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SPOR TING VENUES
HOSPITALITY in
ACTION
CORPORATE HOSPITALITY HAS COME IN FOR SOME HEAVY CRITICISM OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WITH FEWER RESOURCES AND TIGHTER CONTROLS RESULTING IN DIMINISHED BUDGETS. HOWEVER, HOSPITALITY STILL VERY MUCH HAS ITS PLACE IN A COMPANY’S BUSINESS STRATEGY AND A SPORTING VENUE COULD BE JUST THE TICKET FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT, AS COLETTE DOYLE DISCOVERS
HE BIG EVENTS SUCH AS Wimbledon, Royal Ascot and the Ashes series of 2013 will always draw the crowds, but if you’re looking to put on a successful hospitality
event at a more cost-effective price there are plenty of alternatives, advises Ed James, Director of agency Sporting Agenda. “We’ve taken annual boxes at quite a few
[small] racecourses and you can still organise a really worthwhile hospitality day at the races for considerably less than at some of the bigger meetings,” says James. By way of clarification, he adds: “In our view, the key
to this is enhancement. There are many ways to do this, and at a recent trip to Perth races in Scotland we added in lots of extras, including employing a professional host for the day – someone who knows all about the form of the horses and the people involved, and who can bring the sport to life.” The same principles, notes James, can be applied to hospitality at many sporting venues, “whether it be a traditional picnic at the Rugby internationals and Royal Ascot, ‘beat-the-pro’ at a private golf tournament, a wily and experienced guide on a day’s fishing, or a gardening expert joining your table at the Chelsea Flower Show,” he elaborates. As a nice touch at the end of the day, James
recommends organising a gift for guests. “Something small but memorable, it could be an inscribed hip flask or binoculars,” he says. At event organiser and activity specialist
StagWeb, Managing Director Simon Denning agrees that a sporting venue can provide an auspicious environment for a corporate hospitality event. “To get results out of a staff entertainment budget, well planned and carefully matched sporting events are hard to beat. It can be as simple as a day’s racing or as detailed as a multi-activity day coupled with a presentation ceremony and gala dinner.” Denning summarises the inherent value
to a company and the return on investment it can expect from a well-executed hospitality
WIMBLEDON
PALIFE.CO.UK
♦ 18 ♦
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 • PALife
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