US Sports & Entertainment Foodservice Market Trends Analyzed in New Study …
LONDON, Apr 11, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
To enhance the fan experience, venue operators, managers and promoters
are arduously improving food selection, food quality, menu flexibility,
and better customer service. Improved concessions and higher-end suite
and club seat foodservice programs are changing the guest experience —
and transforming many major venues into food destinations. Though, to
fully capitalize on sports and entertainment foodservice operations,
industry players should be aware of how generational shifts in venue
attendance shape the kinds of food and drink they provide regulars, be
in the picture of restaurant trends that are quickly reshaping
consumers’ expectations about sports and entertainment venue
foodservice, as well as monitor the competitive landscape.
New market research study “Sports
and Entertainment Arena Foodservice Trends in the U.S.”
elaborated by Packaged Facts enhances the understanding of industry and
consumer trends shaping the U.S. sports and entertainment foodservice
landscape.
Report Scope:
–
market size and forecast for the U.S. sports and entertainment
foodservice market, as well as supporting analysis on foodservice
contractor sales and venue revenue estimates;
–
analysis of macroeconomic trends shaping sports and entertainment
foodservice growth;
–
assessment of trends affecting food service in the sports and
entertainment industry, with an emphasis on sports stadiums and arenas;
–
sports event usage, mean usage & foodservice usage;
–
entertainment event usage & foodservice usage trends, as well as
attendance trends (with generational analysis);
–
analysis of a cross-section of major foodservice operations at major
U.S. sports and entertainment venues;
–
in-depth owner, operator & contractor sports and entertainment
foodservice analyses.
Report Details:
Title: Sports and Entertainment Arena Foodservice Trends in the U.S.
Published: April, 2012
Pages: 167
Price: US$ 3,995
http://marketpublishers.com/report/consumers_goods/food_beverage/sports_n_entertainment_arena_foodservice_trends_in_us.html
Research Reports on Other US Markets are Also Available:
–
U.S.
Pet Market Outlook 2012-2013
–
Food
Bars in the U.S.: Cereal/Granola Bar and Energy/Nutrition Bar Trends
–
Antioxidant
Products in the U.S.: Foods, Beverages, Supplements and Personal Care
–
Dog
Population and Dog Owner Trends
More new market research studies by Packaged Facts can be found at
http://marketpublishers.com/members/packaged_facts/info.html
SOURCE: The Market Publishers
The Market Publishers, Ltd.
Tanya Rezler
Tel: +44 208 144 6009
Fax: +44 207 900 3970
ps@marketpublishers.com
MarketPublishers.com
Copyright Business Wire 2012
Financial Glossary
Words used in this article:
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Variety of most-loved Korean TV programs such as K-pop, drama, reality programs and lifestyle shows are soon to be available in K-wave tving.
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?1) Viewing options available for magazine / thumbnail style?You can search for the contents with the page-flipping-magazine style or the at-a-glance-thumbnail style at your convenience.
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Gene Frenette: Jacksonville to be player in site for college football playoffs
With major conference commissioners moving closer toward a four-team college football playoff by the 2014 season, and the real possibility that two national semifinals and/or a championship game will be at a neutral site, the city of Jacksonville wont be standing on the sideline.
Look for Mayor Alvin Brown, along with sports/entertainment director Alan Verlander and Gator Bowl Association President Rick Catlett, to have a game plan ready once the BCS power brokers sign off on the four-team format.
We want to be part of the change thats going on, Verlander said. We have a lot bigger vision of where we want to take sports in this city. Well do everything in our power to make sure we try to bring that kind of game to Jacksonville.
Cities already hosting major BCS bowls will be considered front-runners. But with EverBank Fields capacity of 84,000 for college games, Jacksonville has the experience and financial resources to be a viable contender. Some might think its a long shot, but itd be foolish for a city that hosted a Super Bowl to not pursue being part of college footballs biggest stage. …
Baltimore Ravens defensive end Terrell Suggs, the player the Jaguars passed on to take quarterback Byron Leftwich in the 2003 draft, has 82.5 career sacks. The combined total of the Jaguars seven different sack leaders in the past nine seasons is 58. Nearly a decade later, one bad draft decision can still haunt a franchise. …
When Bryan Anger is the starting (using that term loosely) punter in 2012, that will make 11 of 19 third-round draft picks in Jaguars history who became regular starters. …
After watching the way Jacksonville University quarterback Josh McGregor performed on his first day of minicamp with the Jaguars, I remain convinced he will eventually be somebodys third-team quarterback or in the Canadian Football League. …
Sorry, unless theres an urgent family situation that requires Bubba Watson being home next week, Im not giving him a total pass on skipping The Players Championship. Lets see if he passes up any of the three remaining majors to bond with family, which is highly doubtful.
