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| Juergen Sommer |
LST Marketing has hired former professional football player Juergen Sommer to lead the agency’s push into int’l football and other field sports. In the newly created position of exec director of field sports, Sommer will spearhead LST’s efforts in the category. The Indianapolis-based agency has already seen a positive impact from Sommer’s appointment as it has led to discussions with Major League Soccer and EPL clubs regarding various business matters, LST Marketing CEO John Lopes said. He declined to reveal the names of those clubs. Sommer’s 15-year professional career included a three-year stint with the Queens Park Rangers in the mid-90s, where he became the first U.S.-born goalkeeper to play in the Premier League. He was also a member of the U.S. World Cup squads in ’94 and ’98. After retiring in ‘02, the 47-year-old New Yorker began a business career that included stations at McDonald’s Corp. and an Indianapolis-based real estate firm. Jonathan Byrd's Event & Entertainment, which is co-owned and operated by LST, last week entered into a multiyear partnership with the City of Westfield, Indiana, to manage the commercial business and marketing of the Grand Park Events Center. Sommer will initially lead the
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Grand Park initiative as the exec director of the Grand Park Events Center while also being tasked with expanding LST’s business possibilities in field sports. The Grand Park Events Center is expected to host around 100 events annually as part of the partnership, Lopes said. Sommer will report to Lopes and LST President Starke Taylor. He will split his time between LST’s HQ in Indianapolis and the new Jonathan Byrd's Event & Entertainment office in Westfield. Sommer will be joined by LST’s T.J. Land, who was promoted to director of marketing services of Grand Park Events Center. While football is the focal point of the LST’s expansion plans, the agency is also looking at baseball, American football and lacrosse for new opportunities. LST Marketing was founded by former Andretti Sports Marketing execs Lopes and Taylor in September. The duo acquired ASM following a legal dispute with Andretti Autosport. While the agency continues to explore events in the open-wheel, sports car and rally spaces, it is not LST’s core business focus, Lopes said. He added that Sommer’s connections in the field sports industry were a key component of bringing him on board. “Juergen brings an ideal mix of skill and experience to LST Marketing for this new role," Lopes said. "He has extensive connections and proven results in the field sports industry.” LST’s current list of clients includes Volkswagen, Lamborghini, IMSA and TE Connectivity.
