PTI Digital and Oak View Group announce five-year strategic relationship

PTI Digital has been appointed by Oak View Group as strategic consultancy partners for the arenas in OVG’s international regions. Initially focusing on the £350m Co-op Live at Manchester’s Etihad Campus, PTI Digital will provide venue-related expertise alongside technology, digital and data consultancy services.

After forming a strong relationship throughout 2020, during which time PTI were engaged by Oak View Group to help design a world-class digital consumer experience for Co-op Live, the consultancy will continue to work on the Arena project through to the venue opening in December 2023 at the earliest.

PTI will provide expertise across supporting sales from a digital perspective, continuing the development and delivery of the data and digital landscape and continued roll-out and oversight of the Venue Technology stack.

From strategy to execution, PTI Digital will deliver an integrated technology, digital and data strategy for Co-op Live, before managing the procurement of these elements and programme-directing their implementation to create a seamless consumer experience. Key projects already underway include customer persona generation, data warehousing, venue website and creation of a mobile app.

PTI Digital is a technology, data and digital-focused business consultancy, providing world-class venue technology expertise and digital-led business transformation journeys for clients. Specialists in the sport and entertainment industries, PTI recently announced the opening of their Australia office to oversee APAC operations, alongside senior hires in the EMEA and APAC regions to support a growing client roster.

Oak View Group launched OVG International, based in London, in 2018 to expand operations and explore arena and stadium development, and partnership opportunities in the market outside North America, including the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The ongoing relationship between PTI and OVG will see PTI acting at a strategic consultancy level and providing digital-led business expertise above each arena project.

The California-based Group, founded in 2015 by live entertainment leaders Irving Azoff and Tim Leiweke, is already responsible for significant North American projects including the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, the UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders, the Coachella Valley Arena and the Moody Centre in Austin, Texas.

PTI Digital’s CEO Mike Bohndiek said:

This hugely significant relationship between OVG and PTI comes following the success of our engagement providing data, digital and technology consultancy to Co-op Live and is a real statement of intent for OVG International’s ambitions to develop world-class arenas in the digital age. We are able to provide OVG world-class expertise across our core business areas, increasing our provision of services from the demonstrable success and value in the initial relationship. We are very much looking forward to continuing the relationship, providing support and expertise to OVG throughout the international region.

Mark Donnelly, COO of OVG International, said:

OVG is committed to delivering a world-class experience in all our venues, ensuring they are built for the times we live in but also with an eye to the future. PTI have a unique proposition in covering commercial, data & digital and technology expertise in a single place and the team are supporting us to articulate a vision of that digital future, making sure the backbone infrastructure is in place to connect that for us.

PTI’s CEO, Mike Bohndiek, moderated the “Reopening with Confidence” panel session at this week’s ALSD International – Virtual event, with speakers George Vaughan, Head of Technology, Ascot Racecourse, Mark Kelly, Managing Director, Ashton Gate Stadium, Matt Roberts, Research & Analytics Director, Formula 1 and Robert Fitzpatrick, CEO, The Odyssey Trust.

About Co-op Live

Oak View Group is developing the UK’s biggest and most exciting new arena in Manchester – with the project injecting £350m of private investment into the local area.

• The construction project, the single-largest in the city, will give the regional economy a £1.5bn boost over the next 20 years. Works are underway, and the venue is set to open at the end of 2023.
• The construction phase will support over 3,300 jobs, and a further 1,000 jobs once the venue opens.
• Co-op Live will deliver the largest arena in the UK, with state-of-the-art visual tech, cutting-edge audio and world-class acoustics paired with a low ceiling to maintain an atmosphere that creates the best fan experience and the ultimate stage for performers.
• Co-op Live has committed £1m per annum to local and national charities and good causes.

About OVG

Oak View Group (OVG) is a global sports and entertainment company founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015. OVG is focused on being a positive disruption to business as usual in the sports and live entertainment industry, and currently has eight divisions across global offices in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Philadelphia and London.

About PTI Digital

PTI Digital is an integrated consultancy specialising in driving smart, scalable and sustainable revenues for the sports and entertainment industry through a holistic digital-led commercial vision. PTI Digital brings expertise in digital-led business transformation and industry-leading venue technology support and delivery.

PTI Digital has offices in the UK and Australia delivering across the EMEA and APAC regions.

Source & imagery, courtesy: PTI Digital and Co-op Live

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