For a Tour member living in Orlando, youd think The Players would be a big priority for Watson. Instead, he becomes the first American defending Masters champion to ever miss The Players. …
Heres the bad thing about Tiger Woods game looking as out of kilter as its ever been in his career: The TPC Stadium Course isnt the ideal venue for any struggling golfer to find his form. …
My formula for picking a Kentucky Derby contender is it has to be a horse with a cool name and at least 10-1 odds.
So my win-place-show trio is Daddy Nose Best (15-1), Ill Have Another (12-1) and Went the Day Well (20-1).
gene.frenette@jacksonville.com,
(904) 359-4540
- laquo; Gene Frenette: Is the culprit football or players choosing to take risks?
- 728 of 729
- Gene Frenette: Bolles coach Corky Rogers faces decision about future raquo;
The Madison Square Garden’s CEO Discusses F3Q12 Results – Earnings Call Transcript
The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) F3Q12 Earnings Call May 4, 2012 10:00 AM ET
Operator
Good morning. My name is Christie, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone the Madison Square Garden Company Fiscal 2012 Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers’ remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session. (Operator Instructions) Thank you, I would now like to turn the call over to Ari Danes, Vice President of Investor Relations for the Madison Square Garden Company. Please go ahead sir.
Ari Danes
Thanks, Christi. Good morning and welcome to the Madison Square Garden Companys fiscal 2012 third quarter earnings conference call. Joining us this morning are members of the MSG Management team including Hank Ratner, President and CEO; Bob Pollichino, EVP and Chief Financial Officer; Mike Bair, President, MSG Media; Melissa Ormond, President, MSG Entertainment; and Scott ONeil, President, MSG Sports.
Following a discussion of the companys financial results, well open the call for questions. If you do not have a copy of todays earnings release, it is available on the Investors section of our website at themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.
Please take a note of the following: Todays discussion may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including financial community perceptions of the company and its business, operations, financial condition and the industry in which it operates and the factors described in the companys filings Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled Risk Factors and managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations contained therein. The company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements that may be discussed during this call.
Let me point out that on page four of todays earnings release, we provide consolidated operations data and a reconciliation of adjusted operating cash flow or AOCF to operating income. I would now like to introduce, Hank Ratner, President and CEO of The Madison Square Garden Company.
Hank J. Ratner
Thank you, Ari. Our company’s positive operating momentum continues in it’s fiscal third quarter highlighted by an increasing total adjusted operating cash flow of 46%. Reflecting on our year-to-date performance despite a shortened 66 game regular season for the New York Knicks, a prolonged dispute with Time Warner Cable, and an off season shut down of the Madison Square Garden arena as part of the transformation project, we have generated over $200 million in total AOCF over the first nine months of our fiscal year of 23% year-over-year increase. Our ability to deliver this level of growth is a testament to the breadth and strength of our assets and brands and the value we provide to customers and partners.
Turning to our business segments, MSG Sports delivered its most profitable quarter in our 2-year history as a public company. The segment is realizing financial benefits as a result of the new products and amenities we are providing as part of the first phase of the arena transformation project.
With respect to our professional sports franchises, the New York Rangers recently completed one of the most successful regular seasons in the teams history finishing first in the Eastern Conference, led by coach John Tortorella and all stars Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik and Dan Girardi. The Rangers defeated the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs and are currently up two games to one against the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Semifinals after Wednesday night’s triple overtime victory.
The New York Knicks advanced the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive year led by Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and the emergence of Jeremy Lin as well as Tyson Chandler who this week became the first Knick player in team’s history to be voted the NBA defensive player of the year. The Knicks are currently in round one of the playoffs against the Miami Heat with game four taking place at the garden on Sunday.
We also recently announced that Glen Grunwald has been named Executive Vice President and General Manager. Glenn and his staff have done a tremendous job acquiring key players such as Chandler Lynn, [Steven Elvik] are confident that Glen will continue to play a significant role in the future success of the next franchise.
Turning to our media business, despite the absence of revenues from Time Warner Cable for approximately half of the quarter, MSG media revenues and AOCF increased on a year-over-year basis reflection of the segments strong fundamentals of both the affiliate and advertising fronts. Our regional sports networks which have broadcasted over 700 live sporting events over the past 12 months continued to benefit from strong consumer interest in our content.
In fact, mix in ranger ratings increased meaningfully to the 2011, ’12 regular seasons. We are also executing against our plan for Fuse and are moving forward with a significant rollout of original programming over the coming months. Design to increase viewership and drive advertising and affiliate fee revenue growth.
In terms of our MSG entertainment business while the segments are decreased in profitability for this quarter MSG Entertainment has significantly improved its AOCF over the first nine months of the fiscal year. Even with the off-season shut down of Madison Square Garden arena which is had a meaningfully negative impact on the segments results this fiscal year.
