Facility Notes

Levy Eating Away At Aramark’s Market Share

SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Don Muret reports since October ’03, Levy Restaurants “has more than doubled its market share in general concessions from 7[%] to 18[%], primarily at the expense of Aramark.” Levy replaced Aramark at six major league sports facilities in a 12-month period spanning ’04-05 and assumed regular concessions this season at Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium. On the catering side, Levy has surpassed Aramark as the industry leader with 29.2% of premium contracts. Since fall ’03, Levy has secured contracts in three of four new arenas and five of 11 new or extensively renovated stadiums (SBJ, 9/12 issue).

TURF’S UP: In Atlanta, Steve Wyche reports the Falcons are installing FieldTurf in their indoor training facility “months after spending $10[M] on a state-of-the-art housing complex for players and coaches” at the team’s Flowery Branch HQs. The turf is identical to the surface at the Georgia Dome and should be fully installed this week. Falcons President & GM Rich McKay: “Almost from the day I got here, I heard complaints about the field in the indoor facility” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/13).

RETURN ON INVESTMENT: In Ft. Lauderdale, Jeffrey Zbar noted execs think BankAtlantic’s ten-year naming-rights deal for the former Office Depot Center “could become the model of future naming-rights sponsorships.” The bank’s colors are red and blue, and NHL Panthers players will wear red jerseys on Fridays when BankAtlantic hosts its “Red Fridays” promotion. Weekday start times are 7:00pm ET, “playing off the bank’s seven days of operation.” Also, the team and bank share the same ad agency, Zimmerman & Partners, Ft. Lauderdale, “so synergies will grow as the two market together” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 9/12).