In a move to bolster its already strong position in the live event space, Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment Productions has hired freelance producer Christy Nicolay as executive producer of its worldwide events group.
Nicolay’s 30-plus years of experience covers multiple Olympic Games, the X Games, Pan American Games and other international events. For the Rio Games last summer, working for the local organizing committee, she managed 1,600 people tied to event production across multiple venues.
At Van Wagner, Nicolay will be responsible for expanding business, especially internationally, where her expertise lies from working eight Olympics. Van Wagner officials see opportunities to grow in action sports, as well as skiing and snowboarding events.
“Her expertise on the worldwide events side and ours on the domestic side made for a really good hire under our umbrella,” said Bob Becker, Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment Productions’ executive vice president.
The scope of the Van Wagner division’s work extends to creating content and outsourcing equipment from companies such as Daktronics and GoVision. Daktronics Creative Services and Famous Group are among its competitors for various services.
The production group, formerly Big Screen Networks, has been the NFL’s official video board production company for the past 34 Super Bowls, a role it will continue to fill for next month’s game at NRG Stadium in Houston.
In addition, Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment Productions has worked every NCAA championship event for the past 10 years. The group also has deals with the Kentucky Derby, NHL, College Football Playoff and multiple conferences and Pac-12 schools.
Over the years, Nicolay has worked as an independent contractor and crossed paths with many Big Screen/Van Wagner employees while running large-scale events.
Her husband, Bobby Chacon, is a retired FBI agent and a technical adviser on the television show “Criminal Minds,” and they both wanted to remain closer to Los Angeles on a permanent basis, Nicolay said. She’ll no longer have to relocate overseas for two to three years at a time.
Her first event production with Van Wagner is this weekend’s Race of Champions, an auto racing event at Marlins Park in Miami.