Looking ahead, we remain confident that MSG Entertainment will again be a positive contributor to overall companys AOCF on an annual basis. We also continue to focus on investing in our core assets to drive organic growth. This strategy is best exemplified by the arena transformation project. While the financial benefits of the first phase of the transformation where obscured last quarter by the delayed start for the NBA season, our third-quarter results in the MSG sports segment reflect these benefits as we saw transformation driven growth across tickets, suites, sponsorships, food, beverage and merchandise sales.
Growth across these strategies – growth across these categories is a reflection of the new amenities and products we are providing with a partially transformed arena continuing to receive great reviews from our customers, marketing partners and suite holders.
Construction work continues behind the scenes daily as we advance towards our next off-season shutdown, which will begin after the conclusion of the playoffs. As you know, last off-season in addition to transforming the lower bowl in the arena we were able to advance a portion of the plant upper-bowl work building out new open areas on the eighth and 10th floors, which provide fans with direct views into the arena bowl as well as new seating, concourses and exclusive food offerings.
This off-season we will transform the rest of the upper-bowl including more comfortable seating with significantly improved side lines that put fans up to 10 feet closer to the action. We also plan to debut the new eighth floor garden concourse, which will be up to triple the current size in some areas and will feature new retail and concession options including exclusive food offerings from our MSG signature collection featuring some of New York’s top chefs. In addition, we plan to open 58 Madison Level Suites, which will be as close as 23 rows up from the playing surface bringing suite holders much closer to the action.
We also plan to debut the Madison Club, which will be an all-inclusive, membership-only, premium-seating club with high-end food offerings that will be available to businesses and individuals looking to entertain at our events. Madison Square Garden has played host to some of the most iconic moments in sports, entertainment and politics, and with the next phase of the transformation we will begin to share our 132 year old history with our fans.
In the fall, we will unveil as part of the 6th Floor Madison Concourse, a visual retrospective that brings to life one moment in garden history from every day of the year, called memorable moments every day. The retrospective will wrap around the entire circumference of the Concourse creating a visual calendar of the garden’s rich history.
In addition, the 20 top defining moments in garden history will be commemorated on both the Madison Concourse and 8th Floor Garden Concourse through special exhibits that will feature photos, memorabilia, and additional artifacts. The first 10 moments will be unveiled this fall on the Madison Concourse and the remaining exhibits on the Garden Concourse will debut in fall of 2013.
The Transformation project remains on schedule and we do not expect total Transformation project construction costs to differ materially, higher or lower than the previously disclosed $930 million inclusive of various reserves for contingencies.
I’ll now turn the call over to Bob Pollichino, to take you through the specifics of our financial results.
Robert M. Pollichino
Thank you, Hank. Total company revenues for the third quarter were $400.5 million, a 21% increase versus the prior-year period, while consolidated AOCF was $80.2 million, a 46% increase versus the prior-year quarter. Operating income of $53.3 million was up 75% as compared to the prior-year quarter, primarily due to the increase in AOCF.
Turning to the third quarter results of our business segment. Our MSG Media segment generated $166.2 million in revenues, an increase of $18.6 million or 13% as compared to the prior-year quarter. Affiliate fee revenue increased $10.4 million versus the prior-year period, primarily attributable to higher affiliation rates, significantly offset by the impact of our networks not being carried for approximately half of the quarter by Time Warner Cable, net of recognizing revenue for prior periods from that affiliate. During the quarter a new multi-year agreement for carriage of our networks was reached with Time Warner Cable.
Advertising revenue increased $4.3 million versus the prior-year period, primarily due to growth at MSG Networks. Other revenues increased $3.9 million versus the prior-year period primarily due to a new programming licensing agreement for which revenue will be recognized until the agreements expiration in April 2013 and is not expected to be recurring thereafter. MSG Media segment AOCF of $65.3 million was up 4% versus the prior year period due to the increase in revenues largely offset by higher SGamp;A and direct operating expenses.
The increase in SGamp;A expense was primarily due to higher marketing costs mainly associated with increased affiliate marketing efforts and to a lesser extent marketing of programming initiatives. The increase in direct operating expenses was primarily due to higher programming costs and fuse as we strategically invest to grow the business. Looking ahead, we expect increased fuse programming and marketing cost to continue consistent with our long-term strategy to increase fuse viewership and drive revenue growth.
Our MSG Entertainment segment generated $34.3 million in revenues at 20% decrease versus the prior year period. The revenue decrease was primarily attributable for lower event related revenues at the garden as our ability to schedule events was impacted by the uncertainty surrounding the NBA work stoppage, and the increased number of New York Knicks and Ranger home games versus the prior-year quarter. We also experienced lower event related revenues at our other used due to fewer events.
This overall decrease was partially offset by higher revenues from the Radio City Christmas Spectacular franchise primarily due to scheduled performances of the New York production in January 2012 versus no performances in the prior-year period.
MSG Entertainment’s AOCF loss of $12.8 million increased by $6 million versus the prior-year period. The increase was due to lower event related results at our venues. Our MSG Sport segment generated $216.1 million in revenue, a 37% increase versus the prior year period. The increase in revenues was primarily attributable to the financial benefits of the first phase of the Arena Transformation project and, to a lesser extent, a higher percentage of New York Knicks-related revenues being recognized during the quarter versus the prior year period as a result of the compressed NBA season.
