In the News

Through a year of negative press and talk of global economic downturn, THG staff continued their division growth with over 30 first-time sales, 16 division promotions, and three new office openings across the North American region, according to THG CEO Jon Stromberg.

“Our experience shows that five-star hospitality at signature sporting events remains a critical channel for C-level executives to meet their business development and relationship-building goals,” Stromberg says. “In a year where many companies scaled back, THG expanded its teams, adding 24 budgeted sales executives to our North and South American operations.”

Highlights for 2009 include:

• The completion of our 19th year in North America with top satisfaction ratings from clients—a testament to THG’s expert pre- and post-event client relations. (Special thanks go to John D, Emily Darin, Sarah Hurd and Allison Ziola for their tireless efforts on behalf of THG clients and guests at events.)
• Record-setting renewals for the 2010 Masters Tournament, following THG’s client successes at the 2009 event.
• The March 2009 launch of the THG Blog. “The blog allows clients to review monthly THG Articles and key sports hospitality data, and provides a channel for THG sales executives to keep up with the consistent growth and development of the sports division across all North American locations,” Stromberg says.
• The June 2009 launch of THG’s “Sports Internship Program,” which offers select opportunities for undergraduates and recent graduates seeking a career in Executive Level Sales to expand their experience working with C-level management within fortune 1000 corporations. The THG Sports Internship Program allows the participant to work closely with select in house National Sales Managers assisting with group development needs. The eight- to 10-week program has proven to be an exceptional opportunity for participants to experience leadership and training to learn the business inside and out.

“The outlook for 2010 is exceptionally good, with a strong forward calendar of events in Miami, Vancouver, Pebble Beach, Augusta and Montreal,” Stromberg says. “In addition, our plans to expand our ‘best practice program’ and enhance our clients’ experiences will make this another exciting year.”

The following are highlights from THG’s North American offices:

Chicago:

The headquarters for THG’s North American office ended 2009 with strong quarter growth over the previous year period.

THG Chicago Sales Group

The “high ticket” wing of the office now has a six-team structure, including a new Global Sales Team added in 2009, which includes bi-lingual Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking staff who specialize in serving our South American client market.

Top producers in the Chicago office include CEO Jon Stromberg ($1 million in sales), Joel Chiappetta ($650,000) and Juan Garcia ($550,000).

In early summer, THG rewarded North Americas top 20 producers with a weekend of fun and relaxation in Miami’s South Beach.

THG’s Chicago Team in Miami

San Diego:

Shawn Pockett continued in 2009 as Sales Director to advance the San Diego sports group, helping the office increase its sales 50 percent between 2007 and 2008. The San Diego office growth continued in 2009, with more than $100,000 in additional sales in the first half of the year compared to the prior year. THG expects the office to continue its growth due to a strong team and a forward calendar through 2012 full of key West Coast events. Top performers in San Diego include sales manager Brian Kanig and assistant sales manager Scott Burcar who continue to pull in consistent sales for the group, and Seniors Graham Ruskin and Gus Demos, both of whom were promoted in the last quarter due to sales achievements. The San Diego office expects to add eight to 10 additional staff members to accommodate expected growth in early 2010.

THG San Diego Sales Group

Montreal:

The Montreal office closed 2009 with fourth quarter growth of 110 percent compared to the same period in 2008—momentum that’s sure to lead the office to additional record-breaking results in the coming year. The office, which THG relocated to a new high-rise location in the heart of the city last May, enjoys proximity to several key events—the 2010 Winter Games, the Canadian Open and the Grand Prix—to start the new year. Working under sales director Patrick Boghossian, several THG team members have received promotions in the past six months: Peter Yannopoulos, Alex Mouton, Matt Haney, & Corinne Vandal. Their advancement has allowed the office to add eight additional team members, bringing the total in Montreal to 18. With continued growth, the office expects to expand to 28 team members in the coming year.

THG Montreal Sales Group

Toronto

The opening of the Toronto office in 2009, Augusta Tournament Hospitality, dedicated to providing top-tier hospitality during our annual Masters Golf Tournament program, marked our second division-level expansion for THG Sports in 2009, following New York and Los Angeles. Under Pierre Marchand, the group’s C-level relationship skills have grown to a high level, allowing us to leverage our 19 years of Masters Tournament experience and further enhance our global client attendance starting in 2010 at this major event.

