Sports Stadiums as Meeting and Corporate/Social Event Venues: A Perspective From Meeting/Event Planners and Sport Facility Administrators

Abstract

Meeting and event planners are constantly searching for unique venues to increase attendees’ satisfaction by providing a one-of-a-kind experience. Many newly constructed or renovated sport facilities strive to position themselves as a unique meeting/event venue. This research investigated the perceptions of meeting/event planners (buyers) and sport facility administrators (sellers) to identify and compare their perceived quality of professional sport stadiums as a meeting and corporate/social event venue. A qualitative research method (mix of interview and open-ended questionnaire) was used to collect data. The findings indicate there are differences and similarities in perceived advantages and disadvantages by each side. The event/meeting planners perceived inferior quality of audio/video (A/V) and food and beverage (F/B) service, a complex planning process, and unknown price structure as disadvantages. Notably, sport stadium administrators perceived their high quality on-site F/B and comparable A/V as their advantages as a unique event venue. This study provides useful information for sports stadium administrators striving to develop effective marketing and branding strategies to enhance the positioning of their facility as an attractive meeting and corporate/social event venue.