The overall revenue increase was due to growth in virtually every category. Included higher professional sports team ticket-related revenue, league distributions, food, beverage and merchandise sales, suite rental fee revenue, event-related revenues from other live sporting events and sponsorship and signage revenues.
MSG Sports AOCF of $29.3 million was up $25.8 million from the prior year period, due to the increase in revenues partially offset by higher direct operating expenses. The increase in direct operating expenses was primarily due to an increase in net NBA and NHL revenue sharing expense, as well as increases in team compensation and other team operating expenses mainly due to a higher percentage of New York Knicks related expenses being recognized this quarter as compared to the prior year period also as a result of the compressed NBA season.
Please note that with respect to fiscal 2013, the NBA work return to its regular November through April, 82 game schedule for the 2012, 2013 regular season versus the more compressed 66 game regular season this year. This normalized season will be consistent with our prior reporting and will result in a higher percentage of Knicks-related 2012-13 season revenues and expenses being recognized in next year’s fiscal second quarter, and the lower percentage in the fiscal third and fourth quarters versus this year, impacting year-over-year comparisons on a quarterly basis.
Our construction costs incurred for the transformation project for our third quarter were approximately $39 million, while project-to-date costs incurred through March 31 were approximately $691 million. Total net cash and cash equivalents as of March 31 was $181.1 million, down approximately $40 million from December 31. As we prepare for the second phase of the transformation, we continue to believe that we have sufficient liquidity to fund the Arena Transformation project, and our other initiatives from our substantial level of cash on hand, cash flow from operations and if necessary our revolving credit facility.
This $375 million revolver remains undrawn with a borrowing availability as of March 31, at approximately $368 million as they were approximately $7 million in letters of credit outstanding.
I’ll now turn the call over to Mike Bair, to provide highlights from our MSG Media segment.
Mike Bair
Thanks Bob. Turning first to MSG Networks. We are pleased to report that our continued commitment to excellence in programming resulted in 16 New York Emmy Awards in 2012 for MSG Networks. This year’s success delivery of local broadcast with regional cable network has won more Emmy’s than MSG in the last five years. Driven by compelling story lines, a strong encore and ionized performances, ratings for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers increased meaningfully for 2011-12 regular seasons.
New York Knicks ratings for 2011-12 regular season on MSG Network increased by over 80% on a total household basis, this ratings game files 100% rate increase for the 2010-11 season. The New York Rangers strong on-ice performance contributed to a 36% increase, average household ratings for Rangers telecasts versus last season. Ratings for the Rangers first-round playoff series against the Ottawa Senators were also strong, with game seven of the series posting the highest ratings. For Rangers telecasts, since game seven of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.
With respect to advertising revenues, we’re able to drive strong growth during the third quarter at MSG Networks primarily due to an increased advertising rates and sell through for both mix and Rangers telecasts, as well as additional mix games on the network versus the prior year period. We also believe the significant increase in 2011-12 regular season ratings positions us well for further growth next season. We also continue to deliver a rich lineup of additional original programming on MSG Networks.
With recent highlights including the February debut of the “The Garden Transformed: Year One”. This original series takes a behind-the-scenes look at the first of three transformation phases, and set return or the second and third phases of the project. In addition, our three time New York Emmy award-winning baseball series, “The Lineup,” shows the background (inaudible) we trade in March, featuring The Best and Worst trades and free-agent signing and (inaudible) history.
Turning to Fuse, we continue to execute against our plan to expand our original programming lineup on the Fuse’s Linear Network. Our Fuse Presents concert series returns on May 8 Florence amp; the Machine live from Radio City Music Hall, which follows recent Fuse Presents concerts including Linkin Park, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Maroon 5 and the Jingle Ball Concert at the garden. In June, we will debut a new original series titled [Pup] which explores the story behind within an artist for band was catapulted to (inaudible). This fall Billy on the Street, our unique music and pop culture quiz show hosted by comedian Billy Eichner returns for the second season.
In the months ahead, we plan to debut a variety of additional original programming on Fuse, all rooted in music including both unscripted and scripted shows with the goal of increasing network fusion to drive advertising and affiliate revenue growth. We are also advancing Fuse’s multi-platform strategy to reach music audiences across digital platforms and leverage that engagement to drive increased viewership of Fuse’s Linear Network. As an example, at the Grammy Awards in February, we launched a Fuse digital channel on YouTube, which to date has already experienced over 6 million views as music bands have logged on to watch exclusive Fuse content including live performances by the artists they love.
