66 hospitality
Reading FC starts the season in mouth-watering matchday style
Last month was a bright new dawn for Reading Football Club. Promotion to the Premier League; a new owner, Anton Zingarevich, at the helm; and a talented squad of players – on and off the field.
John Burbedge of The
Business Magazine went along to the opening home match of the season, against Stoke City, to see what was on offer in terms of matchday hospitality
The new signing from Cardiff, skilfully enhanced ‘the beautiful game’ at the Madejski Stadium with an attractive and deft display of tight control, and quick- finishing, not to mention faultless passing within a crowded area.
Admittedly, he was the chef in the 1871 Suite, and he was demonstrating the art of making mouth-watering Mexican tortilla wraps, but his performance nonetheless brought murmurs of appreciation from the watching Royals fans – ‘Chef's Theatre’ had arrived at The Madejski for the Premier League season.
The Royals chefs (ours had previously worked at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff) will be demonstrating their culinary talents throughout the season in the 1871 Suite, adding presentational panache to the two-course pre-match lunch. Tex Mex was the style of the day for this first match of the season, but various other food themes are promised to tempt the tastebuds of future match guests.
“We wanted to offer more innovation and variety this season,” explained Reading FC marketing director Emma Pierce. “Our packages have seen strong demand now that we are back in the Premier League, and we are attracting businesses from across the spectrum – from small and medium-sized companies to the bigger names such as BP and Dell.”
A trend this season has been for SMEs to book groups or whole tables for individual matches. With the two top packages – the Royal Suite and Executive Club – sold out for the entire season, the good news is that there is still some availability for the 1871 Suite, the Premier Suite, where the package includes a three-course pre-match meal, and the Kennet Room Bar, where matchday prices can be as low as £60+VAT per head.
www.businessmag.co.uk
City, Chelsea and Manchester United at the Madejski Stadium.
Last season ended with the Royals winning the Championship for the second time. A glorious finale, and with promotion being reckoned to be worth £90 million to the club, another golden opportunity for Reading FC to mix it with the greatest teams in England.
For the town of Reading, the Premier League is said to be worth £30m. As accountants James Cowper said at
The chef's table
Having sampled it for ourselves, the popularity of Reading FC hospitality is very understandable – it’s simply a splendid way to enjoy watching live soccer in the Thames Valley played by world- known superstars.
We were guests in the 1871 Suite, which offers VIP dining in spacious, contemporary surroundings with excellent pitch views, and personal padded match seats on the North West stadium corner.
Along with an ample main course range of Tex Mex delights, the dessert course offered fruit puddings and compotes, chocolate tarts and pastries, ice cream, with coffee to follow.
Tea, and coffee with biscuits and soft drinks were available at half- time and at the final whistle, when other football results were eagerly viewed on wall-mounted screens. A bar was open before and after the match. Wine was provided with the main meal.
The hospitality provided actually extends beyond the 1871 Suite (and the other VIP suites). The worry of car parking is removed with reserved spaces for hospitality guests, and staff greet you at the Reading FC reception with a warm welcome.
In fact, that friendly service is a The Premier Suite
feature of the matchday staff, whether it’s to help guests with directions, to greet you at the suite with a complimentary match programme, the helpful black- tabarded waiters and waitresses, or the betting agents available for those who want ‘a flutter’ on the match.
But, there are also sound business reasons for wanting to make the most of Madejski matchday hospitality facilities.
With Reading FC now in the elite division, a feel-good reaction has been created among businesses in the Thames Valley. The Royals success has given a boost to the local economy, has raised the status of the town, only highlighted by the hosting of Premier League teams of the calibre of Manchester
the time of promotion, other clubs like Swansea and Blackpool have estimated that a place in the top tier brings £30m of benefits to the town, and Reading is unlikely to be any different.
For businesses in the region, it’s an opportunity not only to support the club as it begins its toughest season yet, but to use the home matches as key events for corporate hospitality.
Details: Reading FC hospitality team 0118-9681010
hospitality@readingfc.co.uk www.readingfc.co.uk/commercial/ hospitality/
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – SEPTEMBER 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72