, what types of partnerships are most effective, what are the most creative activations, and what sorts of dollars and opportunities are out there. 

Moderator:
Marcie Allen, President, MAC Presents

Speakers:
Walter Frye, VP, Global Entertainment and Premiere Events, American Express
Andrew Georgescu, Lincoln Marketing Communications Manager, Ford Motor Company
Justin Toman, Head of Sports Marketing, PepsiCo
Mark Weinstein, Senior Vice President & Global Head of Customer Engagement, Hilton

What Do Streaming and VR at Live Events Mean to the Live Event Industry?
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Once the domain of only the adventurous, streaming of concerts and sports has moved into the mainstream, with millions of fans watching every imaginable type of live entertainment event from their homes and personal devices, on a global basis. What does this mean to the venues, live event producers, branding/sponsorships pros, and the ticket-buying public? This panel will delve into the true power of streaming and VR and how to maximize the economics of this next-wave tech as arenas and stadiums expand to host potentially millions of fans.

Moderator:
Michael Metzger, Houlihan Lokey

Speakers:
Brad Allen, Executive Chairman, NextVR
Jed Corenthal, CMO, PhenixP2P
Nate Parienti, President, Live Alliance
Chris Wagner, EVP Marketplace Strategy, NeuLion

5:00 pm: Sessions Conclude

VenuesNow Party – TAO Los Angeles
Private Event. Ticket required for entry.
8:00 pm – 11:30 pm
6421 Selma Avenue, Los Angeles CA, 90028
Transportation from the Beverly Hilton to TAO provided by UBER

Burn 60 – Full Body Fitness Classes
7:00 am – 7:45 am
Stardust Penthouse – 8th floor
Burn 60 is a 45-60 minute, performance-driven, full body workout.
BURN 600-900 calories alternating between cardio and strength training intervals every 5-10 minutes.
Two certified expert trainers from the L.A. studio will host complimentary classes for VenuesNow guests.
First come, first served.

Breakfast/Registration
8:30 am — 9:00 am
Beverly Hills Ballroom Foyer

Opening Remarks
9:00 am – 9:15 am
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Tim Leiweke, CEO, Oak View Group

The New Paradigm in Event Safety (Don’t Be the Next Soft Target)
9:15 am – 10:00 am
Beverly Hills Ballroom

As the tragic Manchester Arena attack clearly showed, terrorism has arrived at the arena level. No aspect of presenting live sports and entertainment events trumps patron safety. A panel of the most innovative and creative crowd management executives and counterterrorism experts will delve into the cold, hard facts of how to prepare your event, venue, tour, audience, and staff for the very real and growing threats that exist today. Among the topics discussed are where to allocate resources toward these threats without diminishing preparedness for traditional crowd management issues. Will address cybersecurity, drones, entry systems, crowd management, geo-fencing, perimeter control, ingress/egress, and what is coming next. 

Moderator:
Philip Mudd, CNN Correspondent/Former CIA Official

Speakers:
Bill Bratton, Executive Chairman, Prevent Advisors
Michael Downing, EVP Security, Prevent Advisors
Michael Ferris, Founder & CEO, Abacode
David McCain, Director, Security Services, National Football League

Agents, Managers, Promoters: The Holy Trinity of Booking Destiny
10:00 am – 10:45 am (Concurrent Session)
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Highly influential manager, agent, and promoter/talent buyer in a moderated panel that will break down trends in this space, with the ultimate goal of revealing deal structures that will lead to more—and maximized—content for those in the room. Who makes the call, what are the factors in choosing venues, what are the creative deals that lead to bookings, tour deals vs market-by-market, managing on-sales, etc. 

Moderator:
Paul Korzilius, SVP of Arena Alliance, Oak View Group

Speakers:
Gerry Barad, COO, Live Nation Global Touring
Bruce Eskowitz, COO, Red Light Management
Adam Kornfeld, Agent, Artist Group International
Doc McGhee, McGhee Entertainment
Louis Messina, CEO, Messina Touring Group

E-Sports: The Truth About Leagues & Events
10:00 am – 10:45 am (Concurrent Session)
Wilshire Ballroom

The e-league phenomenon has moved beyond homes and into the arenas and other large venues, with the participation of major leagues and creative, ambitious entrepreneurs. VenuesNow presents an analysis of the outlook for e-leagues in North America, with breakdown of revenue maximization, operations, tech advancements, marketing, and ROI. 