Over the last two months fans have logged on as we live stream the Shady 2.0 Showcase from the South by Southwest music festival, which featured some of todays hottest up and coming hip-hop artists, as well as live streams of Grammy winning recording artist Melanie Fiona and The Wanted, directed from the Fuse studio, and Death Cab for Cutie from the Chicago Theater. And as you know in mid-February, we reached an important multi-year agreement with Time Warner Cable for carriage of MSG, MSG Plus, and Fuse.
I’ll now turn the call over to Melissa Ormond to provide highlights from our MSG Entertainment segments.
Melissa Ormond
Thanks Mike. During our fiscal third quarter, we hosted a diverse mix of high-profile artists and events including the black keys and the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, (inaudible) Radio City Music Hall, Lenny Kravitz at the Chicago Theatre and the annual residency by The Allman Brothers Band for a 10-show at the Beacon Theater. While many of the music industries have been asked that our venues during our fiscal third quarter, our results were impacted by the lack of booking availability at the Garden and the timing of artist tours.
That said, our fiscal year-to-date result to MSG Entertainment reflect an improvement in AOCF of approximately $10 million versus the prior year period. In addition, current fiscal fourth quarter activity has been strong. Although, please note that like last year at the Garden has been unavailable for events other than Knicks and Rangers both came since late April, while the theater at Madison Square Garden has been closed since late April. Those venues will remain unavailable until we reopened after the second phase of a Transformation project.
In terms of this fiscal fourth quarter, we have continue to advance our multi-night strategy including hosting Bruce Springsteen and Cirque du Soleil, Michael Jackson the Immortal World Tour for three nights at the Garden in early April. In terms of driving multi-marker performances at our venue, a New York City, Chicago and Boston, in April we hosted further the banter that by four by members of the Grateful Dead for eight nights at the Beacon Theatre and two nights at Wang Theatre, and Death Cab for Cutie at the Beacon, Wang and Chicago Theatres, including one night in Chicago that, as Mike Bair just mentioned, was also streamed live on Fuse’s YouTube channel.
Our upcoming schedule includes the 65th Annual Tony awards for the second consecutive year at the Beacon Theatre in June, and Florence and the Machine at Radio City Music Hall next week as part of our Fuse Presents concert series.
In addition after appearing as the opening act for Big Time Rush at Radio City in March, the UK’s hottest new boy band One Direction is scheduled to have live two shows in May at the Beacon Theatre and one show at the Garden in December, which is an example of how our portfolio avenues from our small and mid size theaters to The Madison Square Garden Arena are integral to the progression of artists careers.
We’re also continuing our successful partnership with Cirque du Soleil. In addition to recently hosting that show based on Michael Jackson, Cirque du Soleil’s large scale acrobatic production Zarkana returns to Radio City Music Hall next month and will run until early September. With Zarkana moving to Las Vegas this fall, we’re exploring other opportunities with Cirque du Soleil for Radio City Music Hall for the summer of 2013.
I will now turn the call over to Scott ONeil for our highlights from our MSG Sports segment.
Scott ONeil
Thanks Melissa. The Knicks and Rangers continue their exciting seasons with both teams playing to at or near capacity crowds every game at the Garden. We’ve seen significant growth in overall fan interest this season as evidenced by increases in ratings on MSG Networks, traffic on our Web properties, per caps on merchandise and attendance.
We also continue to be leaders in leveraging social media to build the [intraocular] fan base. We’ve experienced strong success with our Rangers and Knicks apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android with the combines over 350,000 downloads for Knicks app, being the number one team app in the NBA.
In addition we had significantly grown Knicks and Rangers Facebook community over 3 million combine and the teams Twitter following growth of [400,000] combine. In March we announced a season ticket prices for the 2012-13 Knicks and Rangers seasons will increase by an average of 4.9% and 9.5% respectively. These price increases followed the 49% and 23% average season ticket price increases this past season for the Knicks and Rangers. Price increases for next season are primarily focused on our upper bowl seats and reflect the new amenities we plan to provide as part of the second phase of the transformation.
As Hank discussed this will include new and more comfortable seating, improved sidelines and a new and expanded 8th floor Garden Concourse, with new first class food and beverage options including exclusive food offerings and MSG signature Collection.
With the upcoming season ticket holder renewal deadlines of May 11 for the Rangers and May 18 for the Knicks, we are pleased with the current strong pace of Rangers and Knicks season ticket renewals.
On the marketing partnership front, we have recently established new partnerships with Unilever, Blackberry, Tissot, (inaudible). The emergence of Jeremy Lin also created additional sponsored opportunities including a partnerships with Thailand based companies Acer and Maxis and a court side marketing campaign with Coca-Cola that include signage in Mandarin.
In addition our marketing partners have activated around our teams at the highest levels yet the season bring MSG and our partners unprecedented visibility in the New York market and nationally. High-profile partner activation this season includes the Chase Blue Carpet, the Delta Instagram promotion, Coca-Colas Rangers Youth Street Hockey program, Anheuser-Busch (inaudible) and FootLocker’s Hottest Month Ever promotion. And with respect to transform Garden, we continue to maintain a pipeline of potential marketing partnerships and expect to have a more to announce in a coming months.
