Tim Leiweke And Irving Azoff Create A New World For Arenas

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2016/10/05/tim-leiweke-and-irving-azoff-create-a-new-world-for-arenas/#3046410d41ca

Oct 5, 2016 @ 11:14 AM

Tim Leiweke And Irving Azoff Create A New World For Arenas

Steve Baltin

The former President and CEO of both Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and AEG, Tim Leiweke brings one of the most impressive resumes in sports and entertainment to the table. Couple that with one of the few people whose resume is equally as storied, music industry titan Irving Azoff, who has managed the Eagles, Van Halen, Christina Aguilera and more, as well as serving as the former CEO of Ticketmaster and current CEO of Azoff MSG entertainment, Leiweke’s partnership with Madison Square Garden, and you have a union that could change the scope of the arena world.

That’s what the pair, who have joined forces for the Oak View Group, are hoping with the recent announcement of their “Arena Alliance.” The recently announced Alliance creates a union of sorts for such influential venues as The Forum (Los Angeles), Madison Square Garden (New York), Pepsi Center (Denver), Wells Fargo Center (Denver) and 18 other buildings.

Together the 22 venues service 75 million people, creating a powerful outreach for sponsors, media, artists and more.

“Having an opportunity to build on the strengths of the best arenas in the business and align the 75 million fans that come through their doors is something unprecedented in our space,” said co-chairman Peter Lukko. “We’re buying together, selling together and thinking together in a manner that’s never been seen in our industry.”

To Leiweke the new challenge and opportunities are what make the Arenas Alliance so exciting as he explained when I spoke with him.