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About Us
The Fan Journey is the Experience!
Vision
To be the leading and most trusted global authority on providing premium sports & entertainment fan experiences.
Mission
Create an ideal, premium fan experience for our members and partners resulting in:
- Increased Revenue
- Sustainable Growth
- Operational Efficiency
- Diversified Fanbase
- Frictionless Journey
- Integrity in Sport & Betting
- Memory-making Fan Experience
and maximized health, safety, and security through best practices, innovative technology solutions, and high-quality services.
The Fan Journey Includes
People, Process, and Technology
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Welcome
A Few Words About Us
The Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (IIFX) was founded in 2020. IIFX’s vision is to be the leading and most trusted global authority on providing exceptional, memory-making fan experiences for the sports and entertainment industry. The Institute focuses on the fan journey and creating the ideal fan experience for its member organizations, one that results in increased revenue, sustainable growth, operational efficiency, a diversified workforce, new and repeat attendance, and maximized health, safety, and security through best practices, innovative technology solutions, and high-quality services. IIFX produces content and events and facilitates dialogue and collaboration around its core areas of expertise.
OUR EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE
SUBJECT MATTER LEADERS
The Innovation Institute leadership team has firsthand knowledge and experience combined with exceptional capabilities and an unrivaled network of subject matter experts, thought leaders, technologists, futurists, trainers, and business leaders to assist sports and entertainment organizations with an array of expertise, services, and products to relieve pain points on the fan journey and enhance the overall fan experience.
RECOMMENDING BEST PRACTICES
It’s about the Fan Experience at each point of the journey! We collaborate with sports and entertainment executives to help them assess their safety, security, and service baseline and their effect on the fan experience. We recommend best practices that inform resource prioritization in organizational budgets, and guide development of innovative risk treatment strategies to build resiliency and enhance the fan experience.
ADDRESSING CURRENT & EMERGING RISKS
The team has executive leadership, experience, and expertise in sports management, public safety, crowd management, incident management, event operations, workforce, and human capital development. We offer real insight into issues posed by current and emerging risks and can recommend ways to maximize health, safety, and security through best practices, innovative technology solutions, and high-quality services.
Industry informed network of experts
The Innovation Institute is an industry-informed network of experts with an unparalleled group of Distinguished Fellows representing the best and the brightest in the industry. Through expert collaboration, the Innovation Institute is building a global alliance sports and entertainment thought leaders, advanced practitioners, and experts to help shape the fan journey so that the industry consistently delivers memory-making fan experiences.
An enhanced fan experience leverages the best people, processes, and technology to deliver measurable revenue growth, new and repeat attendance, workforce professional growth and development, and maximized health, safety, and security through best practices, innovative technology solutions, and high-quality services.
OUR TEAM
DR. LOU MARCIANI
DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
[email protected]
CHRISTOPHER KINNAN
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER/CO-FOUNDER INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
[email protected]
JOHN F. WHITE
TREASURER AND CO-FOUNDER INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
ALLISON BUCHANAN
STRATEGIC MARKETING ADVISOR INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
GUY GRACE
STRATEGIC SAFETY AND SECURITY ADVISOR INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
ROSS HALLIDAY
GLOBAL STRATEGIC ADVISOR INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE ADVISOR – PARTNERSHIPS DEVELOPMENT UNOPS AFGHANISTAN
LINDSAY GIETZEN, PhD
CO-CHAIR
SKILLING HUB TRAINING COMMITTEE
INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
AMANJYOT S. JOHAR
STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
DARCY LUETZINGER, PhD
CO-CHAIR
SKILLING HUB TRAINING COMMITTEE
INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
MARK MCCOURT
STRATEGIC CORPORATE ADVISOR INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
SYDNEY SCRABA
DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
[email protected]
KEVIN WILLIAMS
EMERGING AND INNOVATIVE BUSINESS ADVISOR
INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
DR. EMANUEL “MOE” YEOMAN
OUTREACH ADVISOR
INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCE
DR. MARK ZHANG
RESEARCH CONSULTANT INNOVATION INSTITUTE FOR FAN EXPERIENCEOUR INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH PARTNERS
DAVID ALLISON
DIRECTOR SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR ATHLETICS
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS @ AUSTIN
[email protected]
JOHN BEATTIE
STADIUM AND FACILITIES DIRECTOR
ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB
[email protected]
JOHN BERTSCH, CSSP
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GLOBAL SAFETY AND SECURITY
THE IRONMAN GROUP
[email protected]
MARIO COUTINHO
VICE PRESIDENT OF STADIUM OPERATIONS AND SECURITY
TORONTO BLUEJAYS
[email protected]
RICK FENTON
VICE PRESIDENT/CSO OF CORPORATE SECURITY
ILITCH HOLDINGS
[email protected]
BRIAN FINCH
PARTNER
PILLSBURY WINTRHOP SHAW PITTMAN LLP
[email protected]
GARY GARDNER
PRESIDENT & CEO
TOTALEACCESS
[email protected]
KASIA HANSON
GLOBAL DIRECTOR, VIDEO & PUBLIC SAFETY, INTERNET OF THINGS GROUP – INTEL CORPORATION
[email protected]
MICHAEL B. HARTNETT
VICE PRESIDENT, VENUE SECURITY
ILLITCH SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Mike.Hartnett@OlyEnt.com
DANIEL HEAL
PARTNER, GLOBAL HEAD OF SPORT, ENTERTAINMENT & MAJOR EVENTS
CONTROL RISKS
[email protected]
BRIAN HERBERT
VICE PRESIDENT OF SECURITY, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS/CHASE CENTER
[email protected]
B. TILMAN JOLLY, MD, FACEP
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
AVESHKA, INC.
[email protected]
KRISTEN FULMER
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY
OAK GROUP
[email protected]
PAUL KLASS
FOUNDER
RIPTIDE PARTNERS
[email protected]
SCOTT MCCARTNEY
FORMER DIRECTOR OF TEAM SECURITY
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
[email protected]
JIM MERCURIO
FORMER EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
[email protected]
JEFF MORANDER
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ASSOCIATION OF LUXURY SUITE DIRECTORS
[email protected]
MICHAEL O’CONNELL
MANAGING DIRECTOR
CRITICAL INSIGHTS CONSULTANCY LTD.
[email protected]
PAULA PORTZ
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
LEGENDS PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
[email protected]
MICHAEL ROBERTS
ASSOCIATE SECURITY RISK CONSULTANT
ARUP
[email protected]
RUSS SIMONS
CHIEF LISTENING OFFICER AND MANAGEMENT PARTNER
VENUE SOLUTIONS GROUP
[email protected]
NICK SPAMPANATO
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR
VENUE OPERATIONS
AEG PRESENTS
[email protected]
KIM STONE
PRESIDENT OF UBS ARENA
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF
OVG EAST COAST
[email protected]
PAUL TURNER
GENERAL MANAGER
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
[email protected]
EILEEN WILLIAMS
SENIOR SAFETY OFFICER
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM
[email protected]
B. TILMAN JOLLY, MD, FACEP
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
AVESHKA, INC.
THOM MAYER, MD, FACEP, FAAP, FACHE
CLINICAL PROFESSOR, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION