AusLeisure

Lifelong learning is pivotal in any industry to continue to improve the currency of professionals - and even more so in the entertainment, sport and venue industries, which is going through a period of unprecedented change as a result of new and exciting developments for fans in areas such as fan engagement, safety and security, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and eSports.

The opportunity for industry professionals to learn the latest global trends around innovation and technology through a guided tour of leading US stadiums, arenas and venues is being offered by Hype Tours, supported by Australasian Leisure Management.

Running from 28th July to 6th August, the Global Venues Tour will take a group of 15 Australian and New Zealand professionals to the US to gain actionable insights from world-leading venues, aiming to equip the tour group with knowledge to excel within a competitive environment.

The tour will be led by leading venue, marketing and fan engagement expert Blair Hughes, who explains “it is vital in the ever evolving sports business that to be successful you must stay ahead of the pack by challenging and educating yourself about what is happening in this space.

“The best movers and shakers in our field are the ones who are prepared and who are identifying what is happening in the industry and taking action to have their team, stadium or business at the forefront.

“As a former high school teacher who instilled the importance of life long learning and goal setting into my students, I have also always made sure that I practiced what I preached because a major benefit of this is the ability to see new ideas and perspectives from outside your own circle. Any of you who follow me on LinkedIn or Twitter (@MrBlairHughes) or familiar with my website (mrblairhughes.com) would know that I frequently undertake my own professional development treks across the globe to look at what is happening in the industry and to network with new and existing colleagues in the sport business.

“In recent times I've trekked through the USA, UK and Australia taking in 70+ major venues, teams and meetings while I've recently just returned from exploring the IPL fan experience across India. However it's not just myself doing this as many colleagues are constantly traversing the world to seek out better ways of doing innovative things and achieving outcomes

“As a result of the tours that I've undertaken in the past, I've been asked on numerous occasions to lead a sports business tour to these markets. It’s now a great honour to state that I’ve been asked to help leading bouttique sports tour operator Hype Tours to lead a behind the scenes tour of US venues in late July.”

Commenting on the tour, Hype Tours Director Aaron Ford explains “visiting a wide range of venues across the US continues to be an amazing eye opener every year.

“The innovation and technology in the U.S stadiums and arenas is certainly cutting edge, and will be exciting to see how this continues to influence the Australian market”.

The US tour will take in major venues and meetings with leading US sports business professionals in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York including Staples Centre, AT&T Park and MetLife Stadium as well as meetings with some of the highest profile sports organisations in the world.

Hype Tours hosted former Fremantle Dockers General Manager Strategic Projects and now Perth Stadium Chief Operating Officer Brad Paatsch in the USA, which included a private tour of the LA Lakers practice facility.

Recalling his experience, Paatsch explains “meeting with the LA Lakers and visiting their facilities was really valuable and certainly helped shape some key ideas for the $109  million Cockburn ARC elite training and administration and community facility in the City of Cockburn, inclusive of the home of the Fremantle Dockers."

For more information or to register your interest to receive more information, click here and select 2017 ALM Global Venues Tour as the ‘tour of interest’.

Main image of The Staples Centre, Los Angeles used for illustrative purposes only.

23rd March 2017 - LEADING SPORT INDUSTRY TOUR OPERATOR OFFERS BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIEW OF TOP US VENUES

9th March 2017 - UNIQUE INDUSTRY STUDY TOUR TO GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT LEADING US VENUES 

15th December 2016 - INAUGURAL LEISURE INDUSTRY COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING AWARDS

23rd November 2016 - BRAD PAATSCH NAMED PERTH STADIUM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

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