AEG has hired Levy Restaurants’ retail arm Rank + Rally to run retail operations at the Staples Center and StubHub Center in Los Angeles, and Target Center in Minneapolis. AEG owns those buildings and has been managing the team shops there.
AEG Chief Revenue Officer Todd Goldstein said Levy already provides food and beverage services at the three buildings. AEG started talking to Rank + Rally about a retail agreement a couple years ago, and the unit’s success at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas provided the final impetus to get a deal done. The Vegas Golden Knights, the arena and Rank + Rally set NHL per cap and other sales records this past season. Goldstein said AEG looked at other potential retail providers but the focus was on Rank + Rally.
Terms of the deal, including its structure, were not disclosed.
Rank + Rally gains the in-venue retail shops and e-commerce operations for the Lakers, Clippers, Sparks, Kings, Chargers and Galaxy in Los Angeles, and the Timberwolves and Lynx in Minneapolis. The company also will handle retail sales at the Toyota Sports Center practice facility for the NHL’s Kings and the WNBA’s Sparks, and the Amgen Tour of California bike race.
In addition to the Vegas Golden Knights, Rank + Rally’s retail portfolio includes the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues.
“Our fans will have more choices and a streamlined experience regardless of where, when and how they want to shop,” said Lee Zeidman, president of Staples Center.
Under the deal, AEG Vice President of Merchandising Sean Ryan will join Rank + Rally as vice president of retail. Workers in AEG’s retail division will also have the chance to obtain jobs with Rank + Rally. Thirty-five AEG retail managers will make the move to Rank + Rally. The deal affects 273 AEG employees overall.