Speakers:
Rick Fox, Owner, Echo Fox
Stratton Sclavos, Partner, Vision Venture Partners
Tobias Sherman, Global Head of eSports, WME IMG
Pete Vlastelica, CEO, Major League Gaming, Activision Blizzard
Paul Ward, CEO, Esports Arena
 

Steering Live Music Careers into the Future — A Fireside Chat with Irving Azoff and Coran Capshaw
11:00 am – 11:45 am
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Building and sustaining artists’ careers is one of the most daunting endeavors in entertainment, and has never been more so. While recorded music, label negotiations, digital and social media, branding and sponsorships, creative rights, and many other issues make navigating the career landscape massively challenging, savvy managers know that all of these various components of a professional artist now exist to ultimately serve the live career.  There is no clearer path to stardom and longevity—and financial rewards—for an artist than the concert stage. In this rare pairing of music industry legends, Coran Caphsaw, founder of Red Light Management, and entertainment titan Irving Azoff of Azoff Music Management—arguably the two most successful artist managers in the history of the business—will provide insight on how they view the contemporary touring industry, touching on varying aspects of booking, promotion, marketing, merchandising, ticketing, venue relations, and the art of the deal. 

Speakers:
Irving Azoff, Chairman and CEO, Azoff MSG Entertainment
Coran Capshaw, Founder, Red Light Management

LUNCH
11:45 am-1:15 pm
Wilshire Garden

Maximizing F&B Per Caps Through Knowing Your Fan
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Technology and improved analytics have taken food service light years beyond where the early purveyors of hot dogs and popcorn thought concessions could ever go. Top food service professionals will address how technology is improving service and boosting revenue at sports and entertainment venues around the world. Among the topics discussed by these leaders in food service will be point-of-sale enhancements, geo-targeting and flexibility in offerings, cashless/RFID, event-specific catering and premium hospitality, data analysis, and tech advancements like voice-on-demand in suites.

Moderator:
Peter Luukko, Co-Chairman, Oak View Group Arena Alliance

Speakers:
Kevin Anderson, Co-Founder, Appetize
Carlos Bernal, President, Delaware North Sportservice
Carl Mittleman, President, Aramark Sports & Entertainment
Eric Wooden, SVP Hospitality Solutions, Centerplate

Arena Alliance Exclusive Meeting
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Wilshire Ballroom

The Future of Sports Stadiums Is Now
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Designers and architects will reveal how new stadiums are being designed and built today in attempts to “future proof” themselves for changing consumer habits, as fans increasingly turn to more digital options of entertainment. This one-of-a-kind session will delve into what new technological features are being added to stadiums and arenas now that were not around a decade ago, and what awaits fans of the future.

Moderator:
Neil Everett, ESPN

Speakers:
Richard Browne, Partner, Sterling Properties
Al Guido, President, San Francisco 49ers
Christopher Lamberth, VP, Sports Development, HOK
Bruce Miller, Senior Principal, Populous
Tim Romani, CEO, ICON Venue Group

Uber On: Redefining Operations and Marketing Partnerships
3:15 pm – 3:30 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Fans today not only expect a great game or show but a seamless experience from “couch to couch”.  Uber’s Head of Business Development and Experiential Marketing will discuss how the company is redefining partnerships at over 85 venues across the US and around the world working with brands, festivals, arenas and teams to improve operations and engage consumers before and after they walk through the doors.

Speaker:
Amy Friedlander,  Head of Business Development & Experiential Marketing, UBER

COFFEE BREAK
3:30 pm —3:45 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom Foyer

The Art of the Enhanced Experience: What Sports Events Can Learn About VIP From Music Fests (and Vice Versa) 
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm (Concurrent Session) 
Wilshire Ballroom

A deep dive into the premium/VIP space, led by professionals in this world, taking into account luxury suites, clubs and lounges, private boxes and viewing areas, and food, beverage, and merch bundling at arenas, stadiums, festivals, and other venues. Today VIP in its various forms provides critical revenue for artists, teams, venues, tours and events while giving hard-core fans exactly what they want: access and amenities. An examination of the state of the art and the shifting economics of VIP, and where it’s headed. 

Moderator:
Stan Verrett, ESPN

Speakers:
Dan Berkowitz, Founder/CEO, CID Entertainment
Brian Bowe, Senior Director, Premium Services, Ticketmaster
Justin Dragoo, Partner, Latitude 38 Entertainment
Ety Rybak, Co-Founder, COO, CAA Premium Experience
Mike Tomon, President of North American Operations, Legends

Who Is Selling Our Tickets? (Cracking the Code on the Secondary Market)
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm (Concurrent Session)
Beverly Hills Ballroom

A look at the dynamic secondary market, who the players are that are changing how fans buy tickets, how the primary market can stay in the game, whether secondary should have a seat at the primary table (and what it takes to keep it), and the pricing conundrum that makes the secondary market so profitable in the first place. Panel includes Promoter, Venue, Primary Ticketing, Secondary Ticketing, and Manager perspectives.

