30 hospitality
Having visited one of the top 10 UK performers in its specialist sector, and the leading exponent of its professional business in the Solent region, journalist John Burbedge wonders . . .
Are businesses missing out on a local win-win opportunity?
Southampton FC kindly invited The Business Magazine to join its end of season celebrations at its final home match at St Mary’s Stadium – and what a season.
Not only have ’Saints’ produced their best year in the Premier League with a record 56 points, but three of its on-field stars – Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Rickie Lambert – will also be representing England at this year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Who would have thought that Southampton FC would be ending the 2013/14 season in a top 10 position contesting their final match against the reigning champions Manchester United, just one place above them at seventh in the Premier League?
As a former sports editor, I’ve attended many football matches, but the live working demands of the media on matchdays means that I have seldom enjoyed matches from the corporate hospitality point of view.
Yet here I was, not covering the match (“Saints v Red Devils, one hell of a fixture here at St. Mary’s ….“) but sampling the event from its business entertainment and off-the-field enjoyment aspect. (“Saints,
really do put on some heavenly hospitality ... sorry it’s the headline-writer in me!).
To be frank, the skill levels on the pitch were high, but the match itself, although enlightened by two goals, one from Lambert and the other a superb Juan Mata free-kick, was a typical season-ending draw between teams with little to play for.
Previously, I had spoken to some chaps from the Canford Real Tennis Club, near Bournemouth and one admitted that it was his first visit to Premier League match hospitality. He had been surprised by the quality of food, facilities and friendly atmosphere. “If I’d known it was going to be this good, I would have brought my wife.“
My journalistic instinct kicked in and I began to wonder what other business people within Saints suites thought of this season’s performance of the club’s off-the-field corporate hospitality team.
St Mary’s was purpose built only 13 years ago to UEFA-accredited standards, so frankly those taking hospitality packages can be assured of watching the beautiful game in beautiful stylish surroundings, but does their
corporate expenditure ’do the business’ for them? I asked a few.
Long-running seasonal executive boxholder Paris Smith achieves a win-win it seems.
It
uses its box for guest entertainment, staff meetings and even non-matchday business meetings – while actively supporting Southampton FC, which is a client.
“To have a high-profile involvement with a Premier League club is about as good marketing as you can get,“ said Jonathan Roy, a partner at the Southampton legal firm. The Saints box is part of the firm’s integral links with the Solent area. It also purchases hospitality packages at cricket and theatre events locally.
Paul Le Mare says Assent Building Control occasionally hires out an executive box for its Solent clients. “The staff are so friendly, booking is easy, the atmosphere relaxed, which gives it a tick over other corporate hospitality, and you can’t help but have fun.“
Kevan Roberts MD of KAR Painting Contractors had hosted a three-course fine dining experience with his guests in one of the 46 pitch-viewing executive boxes.
www.businessmag.co.uk
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JUNE 2014
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