Our 58 Madison Level Suites, are expected to come on line for the 2012-13 Knicks and Rangers seasons.
Over 85% of these suites are now under contract or have agreements that are being finalized up 10 percentage points since our last call. And with nearly six months to go, we continue to successfully work towards achieving a full sellout by the time these suites come online.
In addition, we are pleased with the early sales progress for Madison Club and are in the market with two and four seat packages for all Knicks, Rangers and college basketball games.
MSG Sports also continues to host a variety of premiere and memorable sporting events. Recent highlights include for the fifth consecutive year, the BNP Paribas Tennis Showdown at the garden and as part of our strategy to expand our business outside of our venues the Montreal rendezvous tennis event at the Bell Centre in Montreal. In addition, we hosted the Big East tournament at the garden for the 30th consecutive year and most recently the NFL Draft, which has held at Radio City Music Hall last week.
I’ll now turn the call back over to Ari Danes.
Ari Danes
Thanks, Scott. Christi, can we open the call for questions?
05.10.12Has Dustin "Goldust" Runnels Been Released By WWE?, Latest Shelly Martinez …
– A rumor surfaced days ago on Twitter that Dustin Goldust Runnels, who has been working behind the scenes for WWE, has been released from his contract with the sports entertainment organization. He also began promoting a new Twitter account last week, @DRHODES_SAYS. Adding further suspicion to his status with the company, WWE.com transferred his profile from the Raw Superstars section to the Alumni section on Friday. The organization has not issued an announcement concerning Runnels being released.
– Shelly Martinez is holding a Get In Shape For Summer Contest where the winner receives a complete fitness program. Contest and sign-up details are available here.
– Former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy and Reby Sky appear for Northeast Wrestling at Pomperaug High School 234 Judd Rd. Southbury, Connecticut on June 23 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm (Event information)
05.10.12New Dodgers co-owner Guber to focus on the fan experience
Asked later to clarify what those enhancements will be, Kasten said, We have ideas. Thats all we have.
Many of those ideas belong to a man who was sitting offstage — Peter Guber, one of three other partners in Guggenheim Baseball Management in attendance.
Guber, as chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment Group, knows a thing or two about entertainment and enhancing a stadium experience.
He and Johnson are co-owners of the minor-league Dayton (Ohio) Dragons, the Cincinnati Reds Single-A affiliate. Ballpark Digest named the Dragons the Minor League Baseball Organization of the Year in 2011, and the team a year in which theyset a professional sports record with 815 consecutive sellouts.
The Dragons also have four mascots.
So whats next, the Dodger Duck?
You can hunt me down and kill me if theres a Dodger Duck, Guber said. But to say that every opportunity wont be looked at of how we can evolve our fan experience, I would not be telling the truth. There is no element that we wouldnt look at.
Guber said hell take a long look from
above. Specifically, he wants to put a camera atop the elevator tower on the top floor of the stadium behind home plate and film a few games to observe stadium operations practices.
Some flaws in the fan experience were obvious to Guber on Wednesday, like the delay between video and audio feeds on the left-field video board.
From a technological point of view, he said, this is like 18 th-century Fox.
Gubers Mandalay Sports Entertainment subsidiary also runs the Frisco (Texas) RoughRiders, the Texas Rangers Double-A affiliate. Its field, Dr Pepper Ballpark, was constructed in 2003 and offers a glimpse into how far Guber is willing to push the boundaries of the baseball fan experience.
The bullpens are built into the stands along the first- and third-base lines. A pool sits beyond the right-field fence, level with the outfield wall.
Fans come and theyre sitting here 32 hours, Guber said. Theres a lot of time between the innings, a lot of time between pitches. That doesnt mean youve got a lot of time for nothing. Youve got to engage them in a way, and let them be engaged and prompt them so they feel their time — even more than their money — is well-spent.
The Guggenheim team knows fans have their own ideas on what is and is not sacred about Dodger Stadium. Thats why they created an email address — fanbox@ladodgers.com — to solicit ideas from far and wide.
But perhaps this is why you include an owner who has more experience outside of baseball than inside. The Dodgers emphasize their tradition within MLB, but Guber put it in perspective Wednesday.
The Dodgers have been here, what, 54 years? The Bank of England is 300 years old. Thats tradition. The monarchy? Thats tradition, he said. The tradition we have to have is to entertain and engage fans in a meaningful, purposeful way in the 21 st century.
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05.9.12Lilian Garcia & The Miz Speak Out Against Bullying
Lilian Garcia and The Miz, who have both felt the brunt of bullying, spoke out on the subject in an interview with Jim Varsallone of The Miami Herald after appearing at a be a STAR anti-bullying rally at John F. Kennedy Middle School.
