- July 9, 2025
- Posted by: SportsV
- Categories: Home News, Industry News, News, Press Releases
Oak View Group (OVG), the global leader in venue development, management and hospitality, has announced a landmark partnership with Southampton Football Club to deliver a world-class food and drink offering at St Mary’s Stadium from the start of the 2025/26 season.
Under the new agreement, OVG will take on all food and beverage operations at St Mary’s, the biggest stadium on the south coast, working closely with the club to elevate the matchday experience and unlock long-term commercial growth. OVG will introduce a wide range of grab-and-go options at concourse stalls throughout the stadium, as well as premium offerings in suites and bars, to deliver an outstanding gameday experience for all fans.
This announcement marks the latest step in the expansion of OVG’s hospitality offering to UK and European sports and entertainment venues. This includes at Co-op Live in Manchester – the largest indoor arena in the UK – and through a joint venture with City Football Group to deliver catering at the Etihad Stadium.
OVG is also working with Aston Villa to deliver a new world-class music and live entertainment venue adjacent to Villa Park, and supporting other iconic British venues such as Wembley Stadium, Anfield Stadium and Murrayfield Stadium.
The 2025 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition – focused on elevating the live experience – is being held at Villa Park on October 6-7th. An Opening Night Icebreaker will kick things off on October 5th (venue TBC) and will close with the SVB LIVE Awards at BCFC’s St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park on the evening of October 7th. AVFC’s VP of Venue Operations, Laura-Marie Worsey, and Guy Dunstan, SVP & GM, Co-op Live, are among the stellar speaker lineup.
The expansion of OVG’s hospitality delivery in the UK is emulating the success of OVG’s model in the U.S. where it provides high quality and a renowned food and drink offering at notable US sports venues, such as Chaifetz Arena, Citizens Bank Park and Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Mark Donnelly, Executive Vice President Venue and Operations at Oak View Group, said:
“We’re delighted to be partnering with such a historic and respected club as Southampton FC. St Mary’s is an iconic venue, and we’re excited to bring OVG’s signature hospitality experience to its fans. From premium offerings to everyday matchday favourites, our goal is to deliver exceptional food and drink, week in, week out. This partnership represents another important step in the growth of our UK footprint and deepens our commitment to elevating the hospitality experience across football clubs nationwide.”
Greg Baker, Chief Revenue Officer at Southampton Football Club, said:
“We’re delighted to be entering this new partnership with OVG, which represents a significant step forward in enhancing the food and beverage experience for our fans. This collaboration will elevate the quality of service, broaden the variety of food offerings, and improve overall efficiency, all key components of a seamless and enjoyable matchday experience.”
Michalis Fragkiadakis, Senior Vice President of Hospitality Strategy at Oak View Group, said:
“We’re proud to be partnering with Southampton FC and excited to bring our innovative approach to hospitality, raising the bar for food and drink at one of the country’s leading football clubs. We are fans first and believe food and drink are central to the fan experience, and we’re committed to doing this at every level at St Mary’s.”
SVB LIVE events focus on elevating the live experience through architecture & design, commercialisation, customer journey, fan & premium experience, hospitality, interiors & fit-out, sustainability and technology.
Check out the latest sports and entertainment venue development data from across the globe in the exclusive, subscription-only, SVB Global Report here.
