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Game Changers

Game Changers: Alison Weber

Photo: JUSTIN WINGET

A
lison Weber has witnessed firsthand the revolution in sports food during her 22 years at Levy Restaurants.

Alison Weber
LEVY RESTAURANTS
During that time, she has advanced to become Levy’s executive vice president, strategy and creative group, putting her in a position where she sits in boardrooms alongside teams’ decision-makers and gets out front on the top trends in the industry. That includes the exploding growth of menus and higher-end concessions at sports venues. And whether it’s bringing in celebrity chefs and their signature recipes or adopting the European model of communal dining, it all boils down to one thing: tapping into fans’ emotions through their stomachs.

“Food is a really emotional business,” Weber said. “It connects the fans and brings them together. The benefit of that is a great revenue driver and a great fan satisfier.”

Weber’s love of sports food stems from her days as an 18-year-old hot dog and beer vendor at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. She landed at Levy in 1992 after working in public relations for iconic retailer Bloomingdale’s.

Now, Weber said she believes she can give Levy an edge at the point at which a team must decide which concessionaire is the best fit for its venue.

“I look at the passion around the NFL in particular, the growth around women and the focus around women,” she said. “My voice is their voice at the table. I’m here to represent the future of what sports experiences could look like from a broader perspective.”

— Don Muret

  • Woman in sports business you’d most like to meet: Billie Jean King. Throughout all her careers, she has been a game changer; her work and her story can inspire all generations of women.
  • Best advice received: Early advice: “Don’t ever stop asking ‘Why?’ and thinking about ‘What if?’” Recent advice: “Leaders who get the most out of their people are the leaders who care the most about their people.” (Simon Sinek)
  • Career turning point: Almost a decade ago, having the leadership support of Larry Levy and Andy Lansing to envision, create and cultivate a team of innovators at Levy Restaurants. It gave us the engine we needed to bring food and hospitality to new levels and to spark a broadened focus on fan experiences. It also gave a lot of passionate foodies a great sandbox to play in.
  • Outside of work and family, I’m spending a lot of my time on … : Learning more about connecting with and mentoring our next generation of leaders.

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