During his climb toward the top of WWEs upper echelon, The Miz was dumped on by his peers in the locker room. Many of the boys did not want him in the company due to his notoriety as a reality television star and tried to bully him out of a job, as been told numerous times by the world champion grappler himself in media interviews.
Nobody liked me, everyone wanted me fired and was trying to get me fired. Im in the WWE, and everyone there and the WWE Universe hates me. It made me feel like I was walking on egg shells, he recalled during an interview last year with Adelaide Now. I got kicked out of the locker rooms, so I couldnt find a place to change or shower. I remember one time going down the corridor to go to the (stadiums public) bathroom and fans going `Oh my god, thats The Miz – thanks, Im going to the bathroom next to a kid that has my shirt on. Its kind of belittling and humiliating. But its one of those things that made me stronger and made me realise I could take everything that anyone dishes.
Though he portrays a villainous character on television, The Miz himself is not a bully in real life. He encourages children to rise above negativity: Theres so much negativity in the world today. If you watch news, you see it on Twitter, you see it on Facebook. I try to challenge the kids to be more positive with their life. Complement one another, instead of doing all these negative posts on Facebook, or tweets, why not just make a positive realm about it? It makes you feel better as a person, it makes the other person feel better.
The WWE Superstar continues, So anytime we can do something in a neighborhood, any neighborhood, any city that we go to, we always try to hit high school, elementary school, middle school, any place we can get an audience of children because thats where it starts. Why not nip it in the bud before it even starts?
Many people find WWEs anti-bullying initiative to be hypocritical considering that the sports entertainment organization was founded on settling arguments with physicality. The Miz stressed that the battles in the ring shouldnt be taken at face value since WWE is an entertainment television program: You watch WWE, watch it for the entertainment value; its a television show. But the issues children go through each and every day are real. Theyre in the real world if you will. We try to basically say, Were a television show, its entertainment and when you go to school, literally, this is real life, this is how you deal with bullies and hopefully it works out well for everyone.
Similarly to The Miz, Garcia has been subject to blistering ridicule in the WWE workplace. There have been numerous incidents during her time with the sports entertainment organization where she has been publicly derided. Mick Foley notably took offense online to WWE executive/wrestler Triple H humiliating Garcia with a crass internal joke aimed at her physical appearance during an April 2010 episode of Raw where she handled ring announcing duties on short notice.
Why does someone like Triple H, one of the most talented, well paid guys in the business, do something so shallow and mean? Why would a multi-millionaire, with millions of fans around the world, feel the need (several times over the years) to say something that is only meant to hurt? Foley wrote online after seeing Triple H insult Garcia. I dont get it. I dont get why its done, I dont get why its condoned, I dont get what possible satisfaction anyone involved gets from demeaning someone like Lillian Garcia. I just dont get it.
The SmackDown ring announcer doesnt believe in the theory that words never hurt. She also thinks that bullies are individuals with insecurities.
I feel its so important to send a message and to tell people how their words are very, very powerful. That whole phrase of words will never hurt you, I dont believe that. Because words are very, very powerful, Garcia says.
She continues, Its important to send a message to them, to make them think twice and make them realize that its their own insecurities as to why theyre picking on somebody else.
Sanctioned violence and the sports-entertainment complex
Pretty heady headline, non? Well, if you#39;ve been watching sports over the last while you know that there seems to be a building wave of public sentiment that is casting an ever larger shadow over leagues like the NHL, NFL and NBA.
In hockey, you#39;ve got the year-long head-hitting debate that fans, players, management and everyone inbetween has been engaged in, mostly since Sidney Crosby took a tumble in the 2011 Winter Classic, but egged further on recently by the likes of Shea Weber and Raffi Torres.
Over on the hardcourt, the NBA has its own issues after LA Lakers forward Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) gave Oklahoma City#39;s James Harden a vicous, post-dunk elbow to the head that earned him a seven-game suspension in the playoffs. It#39;s getting bad enough over there that some are suggesting the NBA look at an NHL-style central foul review system. Because we all know how perfect that#39;s been working out for hockey…
Then there#39;s football, where former NFLer Ray Easterling recently commited suicide after dealing with dementia believed to be a result of head injuries suffered when he played for the Atlanta Falcons in the 1970s. Easterling was one of 1,500 other retired NFL players in a suit alleging that the league and the helmet maker, Riddell, deliberately concealed information about the neurological effects of repeated hits to the head.
Today, Charlie Pierce has a great piece on Grantland that avoids any teachable moments and what he calls, the prattle about What This Means To Us Going Forward. Instead, Pierce says,the lessons we will be told we should draw from the [Metta World Peace] episode almost assuredly will be all the wrong ones. They will address the lessons society should draw from sports. The real lessons should be those that sports now have to learn from society…
The sports-entertainment complex now is coming dangerously close to demanding for itself the right to set itself up as a sanction-free zone for legitimized violence. They appear to want an exemption from even the loosest codes that we have regarding the deliberate infliction of pain and suffering. And a great chunk of society seems prepared to grant them precisely that.