Moderator:
Lindsay Czarniak, ESPN

Speakers:
Scott Cutler, President, StubHub
Andrew Dreskin, Co-Founder & CEO, Ticketfly
Jared Paul, Founder & CEO, Faculty Management and Productions
Bob Roux, Co-President, North American Concerts, Live Nation
Jared Smith, President, Ticketmaster North America

The Heart of L.A. (A Conversation with Shelli Azoff and Jeanie Buss)
4:45 pm – 5:45 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

A no-holds-barred sit-down with two of the most talented and influential executives in the history of the storied L.A. sports & live entertainment scene.

Moderator:
Ramona Shelburne, NBA Insider and Senior Writer, ESPN

Speakers:
Shelli Azoff, Owner, The Forum
Jeanie Buss, Owner and President, Los Angeles Lakers

COCKTAIL RECEPTION
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Wilshire Garden

Burn 60 – Full Body Fitness Classes
7:00 am – 7:45 am
Stardust Penthouse – 8th floor
Burn 60 is a 45-60 minute, performance-driven, full body workout.
BURN 600-900 calories alternating between cardio and strength training intervals every 5-10 minutes.
Two certified expert trainers from the L.A. studio will host complimentary classes for VenuesNow guests.
First come, first served.

Breakfast/Registration
8:30 am – 9:15 am
Beverly Hills Foyer

Opening Remarks
9:15 am – 9:30 am
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Tim Leiweke, CEO, Oak View Group

Blurred Lines: Music Meets Sports, Fans Rejoice
9:30 am – 10:15 am
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Increasingly, the two worlds of sports and music are colliding, and the epicenter of this magic is the venue. Be it Brad Paisley with Zaxby’s tour of College Campuses, Florida Georgia Line at FSU, Kenny Chesney at the Battle of Bristol, the March Madness Music Fest, Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl in 2016, concerts at NASCAR events, or even artist tours of specifically NFL or MLB stadiums like Billy Joel’s “franchise” tag at the Garden. Players at the center of this entertainment culture revolution will discuss this brave new world, where the best opportunities lie, and how to maximize the results therein. 

Moderator:
Bruce Flohr, Red Light Management, GreenLight Media & Marketing

Speakers:
Rob Beckham, Partner & Co-Head Nashville, WME
Paul Engl, General Manager, IMG/WME
Danny Hayes, CEO, Danny Wimmer Presents
Tucker Kain, CFO, LA Dodgers
Tim Zulawski, SVP, Chief Commercial Officer, AMB Sports + Entertainment

BREAKOUTS
10:15 am – 11:15 am
Wilshire Ballroom
Presented by Venues Today
Each topic led by two experts

• Security: What Venues Need to Do Today
  Chris Robinette, CEO, Prevent Advisors
• Ticketing: Security in Ticketing
  Ronan Wall, VP Strategy and Operations, Ticketmaster
• Digital/Social: Fan Engagement—Know Your Fans, Enhance the Experience 
• Customer Service
  Bill Abercrombie, EVP and TBEP Business Development, Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment
  Mary Milne, SVP, Guest Experience & Blue Ribbon Service, Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment
• Sponsorships: Art of the Deal
  Dan Griffis, President, Narrative Partners
  Joe Belliotti, Head of Entertainment Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company
• Premium VIP: How to Avoid “Us & Them” Syndrome
  Dan Berkowitz, Found/CEO, CID Entertainment
  Justin Dragoo, Partner, Latitude 38 Entertainment
• Maximizing Sound Renovation Projects
  Jamie Gillespie, Event & Systems Audio, Arizona Cardinals
  Dan Palmer, Director of Integration, L-Acoustics
• Media Relations: Venues and the Press
  Ray Waddell, President, Publications & Conferences, Oak View Group
  Dave Brooks, Senior Correspondent, Touring/Live Entertainment, Billboard

COFFEE BREAK
11:15 am – 11:30 am
Beverly Hills Foyer

It’s All About the Execution: A Conversation with Peter Guber
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Beverly Hills Ballroom

Born leader. Daring entrepreneur. Visionary technologist. Entertainment mogul. Best-selling author. Successful sports franchise owner. Inspiring motivator. Champion. Peter Guber is all of these things, and much more. Guber is chairman & CEO of Mandalay Entertainment, co-owner (with Guggenheim Partners and Magic Johnson) of the Los Angeles Dodgers, co-owner (with Guggenheim) of Dick Clark Productions, and co-owner/co-chairman of the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. For the inaugural VenuesNow, OVG CEO Tim Leiweke will join Peter Guber in a candid conversation that is sure to be one of the most compelling sessions for any conference this year.

Moderator:
Ben Lyons, ESPN

Featured Panelists:
Peter Guber, Chairman and CEO, Mandalay Entertainment Group
Tim Leiweke, Co-Founder and CEO, Oak View Group

LUNCH
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Beverly Hills Foyer

*schedule subject to change