TOUCHDOWN Tampa Bay: The July Edition of the #TampaBayLV E-Newsletter

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE TAMPA BAY SUPER BOWL LV HOST COMMITTEE

JULY 2020

IN THIS EDITION

Features 3 One-On-one with KEN ELDER

Get to know Ken Elder, Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee’s Vice President of Partnerships.

5 Getting Involved

Learn more about the Super Bowl LV Business Connect Summer Professional Developmental Workshop Series and pre-register to be a part of the Community Ambassador Program!

6 #TampaBayLV Virtual Game Ball Initiative Learn how to “Share the LV” by recognizing community heroes that are giving back!

7 Tampa Bay 55 Podcast

See the new guests that have made virtual appearances on the Tampa Bay 55 podcast.

8 In the Media

Discover what people are saying on social media about #TampaBayLV!

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Our team is a passionate group of MVPs who are ready to propel the #TampaBayLV movement forward forever. “Together, we will focus on raising the bar for the fan experience in the region, implementing lasting legacy initiatives, showcasing the destination’s recent progress and exciting future, all while delivering a fifth world-class Super Bowl.” - Rob Higgins

Ken Elder

Vice president of Partnerships

Ken Elder is the Vice President of Partnerships for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee.

Ken has an impressive 30-plus year track record in revenue stream management and production. In the last four-plus years, he has served as the President of Elder Sports Marketing where his projects include assisting Super Bowl Host Committees with revenue generation and sponsorship activation. Ken has been responsible for the revenue management and generation for eight Super Bowl Host Committees, starting in 2001 with the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Committee. Before joining the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee efforts, he assisted the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee in revenue generation for the 2018 Super Bowl.

Ken also served on the initial College Football Playoff staff, serving as Senior Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships in Irving, Texas. He continues to be a part of the College Football Playoff team serving as a sales consultant for the past four years.

Ken also has an extensive background working with collegiate rights holders and in college athletics administration. He has served as General Manager of the Hurricane Radio Network, as well as an account manager with the Florida Gator Network. He also served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of North Carolina Asheville.

You are serving in a very specialized role as the Vice President of Partnerships for the Super Bowl LV Host Committee and have previously served in the same capacity for eight past Super Bowl host committees starting in 2001. How has the role progressed over the last two decades?

It has become more complex for a couple reasons. First, the host committee is much more involved in the creation of Super Bowl weekend fan events than back in 2001. Starting in 2013 in New Orleans, the NFL allowed the host committees to utilize the Super Bowl name and the Super Bowl style guide to create an official fan event. It has had different names in different cities since then, but has always included “Super Bowl” in the title. This has created a great deal more complexity to the sponsorship effort, but it has also been a great addition to Super Bowl weekend. Also, Super Bowl game tickets and suites are much more expensive now than they were in 2001. This requires us to raise the sponsorship package levels to compensate for the additional costs of the game tickets and suites. Finally, there is more competition in the secondary ticket market including the NFL’s own option, On Location.

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Assisting with not only the planning, but the execution of a Super Bowl is a huge task.

What keeps you coming back year after year from one city to the next?

I really enjoy helping communities prepare to host the largest annual sporting event in the world. It is a huge undertaking and by utilizing my past experiences, my goal is to make it a little easier for our team to prepare for the event. I also enjoy knowing that I am assisting in securing the funding needed to ensure the success of the Super Bowl that particular year and hopefully help to ensure more Super Bowls for the region due to our ability to fulfill the bid obligations.

Out of the last eight Super Bowls you have been a part of, can you pinpoint one memory or experience that stands out to you most?

There are a few that come to mind. I really enjoy working with local companies to come up with ways that they can utilize the amazing stage that a Super Bowl brings to highlight their business. During the 2009 Super Bowl, Gerdau, a recycled steel company that has its North American headquarters in Tampa was a partner. We were able to work together to create a large football structure that was made from recycled steel that also featured a unique lighting display on the ball in addition to 32 smaller statues representing each NFL city also made of recycled steel. They were all displayed in Cotanchobee Park and the large structure served as the backdrop for the ESPN set all week and was a huge hit. Also, in 2009, we were up against the financial crisis that hit in the summer of 2008. The way the host committee team came together to ensure that everything went off perfectly despite the challenges was amazing and the local Tampa area businesses benefited greatly from it as well.