THG Toronto Sales Group

Los Angeles & New York

THG’s Championship Hospitality offices in Los Angeles and New York now serve as the nucleus for marketing our executive hospitality during the U.S. Open Golf each year. Both offices opened in 2009 and work with THG’s other North American locations to promote the company’s exclusive event hospitality during this event.

Managers Armando Vera in Los Angeles, and Evan Raggi in New York, now allow for advanced support layers, growing our C-level client attendance into this major annual event.

On the heels of successful client hospitality during the recently completed Rugby Autumn Internationals, THG Sports is fielding strong interest from C-level executives for hospitality during some of the sport’s top events, including the Six Nations Rugby events in Europe, and the 2011 Rugby World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, says THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg.

“The hospitality experience THG Sports provides during rugby events is unmatched,” Stromberg says. “Our two-decade track record of providing best-in-class hospitality translates to an unforgettable experience and unprecedented opportunity for our clients to build relationships and business opportunities with their clients and customers.”

At the Autumn Internationals, held last month in France and England, THG clients enjoyed exclusive hospitality packages that included gourmet food and drinks and an “insider’s view” of match play and the sport from rugby legends, such as Jason Leonard, Lee Mears, Philippe Saint-André and Jonah Lumo.

“We tailor all of our hospitality offerings to match the world-class atmosphere and expectations of our clients and their guests,” Stromberg says. “We’re already seeing interest growing in what promises to be a strong rugby forward event calendar.”

In February, THG Sports will provide premier hospitality and world-class speakers during the 2010 Six Nations events in England, France, Scotland and Italy. In March, THG will be providing hospitality during the Six Nations match-up in Ireland. In 2010, THG will be providing exclusive hospitality during group games that lead up to the 2011 Rugby World Championship in New Zealand.

“The next 18 months offer a wealth of rugby hospitality opportunities for C-level executives with business interests across Europe and New Zealand,” Stromberg says. “We look forward to providing our clients with the best staff, facilities and experience to achieve maximum ROI from their hospitality investments with us.”

For more information about THG’s hospitality offerings during rugby’s premier events, visit here.

About THG

THG (http://www.thgsports.com) is a leading provider of corporate hospitality programs during the world’s premier sporting events, including the World Soccer Championships, Masters, Singapore Grand Prix, and the College Basketball Championships. As a marcus evans company, all aspects of THG’s services promise a level of client focus and attention second to none.

About Jon Stromberg

Jon Stromberg currently serves as CEO of North America for THG Sports. Jon began his career at THG Sports in sales in 1991, progressing through the ranks to become CEO in October 2008. He received his Bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

Read more about Jon on the Web at:
Jon Stromberg Blog
Jon Stromberg on Naymz

THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg announces the completion of office upgrades for its new Augusta Tournament Hospitality division, a Toronto-based group dedicated to providing top-tier hospitality packages and services during professional golf’s annual Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Ga.

“The completion of our Toronto office upgrades reflects our two decade-commitment to providing unmatched hospitality during one of golf’s premier events,” Stromberg says. “The division allows us to leverage our team’s Masters Tournament experience and client services expertise to provide an unparalleled level of exclusive hospitality and ROI for our C-level clients and their guests.”

The opening of the Toronto office marks the second division-level expansion for THG Sports in 2009, following the launch of its Championship Hospitality division, with offices in Los Angeles and New York. This group focuses its efforts on C-level client hospitality offerings during professional golf’s U.S. Open.

“In today’s more challenged business environment, exclusive hospitality at premier events continues to be a proven platform for C-level executives to meet their goals for business development and growth,” Stromberg says. “With its new divisions, THG Sports is positioned to further capture this interest and deliver an experience that exceeds the ROI goals for our clients.”

The photos below highlight the new Augusta Tournament Hospitality office and team in Toronto, as well as Championship Hospitality and other North American offices for THG Sports.

Augusta Tournament Hospitality (Toronto office and team)

Championship Hospitality (New York office and team)

Championship Hospitality (Los Angeles office and team)

Chicago office and team

San Diego office and team

Montreal office and team

THG Sports provided hospitality for more than 300 C-level executives and guests during this month’s 2009 Presidents Cup in San Francisco, an event that provided stellar professional golf and unprecedented business development and networking opportunities, says THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg.

