Industry News

Live Nation and OVG partner with Elevate

Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, and Oak View Group (OVG) have linked up with sports consultancy firm Elevate Sports Ventures.

Under the deal, Elevate will handle the sales and servicing for OVG properties, including Seattle’s proposed NHL ice hockey expansion team, which would host its home games at a renovated KeyArena (pictured).

On behalf of OVG, Elevate will support the premium seating and suite sales and servicing strategy associated with the proposed renovations to the new arena development at Seattle Center.

The project is tied to the city’s interest in serving as a destination for a potential NHL expansion team.

“This is an exciting time for this young company as we are now less than 120 days in and currently have a pipeline filled with projects in every single professional sports league, including esports,” said Elevate chief executive and 49ers president Al Guido.

“Elevate is honoured to be working on NHL Seattle with Tod Leiweke and look forward to bringing our expertise to all other OVG properties as well. And the ability to add Live Nation and Ticketmaster and their experience in technology and ticketing to our list of Elevate offerings is a huge differentiator for our business.”

Elevate is a sports consultancy company that was launched five months ago by the NFL American football franchise the San Francisco 49ers and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.

“As a company, OVG, we ultimately want to be a solution for anything and everything that facilities and brick and mortar projects in the sport and entertainment space need,” said Tim Leiweke, founder and chief executive of Oak View Group.

“To have a group and an entity that is not only experienced, knowledgeable and sophisticated, but also driven by maximising those premium revenues by giving us the correct advice on structuring and building and selling our premium, is really critical.”

Image: Jeramey Jannene