Buying Sideline: The Business of Sports Hospitality

Kyle Pagan sits down with Carter Young, Utah State’s Deputy AD and CRO to talk about the program's next premium hospitality opportunity. They discuss why the school invested in endzone suites, the strategy behind full-suite packages and a potential end-zone club with individual seats, why former football players have emerged as an unexpected source of demand, and explore Utah State’s 100% renewal rate, and why donor loyalty complicates the push toward frictionless online purchasing.

0:00 - Carter Young's Career in Sports Hospitality
4:10 - Investing in Field Level Suites
5:36 - How to Price Premium Experiences
10:02 - 100% Renewals & Customer Experience
16:11 Funding in a New Athletic Era
17:06 - Building Year-Round Revenue
18:48 - What's Premium Hospitality is next at Utah State
20:48 - College Football Playoff's Impact On Hospitality
23:50 - Frictionless Purchasing

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Kyle Scott and Kyle Pagan speak with Rice interim Athletic Director, Eric George, about the Gateway Project and plans to transform First Community Stadium into a destination for football, entertainment, and community events. George explains why Rice is downsizing its stadium, adding premium seating, and connecting the venue to Rice Village. The conversation covers the construction timeline, plans for international soccer and concerts, the First Community Credit Union partnership, and how Rice is pursuing new revenue beyond traditional ticket sales and donor support.

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Kyle Pagan talks to Party Shack and Front Row Suites Founder and CEO, Bobby Bowers, about their flexible, semi-permanent premium hospitality structures. Bobby talks about generating multimillion-dollar revenue through projects in Ohio State's South Endzone, why traditional stadium construction doesn't always make financial sense, why younger premium buyers are becoming decision makers, and shares details about OSU's next phase of suite remodels, the company's emerging relationship with RevelXP, and why they're eyeing motorsports as its next major opportunity.

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Kyle Pagan talks with DLR Group's Jordan Krug and Ryan Freeland about premium hospitality reshaping stadium design. Jordan works on the sports interior design side, while Ryan focuses on the broader architecture and exterior. DLR Group recently completed premium hospitality spaces in Missouri football's Memorial Stadium renovation and is currently involved in the $400 million renovation of Camping World Stadium in Orlando, where the Jaguars will play next season. We discuss how Mizzou created distinct premium experiences while preserving the traditions that make a 100 year old football stadium unique; why premium spaces are increasingly being designed for different price points and demos; how food, beverage and residential design are influencing stadiums; and why architects, interior designers, ticketing teams and hospitality operators increasingly need to work together from day one.

0:00 - Evolution of Stadiums into Hospitality

6:13 - Missouri Football's New Premium Builds

9:17 - Design Process: Culture, Collabs, Partners

24:30 - Modular Hospitality Spaces

28:32 - Emerging Hospitality Trends

30:35 - Camping World Stadium Renovation

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