Welcome to the Future of Live Events
Where the Venue is as Exciting as the Entertainment
Today, sporting events and live entertainment compete with an endless stream of digital content. As a result, fans expect much more from the in-person experience. Venues must deliver experiences that are immersive, tech-enabled, and seamless—think frictionless entry, in-stadium sportsbooks, personalized offerings, and digital touchpoints that keep fans engaged whether they’re in the seats, or half a world away. Elevating the fan experience creates new and diversified revenue streams and broadens opportunities for lucrative global brand-building—for team and venue owners, investors, and their technology, hospitality, retail, and marketing partners.
So what is the upside for venue owners and investors? A potential increase in revenue, driven by higher ticket sales and increased fan engagement from personalized experiences like mobile ticketing, seamless vending, and elevated amenities and entertainment options.1 1 https://scoop.market.us/5g-powered-smart-stadiums-market-news/
New opportunities present different legal risks. Personalized fan experiences—fueled by biometrics and AI, interactive companion apps, and data-driven engagement—raise complex questions around privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property (IP) protection. On top of traditional construction and redevelopment issues—leasing and land use, permitting, construction contracts, community and government relations—creating a next-gen venue now comes with more stringent sustainability and community impact requirements that add another layer of complexity to approvals, liability, and compliance. Whether building from scratch, reimagining a legacy facility, or participating in an emerging entertainment district, navigating this new era in audience engagement takes a legal partner who understands the fundamentals of traditional redevelopment and construction issues, and how to implement the exciting new technology of the future.
Be the Entertainment: A Journey to the Future FOR OWNERS, INVESTORS, OPERATING PARTNERS, AND A WHOLE NEW GENERATION OF FANS Like never before, technology is transforming the physical environment of live events, making the venue itself an integral part of the entertainment experience.
Building Innovation -> From the Ground to the Cloud
The Main Event -> Everything Your Fans Expect and More
Playing the Long Game -> Long-term Relationships with Stakeholders and Fans
Key Contacts
Nicola Menaldo Partner | Seattle
Kirk A. Soderquist Partner | Seattle Firmwide Chair, Digital Media & Entertainment, Gaming, & Sports Industry Group
Ryan Spear Partner | Seattle
Kris Wilson Partner | Bellevue | Seattle Firmwide Chair, Real Estate & Land Use Practice; Firmwide Co-Chair, Sports Industry Group
Meet the Full Team ->
nicola.menaldo@ashurstperkins.com
ryan.spear@ashurstperkins.com
kirk.soderquist@ashurstperkins.com
kris.wilson@ashurstperkins.com
Building Innovation
The Main Event
Playing the Long Game
Live Events Home
Fiona Ghosh Partner | London AI, Payments & Strategic Collaborations
fiona.ghosh@ashurstperkins.com
Alex Guy Partner | Brisbane Projects, Energy, Environment & Resources
alex.guy@ashurstperkins.com
Some jurisdictions in which Ashurst Perkins Coie US LLP practices law may require that this communication be designated as Advertising Materials. | 2026
Resources Additional podcasts, documents, and webinars about the innovative ways we're working with the venues of the future.
Podcast: Sport Shorts -> How We're Working with the NFL to Tackle Security at Sporting Events
Top 10 Biggest Privacy Challenges Shaping the Future of Sports ->
Venues of the Future Webinars -> Watch Replays from Venues of the Future Week
From the Ground to the Cloud
Manage the Complexity—From Funding, Development, and Construction to Technology Integration, Brand Partnerships, and Operating a Venue of the Future We understand the complexities of financing, building, and operating sports and live entertainment venues. Our services are tailored to your needs—from securing funding and new business partnerships to managing your workforce and keeping daily operations running smoothly.
Finance Handle private and public financings, including developing unique solutions for high-profile, multi-asset projects.
Workforce optimization Manage multi-unit relationships and operational challenges involving various unions, including concessions, parking, maintenance and security.
Development and construction Assist with real estate and land use issues, structure and negotiate contracts, and oversee requirements for buildout and ongoing technology upgrades.
Employment law and litigation Conduct workplace audits to mitigate risks and avoid litigation, perform independent workplace investigations, and handle employment claims in state and federal courts.
Project management and agreements Negotiate agreements with long-term venue management providers and key product and services suppliers, including hospitality, security, maintenance, and contingent workers.
Compliance programs Ensure ongoing compliance with all employment, data privacy, security, and local regulations.
Sponsors and partnerships Structure and negotiate contracts for naming, sponsorship, merchandising, ticketing, gaming, and other commercial rights.
Green and Clean—Meeting Stakeholders’ Energy and Sustainability Expectations Sustainability and energy efficiency are now important expectations for fans, partners, and municipalities. We help align these efforts with industry, local, state, and federal clean energy standards.
Regulatory requirements and financial incentives Navigate discretionary permitting, environmental impact statements, and tax credits for landmark renovations. Environmental considerations Evaluate and action carbon-free energy options, obtain environmental certifications, and manage solar panel installation and energy procurement contracts. Optimizing clean operations Identify creative ways to leverage natural resources and reduce carbon emissions across the physical environment.
A Prime Example Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena collects rainwater via rooftop cistern to make ice for the Kraken, sources team merchandise closer to home to reduce the distance it travels from the supplier to the arena, and offers a free public transporation ticket to the arena with every game ticket purchase.