“We’re continuing to see strong interest from C-level executives in securing hospitality opportunities at signature U.S.-based events to support their international business goals,” Stromberg says. “The Presidents Cup exemplified this trend with its line-up of the world’s best golfers competing for the prestigious Cup.”

In particular, the Presidents Cup match-up of Y.E. Yang and Tiger Woods, their first competition since Yang bested Woods at this year’s PGA Championships, captured the attention of THG clients and record-setting worldwide television audiences. Woods beat Yang to give the U.S. team the tournament victory. Japan’s rising star, Ryo Ishikawa, also thrilled participants with a stellar short game and predictions that the 18-year-old may eventually claim Woods’ title as the world’s best golfer.

During the event, THG clients enjoyed the company’s signature “five-star hospitality” at the private Lake Merced Golf Club, with four-course meals service and first-class accommodations. THG clients also took advantage of golf clinics and Presidents Cup play analysis from celebrity Mark Lye, a Golf Channel commentator and former PGA player.

“Mark’s clinics were extremely popular,” Stromberg says. “They gave our clients and their guests a tangible way to turn the inspiration they gained watching the pros and improve their own games.”

THG is fielding strong interest from current and prospective clients for hospitality packages during upcoming premier West Coast events, including the 2010 U.S. Open in Pebble Beach, the 2010 MLB All-Star game in Anaheim, Calif., and the 2012 U.S. Open in San Francisco.

About THG: THG (http://www.thgsports.com) is a leading provider of corporate hospitality programs during the world’s premier sporting events, including the World Soccer Championships, Masters, Singapore Grand Prix, and the Final Four. As a marcus evans company, all aspects of THG’s services promise a level of client focus and attention second to none.

THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg announces the company has completed the build-out of new offices and staff to support its Championship Hospitality division, a group devoted to leveraging the company’s two decades of experience providing top-tier hospitality at the U.S. Open.

“We’re excited to have our new teams and office locations in place,” Stromberg says. “The opening of these offices marks THG’s commitment to providing the highest quality of service and support for clients and employees.”

The photos below highlight the Championship Hospitality facilities and teams in New York and Los Angeles, as well as upgrades to THG’s other North American office locations this year.

Championship Hospitality (New York office and team)

Championship Hospitality (Los Angeles office and team)

Below are photos other North American locations and staff.

Chicago office and team

Montreal office and team

San Diego office and team

With the excitement following the 2009 Euroleague Basketball Final, and the 2009-2010 College Basketball season beginning in the coming weeks, THG Sports is fielding strong interest from Fortune 1000 clients to secure their executive hospitality during next years NCAA College Finals in Indianapolis April 3rd & 5th, says THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg.

“Both the NCAA and Euroleague Finals have always been key platforms for C-level executives to strengthen their business relationships,” Stromberg says. “THG has grown alongside both events and produced a long track record of success and reputation for exclusive, five-star hospitality.”

Next year’s NCAA College Basketball Finals marks the 20th year THG has organized corporate hospitality during the event—and its third return to the private Skyline Club in Indianapolis overlooking the heart of downtown and the Lucas Oil Stadium.

“We’re planning another knock-out NCAA celebrity coach’s dinner, placing some of the best division 1 coaches with our platinum clients sitting at their private tables,” Stromberg says. At this year’s Final Four in Detroit, Rick Barnes of the University of Texas and Bob Mckillop of Davidson University earned rave reviews from THG clients and guests.

NCAA coaches and hall of fame celebrities have always been a key feature of THG’s annual hospitality, traditionally numbering over 20 per day during the Semi-Finals and Final games. Past celebrities include Bobby Knight, Gene Keady, Tom Izzo, Jim Calhoun, Clark Kellogg, James Worthy, and Jamie Dixon.

THG is also preparing for next year’s Euroleague Final Four, slated for May at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris. The initial qualifying rounds for next year’s Final Four start next week.

“The build-up to this event is tremendous, particularly with the league’s decision to hold next year’s Final Four in Paris, a host city for great European basketball championships,” Stromberg says. The French capital’s offering of a “neutral court,” given it has no Euroleague team, adds to the Final Four’s prestige, he adds.