Go read it.
If Pierce is a bit light on hockey, Ken Dryden also had a Grantland piece over the weekend that addressed these issues from a puck-centric POV. It#39;s worth reading alone for the first anecdote on Johnny Bower and Gordie Howe. Among other things, Dryden points to a certain level of mutual respect missing from the game. In the 1980s, if opponents of the Edmonton Oilers had truly done everything to win the Cup, they would#39;ve gone after Wayne Gretzky#39;s head. It wasn#39;t Gretzky#39;s enforcer teammate, Dave Semenko, who stopped them, nor the referees nor the league officials and the suspensions they would have levied. The players wouldn#39;t do it, just as every Texas Rangers pitcher didn#39;t throw every pitch at Albert Pujols#39;s head in last year#39;s World Series. Some basic humanity, some basic belief in the essence of a game held them back.
As Dryden says later, and as will be evidenced in whatever happens going forward for the NHL, NBA and NFL when it comes to player safety and in-game violence, that the biggest enforcer of all is the public. Pierce, meanwhile, seems to be saying that leagues and players simply need to be held to the same rules and laws as we all outside the painted lines are. Both points are related and, as the number of people crying foul beyond what Don Cherry would call Pinkos grows, the case for change in how these games are played and supported no longer seems a question of if, but when.
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05.8.12WWE: Legitimacy Explained, Putting the Sport Back in Sports Entertainment
I dont care if WWE remains PG; being rated PG is not the entire problem, its only a small part of it. Just because a show is rated PG, doesnt mean it has to be filled with goofiness and poor acting.
I dont buy the defense that some use, when they say, its geared towards kids. I was a kid once too, and I always chose the more realistic wrestling over the circus mentality.
For instance, when the WWF had the Bushwhackers out there, eating sardines, and licking the heads of fans at ringside, I changed the channel to the more sophisticated and more intense, WCW, to watch a great match like The Rock n Roll Express vs. The Midnight Express.
A wrestling match is fun to watch for people of all ages, all the entertainment you need is right there in the match. I think its a great time to present a new product to the fans. It might be the only way to get viewership back up.
For newer fans, this version of WWE might be all you know, and thats what they have conditioned this generation of fans to expect. But there were eras when WWE and NWA/WCW used to focus more on the sport than on the entertainment.
You can look at any era of wrestling from any company and someone will always be able to point out something that is goofy, campy, or over-the-top; thats fine. Unfortunately, I know that there will always be something like that, but all I ask is that its kept to a very bare minimum if it must be done at all.
The easiest way WWE can at least try to legitimize their product is to try a whole new approach. Something that Vince McMahon probably would never want to do, because apparently he loves cheesy comedy, but what I think would be great, is if WWE focused on the Sport, in Sports Entertainment.
05.8.12The Players Club TV Special Comes to CBS
LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) –
Baseball legends take center stage Sunday, May 6 at 1pm EDT/10am PDT on the CBS special The Players Club, produced by AGA Sports Entertainment.
Host David “Boomer” Wells, a two-time World Series champion, welcomes Bo Jackson, the first athlete to be named an all star in baseball and football; Ozzie Smith and Wade Boggs, both members of the Hall of Fame; Randy Johnson a 5-time Cy Young Award winner; John Smoltz, the only pitcher in MLB history to top 200 wins and 150 saves; Gary Sheffield, a 9-time all star; Trevor Hoffman, the first major leaguer to reach the 500 and 600 save milestones; Frank Thomas, a 5-time all star and 2-time MVP; Joe Carter, best known for hitting the walk-off home run that won the 1993 World Series; Harold Reynolds, the 1991 winner of the Roberto Clemente Award; Rob Dibble, a World Champion and NLCS MVP, and Steve Garvey, a 10-time all star, World Series Champion and NL MVP.
The Players Club, the idea of Executive Producers Bill Garnet and Jacque Lueth, brings these 13 MLB greats to The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas for some fun and competition with events including basketball shooting, a skills event, Golf — closest to the pin, a Go-kart race and a Texas Holdem poker tournament.
Bill Garnet, of AGA Sports Entertainment had this to say about the upcoming show on CBS, “This is a great chance to catch up with some of the best players to ever play the game. Everyone loves to watch great athletes compete and have fun, now you can see them out of their element!” AGA Sports Entertainment is planning future versions of the show for football, basketball, and more. Make sure to tune in to watch The Players Club on Sunday May 6th at 1pm EDT/10am PDT on CBS.
For more information follow The Players Club on Twitter @PlayersClubTV and check out the facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/playersclubtv .
About AGA Sports Entertainment (
http://theplayersclubonline.com ):
AGA Sports Entertainment has carved out the niche in television and social media of combining sports with entertainment and reality TV. The principals behind AGA Sports Entertainment have a combined 70 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industries and have merged their resources to create this exciting new venture with a number of projects already in the pipeline.
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