Everything Your Fans Expect and More
Back to Home ->
No Better Time to Be a Fan— A Completely Re-Imagined In-Person Experience Venues are transforming everything about the audience's experience. Investments in new construction and renovations create more engaging, accessible, and modern spaces. Enriched with cutting-edge technology and infrastructure, venues of the future will captivate fans from the moment they enter and change the way entire communities come together to experience live sports and entertainment. Tech-enabled fan experiences Utilize innovative technologies that use AR, VR, live, and non-live content streaming and spatial computing technology to create in-venue second-screen experiences and enable remote attendance. Improved accessibility Implement features to create a more enjoyable and inclusive environment for all fans. Cybersecurity, privacy, and IP Employ biometric and data analytics to significantly improve the fan experience, offering smoother entry, quicker cashless transactions, and more secure environments while ensuring rigorous adherence to data security, privacy, and IP laws and regulations. Fan engagement and retention Know what your fans want—gather and interpret data to personalize their experience through custom content, interactive apps, targeted promotions, and loyalty programs.
Long-term Relationships with Stakeholders and Fans
Mixed-Use Venues and Entertainment Hubs— The Evolution of Partnerships and Community Engagement More cities are becoming home to vibrant, multipurpose entertainment districts, where sports and mixed-use venues are the anchor. These hubs present new opportunities to maximize revenue and market share by participating in the development and promotion of surrounding amenities and forging partnerships that create additional content opportunities. Studies indicate that mixed-use projects attract five times more visitors than sports venues alone, and retail locations within them can experience a significant boost, earning 99% more revenue and generating 110% more transactions than comparable nearby locations.2
This integrated approach can lead to more lucrative sponsorship deals, potentially increasing the value of facility naming rights by up to 58%.3 These collaborations can also help with neighborhood development, alleviate regulatory hurdles, and support successful venue operations. We help venues through every aspect of building a transformative entertainment district for their host cities. Regulatory support Handle permitting, zoning, and national historic landmark status. Public and private partnerships Negotiate with local government, high-profile development projects on public lands and coordinate with local and state stakeholders and surrounding neighbors—both commercial and residential. Public art Advise on municipal requirements related to public art investment and manage the public call process, including drafting related documents and navigating issues around moral rights and maintenance of traditional and digital artworks commissioned by the venue. Build out and upgrade Manage construction and design contracts to bring your vision for the community to life.
Consider The brilliant Deer District around the Milwaukee Bucks' Fiserv Arena––30 acres of mixed use development has become one of downtown Milwaukee's central attractions, accommodating 60,000+ fans for a wide variety of live events, community gatherings, and programming created by the team's OTA partner, Weigel Broadcasting.
2 https://riseofsportsdistricts.com 3 Id.
Meet the Team
Emma Butler Partner | Melbourne Tech Transactions (APAC)
emma.butler@ashurstperkins.com
Tony Denholder Partner | Brisbane Projects, Energy, Environment & Resources
tony.denholder@ashurstperkins.com
Mark Disney Partner | Melbourne Projects, Energy, Environment & Resources
mark.disney@ashurstperkins.com
David Futter Partner | London Digital Transformations
david.futter@ashurstperkins.com
Trevor Goode Partner | London UK Planning and Environment
trevor.goode@ashurstperkins.com
Cam Jaggers Partner | Brisbane Risk Advisory
cameron.jaggers@ashurstperkins.com
Geoff McGrath Partner | Sydney Digital Economy Transactions
geoff.mcgrath@ashurstperkins.com
Gwladys Ngo Tedga Yagla Partner | Melbourne Risk Advisory
gwladys.tedga@ashurstperkins.com
Grant Rowlands Partner | Melbourne Stadiums and Major Infrastructure
Rhiannon Webster Partner | London Data Protection, Cyber Security, Privacy
rhiannon.webster@ashurstperkins.com
Selena J. Linde Partner | Washington, D.C. Insurance Recovery
selena.linde@ashurstperkins.com
Heather M. Sager Partner | San Francisco Labor & Employment
heather.sager@ashurstperkins.com
Diana Z. Bowman Partner | Chicago Construction & Real Estate Litigation
diana.bowman@ashurstperkins.com
Andrew H. Grant Partner | Seattle Technology Transactions & Privacy
andrew.grant@ashurstperkins.com
Lynne E. Graybeal Partner | Seattle Trademark, Copyright, Internet & Advertising
lynne.graybeal@ashurstperkins.com
Andrew L. Greene Partner | Seattle Construction & Real Estate Litigation
andrew.greene@ashurstperkins.com
Todd M. Hinnen Partner | Seattle Privacy & Data Security
todd.hinnen@ashurstperkins.com
Devin P. McComb Partner | Seattle Real Estate & Land Use
devin.mccomb@ashurstperkins.com
Jane Rueger Partner | Washington, D.C. Environment, Energy & Resources
jane.rueger@ashurstperkins.com
Laura G. Zagar Partner | San Francisco Environment, Energy & Resources
laura.zagar@ashurstperkins.com
Ryan C. Thomas Partner | Bellevue Environment, Energy & Resources
ryan.thomas@ashurstperkins.com
David Aaron Partner | Washington, D.C. Regulatory Compliance & Disputes
david.aaron@ashurstperkins.com
