How the Major Events Industry is Changing
How the Major Events Industry is Changing
May 23, 2018
In today’s event world, the patron experience has reached an all time high. The expectations of having a deeper interaction with the event, having the most comfortable seat, and the best food options have replaced the hot dog and soda that once dominated this world. Coupled with the need to make every space dynamic to host the basketball game at noon and be ready for the hockey game or concert that night puts a lot of pressure on facilities to rise to the occasion. The products that support the industry have changed drastically to meet the demands for patrons.
To understand this evolution, it is important to look back at the beginning and what was expected in the early days. Many of the early facilities were built for one purpose and they supported one type of event. As the cost of real estate, maintenance, and up keep continued to grow, the need to convert these buildings became paramount. If the lights are off, the building is losing money and everyday it sits vacant, the costs continue to skyrocket. The trend then became to host other events to fill these dark days. The advent of the portable stage away from the permanent structure gave venues the ability to not only host concerts, but also host large general assembly productions and dramatic events. The large venues were becoming an everyday of the week destination and not just the weekend.
The next evolution came with the conversion of the seating areas to allow these other types of games and events to be hosted. During all of this, the patron was starting to demand an experience that was equivalent to the raising ticket prices. That has put pressure on facilities to find a higher end seating experience that is closest to the event level. From the modern movement of bunker suites to the best seats in the house being something more than a folding chair, the products have evolved as well to fill these needs.
The needs of different events and lack of storage have made it important to have equipment that can be used in multiple configurations to convert the arena or stadium. Success comes when you can move the fewest items from storage to the performance area and back. This saves time and handling. From flexible portable staging components that can be preset, demountable seating risers that are pallets for easy movement, to having telescopics that can do double duty for both hockey and basketball, this gives the facility the ability to make it happen. The conversion time can be greatly reduced. Every event can focus on the support of their team without worrying about the support that they are standing on. This goes a long way to making sure the patron has an event to remember.
Conclusion
In the upcoming months we will look at different arenas and stadiums we have worked with that have installed these systems to optimize conversions and improve the usability of their venue. We’ll note the unique challenges and innovative solutions that have transformed the industry.
As the event experience continues to evolve, the equipment that makes it possible will continue to change as well.
Next Post
Our next post will be from the StageRight Performance Division and will give tips for using marching band equipment.
