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
