The new year has not brought the triumphant return to live events that many were hoping for, but large-scale events such as CES are still forging ahead — albeit with reduced participation — and the industry is optimistic about 2022.
With a portfolio of over 300 venues around the world, ranging from McCormick Place to Allegiant Stadium, venue management company ASM Global has been at the forefront of the return of both B2B and B2C in-person events.
Last month, ASM Global hosted IAEE’s Expo! Expo! event at the Philadelphia Convention Center with robust safety measures in place, and the company has continued to build momentum despite the circumstances of the past couple years, closing 27 new venues deals during the pandemic.
XLIVE sat down with ASM Global President and CEO Ron Bension to discuss the outlook for the return of live events, as well as how the company is addressing changing consumer demands as they head back to venues and in-person gatherings.
XLIVE: How are event recovery timelines looking in different parts of the world as we begin 2022? Is the US in the lead when it comes to events coming back?
Ron Bension: Of course, Omicron represents a dynamic affecting our planning. For instance, at this mention, the UK is adding restrictions. But our belief right now is that the US is in the lead regarding recovery followed by the UK, Australia and Asia. We anticipate that conventions will be behind concerts by approximately one year.
XL: What differences have you been seeing between the B2B and live entertainment sectors? Live shows were quicker to return, and on a larger scale, in 2021 — is that trend set to continue?
RB: Yes. The lead time for exhibits and conventions are longer. At ASM we are focusing in on shorter lead times for B2B events like corporate, private and fundraising events. We are activating our arenas and stadiums to be more responsive to these activities.
XL: ASM Global has closed an impressive number of new venue deals during the pandemic. How were you able to accomplish that amid such a challenging global situation?
RB: It’s a testament to our collective ASM leadership team, global scale execution, industry leadership, reputation and ability to deliver results.
XL: Can you share a bit more about your partnership with Qualtrics? What role will this new offering play in supporting the return of the live events industry this year?
RB: It offers huge upside for leveraging guest experience and event data pre/during/post event. Richer analytics across our global footprint further enhances our guest data and understanding global trends and preferences. The data informs our ability to improve the business and elevate the customer experience. No other company offers its partners this type of value that ultimately drives results and improves the bottom line. Utilizing Qualtrics technology and platform in partnership with ASM’s global footprint and industry expertise creates a best-in-class global customer experience platform and provided the richest CX data and analytics anywhere.
XL: How are things progressing in terms of getting venues up and running with 5G connectivity? How is it already enhancing experiences for attendees/fans in both convention centers and stadiums/arenas?
RB: ASM Global is dedicated to the guest experience. Our investment in technology is providing great returns across the board including 5G. We continue to be on the cutting-the-edge of live entertainment.
XL: What themes/trends do you think will define the industry in 2022 (e.g., health & safety, sustainability, personalization, etc.) and how are you working to support these evolving needs and demands?
RB: Your examples are spot on. At ASM we’ve increased our CSR activities with a broader ASM Global Acts social responsibility platform. It emphasizes local, local, local with a real emphasis on sustainability, community relationships and activation. Indeed, we bring a global perspective and knowledge that can be applied to many different local situations. On other fronts, we’re capitalizing on embedded technology and richer data/analytics focusing on elevating the customer experience – Qualtrics strategic partnership and in venue food apps. In Health & Safety – we have VenueShield, global knowledge of trends and best practices with local expertise and execution.
XL: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?
RB: While most companies were worried about managing through the pandemic, we were focused on what was important to our clients when the industry opened back up. We focused on revenue general management and programs, content acquisition and strategies, VenueShield, technology and marketing. We spent the last year-and-a-half building our value proposition and maximizing our organization to elevate our services to our worldwide portfolio. We positioned ourselves for tremendous growth.