Like its annual NCAA counterpart, THG’s exclusive hospitality during the Euroleague Final Four gives clients and guests an insider’s experience of the marquee games. “We were very fortunate at this year’s Final Four in May to have Johnny Rodgers share his insights on the game and his title-winning experience with the Panathinaikos team in 2000 and 2002,” Stromberg says.

For more information about hospitality during the NCAA and Euroleague 2010 Basketball Finals, click here.

About Jon Stromberg
Jon Stromberg currently serves as CEO of North America for THG Sports. Jon began his career at THG Sports in sales, progressing through the ranks to become CEO in October 2008. He attended DePauw University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in economics and communications and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

Read more about Jon on the Web at:
Jon Stromberg Blog
Jon Stromberg on Naymz

On the heels of South Korean Y.E. Yang’s historic and stunning win over Tiger Woods at this month’s PGA Championship; THG Sports is seeing an increased interest from global clients to secure hospitality during golf’s majors on behalf of their Asian clients, says THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg.

“Since Y.E. Yang’s victory two weeks ago, we’ve noted a rise in client requests to upgrade existing hospitality contracts to accommodate inquiries from Asian accounts interested in the U.S. Open, the Masters and the PGA Championships,” Stromberg says. “These are Asian golf fans who want to see Yang compete at the highest levels of the game. His win is great for golf and could not have come at a better time.”

As the first Asian to win a major, Yang’s victory has spurred global interest in golf at a time when a growing number of companies are eyeing expansion into emerging Asian markets. Peter Dawson, chief executive of the hallowed Royal & Ancient Golf Club in Scotland, says Yang’s victory will make him a “household name” and bring a greater degree of attention and interest to Asian golfers and signature events around the world.

Further, golf observers say Yang will inspire younger Asian golfers to pursue the sport. Already, golfers like South Korea-born Danny Lee, 18, have been gaining additional attention and interest from fans and sponsors. A year ago, Lee won the U.S. Amateur title to replace Woods as the youngest player to earn the honor.

“Yang’s win is a watershed moment for golf and hospitality opportunities in the U.S., as well as Japan, Korea and China,” Stromberg says. Asian-based events that will also benefit include THG’s hospitality during the 2009 Shanghai Champions Golf Tournament in November and the 2010 Barclays Singapore Open.

“We’re excited about the opportunities this will bring our key accounts,” Stromberg says. “Our Open Contract program allowing select accounts global event access has also been heightened by Yang’s win, with a number of businesses seeking new opportunities in multiple markets.”

For more information on THG’s golf hospitality offerings, click here.

About THG Sports: THG Sports (http://www.thgsports.com) is a leading provider of corporate hospitality programs during the world’s premier sporting events, including the World Soccer Championships, Masters, Singapore Grand Prix, and the Final Four. As a marcus evans company, all aspects of THG’s services promise a level of client focus and attention second to none.

Since 1991, THG Sports has organized premium corporate hospitality during the US Open Golf Championships. Entertaining more than 60 corporations annually during this major event, THG’s involvement next year will mark its 20^th year and third return back to the breathtaking Pebble Beach Golf Links (June 17-20, 2010).

“We’re acknowledging the prestige of this event and our two decades of experience fine-tuning hospitality services during the U.S. Open with a new, specialized division developed to market this major event to our global clients,” says THG CEO Jon Stromberg

Championship Hospitality, Inc. will serve as THG’s central nucleus for marketing and selling hospitality services during the U.S. Open. The new division will work with THG’s coastal locations in Los Angeles and New York, and its offices in Chicago and San Diego to promote the company’s exclusive event hospitality during the event.

“Championship Hospitality Inc. allows for advanced support layers in both Operations and Client Services to assist our C-level clientele,” Stromberg says. “Our Best Practice program surrounding the US Open has always been a central focus to ensure each corporation takes full advantage of their event reservation.”

THG’s hospitality during the US Open Golf provides exclusive access to THG’s organized facilities, including premiere dining, PGA celebrity attendance, along with a number of executive activities for hosts to enhance their strongest client relationships. THG typically hosts more than 60 corporations during the US Open, and expects to now advance its C-level support through the specialized focus of Championship Hospitality Inc., Stromberg says.

About THG Sports: THG Sports(http://www.thgsports.com) is a leading provider of corporate hospitality programs during the world’s premier sporting events, including the World Soccer Championships, Masters, Singapore Grand Prix, and the Final Four. As a marcus evans company, all aspects of THG’s services promise a level of client focus and attention second to none.

Jon Stromberg Global Strategy: http://jonstromberg.com/ceo-jon-stromberg-thg-sports-strategy-fits-needs-of-global-minded-ceos/
Jon Stromberg on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstromberg
Jon Stromberg on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jonstromberg
Jon Stromberg blog: http://jonstrombergblog.com/

As more CEOs are looking globally to grow their businesses in an ever challenging marketplace, they are seeking new avenues to extend their relationships and reach in many countries—a trend that mirrors THG Sports‘ experience offering hospitality packages across the globe, says THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg.

“Our C-level contacts and clients realize that as they expand their global reach in today’s ever-changing market, connecting with customers outside of an office atmosphere whether it be the Masters Golf Tournament or Singapore Grand Prix, to the World Soccer Championships or Americas Cup is a key advantage in allowing each to pinpoint and develop regional relationships around the world,” Stromberg says. “Language and cultural barriers seem to disappear when experiencing a global event of personal interest to customers.”

The assessment fits with findings from IBM’s most recent Global CEO Study, which highlights increased investments in global opportunities and an emphasis on building collaborative relationships with customers and prospects to engender future success. The study details the focus on relationship building is due to a more demanding and sophisticated customer bases across more countries and CEO recognition that quality customer relationships offer a way to differentiate their companies from competitors.

Through its 63 global locations, which span from London and Sydney, to Kuala Lumpur and Chicago, THG Sports is seeing more evidence that affirms the IBM study findings. Companies are seeking THG’s assistance to craft hospitality offerings at a larger number of events in multiple countries to address their global business goals.

“Response and interest in our global THG Sports Open Contract program is stronger than ever,” Stromberg says. A key benefit of the service, he explains, is the ability for companies to tailor the Open Contract to respond to business-and relationship-building needs at both corporate and regional levels.

For example, a global THG Sports client that provides technology-based security solutions used the Open Contract format to provide relationship-building opportunities during the U.S. Open Golf Championships, the Autumn Rugby International’s, and the Malaysian Grand Prix in the past year.

“The company has now expanded its Open Contract and plans to allow each global region to use a portion of the funds to build customer relationships in targeted geographic areas, working in conjunction with THG Sports’ Chicago office,” Stromberg says.

“Our Open Contract program is the perfect complement for C-level executives to meet their global business goals,” he says.

For more about THG Sports’ global event hospitality offerings, click here.

The 2009 British Open Championship held up to its 138 years of world-class tradition, resulting in one of the most exciting finishes in Open history and a treat THG Sports clients will never forget, says THG Sports General Manager Paul Meakins.

THG Sports clients experienced not only the worlds top golfers battle against the host Turnberry course, they saw 59-year-old Tom Watson shoot a remarkable 65 during the first round and hold his lead for a majority of the tournament.  Watson lost to Stewart Cink in a Sunday playoff.

The premier THG Sports hospitality resulted in commitments from a majority of attending clients to sign up for next year’s 2010 British Open to be held back at St. Andrews Golf Club.  Reviewing the large number of corporations who attended from around the world is a sign that now more than ever, many companies are looking globally to achieve their business goals, Meakins says.

“This is a trend we expect to continue,” Meakins adds.  “Multi-national companies are putting more emphasis on growth and they’re seeking out global events like the British Open to provide opportunities to build relationships and new business.”

“THG’s network of 350 covered events addresses the global needs of today’s business leaders providing executive hospitality to top-tier events in multiple countries,” adds THG Sports CEO Jon Stromberg.

As seen annually during this major event, THG Sports clients at the 2009 British Open took advantage of the company’s facilities and enjoyed five-star catering service in between rounds of play to network with colleagues and prospects, Meakins says.

THG Sports is offering hospitality packages during the 2010 British Open, where the company will once again host more than 50 corporations and their top accounts. For more information, click here.