Your affinity and familiarity with the Tampa Bay community runs deep. As you compare your previous host committee efforts, what separates Tampa Bay from other host Super Bowl communities?

The Tampa community really loves hosting the Super Bowl and the support we receive from volunteers, business leaders, and community leaders is second to none. Every time Tampa hosts a Super Bowl, our out of town guests always leave with the same positive impression of the city and the Tampa residents. Tampa area television stations never fail to have interviews from out of town guests at the airport after the festivities praising the area and the volunteers as they leave town after the big game. At the end of the day, that is what it is all about.

Getting involved BUSINESS CONNECT update Over the last month, NFL contractors and event producers have continued to actively engage with Business Connect vendors about Super Bowl LV events. Both Invitation to Bid (ITB) or Request for Proposals (RFPs) have gone out in recent weeks connecting contractors to local diverse businesses in the Business Connect program to learn more about their products and services. Procurement opportunities are expected to continue through February 2021, allowing for maximum opportunities for the Business Connect vendors.

The Business Connect team has also sourced a few new businesses for the Resource Guide and identified existing member companies that have reworked their services to provide Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs). The team is preparing a marketing piece for NFL Contractors highlighting companies that print directional and distancing floor signage, safety masks, hand washing stations, etc.

This month’s Super Bowl LV Business Connect Summer Webinar Series entitled “Managing Your Client’s Changing Needs” will feature NFL Director of Major Events, Katie Keenan, to discuss the league’s response to best business practices during COVID-19, followed by a panel of experts who will share insights on continually addressing the ever-changing needs of clients during these unprecedented times.

Business Connect vendors were mailed official “Business Connect Vendor” pins in June as a welcome gift into the program. Check out the photo to the right of one vendor wearing his pin proudly.

For more information on the Super Bowl LV Business Connect Program: LaKendria Robinson, Director of Business Connect & Community Outreach Email: BusinessConnect@TampaBayLV.com

Shaun Womack President, Versa-Tile & Marble, Inc.

COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM ABOUT THE TAMPA BAY SUPER BOWL LV COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM: In 2021, the Super Bowl is set to return to the Tampa Bay community for the fifth time. As with all major events, the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, Tampa Bay Sports Commission and NFL will rely heavily on the volunteer and community support to help execute and elevate the overall event. This is your opportunity to assist with an incredible week of Super Bowl fun. A multitude of volunteer shifts will be available throughout the championship week. Please click to sign up and receive volunteer information and event updates. The official Super Bowl LV volunteer registration site will launch in the near future.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR INTEREST

During these unprecedented times, members of #TeamTampaBay are coming together like never before to help raise up our community.

Today, we are launching our virtual #TampaBayLV Game Ball campaign to recognize and honor the selfless individuals and organizations that are putting our community first. Game balls are traditionally given in sports to award MVP’s, great leadership or outstanding performances.

Help us SHARE THE LOVE and deliver virtual game balls to deserving recipients by following us on social and by submitting nominations using our hashtag, #SHARETBLV, as we honor our hometown heroes for their generous acts of kindness.

How to nominate community MVP’s 1. Help identify individuals and organizations that are out helping by going above and beyond during these unprecedented times.

2. Share their story on Twitter and tag @TampaBayLV and #SHARETBLV, or...

3. Reply or comment to an already shared story by tagging @TampaBayLV and using #SHARETBLV.

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The Tampa Bay 55 Podcast Long before the teams arrive at Raymond James Stadium, countless hours of work are dedicated to making the big game and the amazing spectacle that accompanies it an overwhelming success! Tampa Bay 55, a new podcast, is YOUR exclusive all-access behind-the-scenes pass, with the deal makers, hand shakers, celebrities, athletes and more.

The podcast is hosted by Ryan Bass, anchor at 10 Tampa Bay, WTSP -- the CBS affiliated television station in the Tampa Bay area and Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee. They will be joined by special guests weekly as we countdown to the main event in the heart of Florida’s gorgeous west coast!

New episodes will be released weekly. Super Bowl LV will be broadcast nationally on CBS.

New on the pod: Episode 23: » Ken Jones, President/CEO of the Tampa Bay Host Committee for the 2012 Republican National Convention Episode 24: » Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Episode 25: » Tony Diaz, Vice President of Operations for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee

WE WANT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS! CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOURS. Click the icon to listen!

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In the Media

See what people are saying about #TampaBayLV on social media! Tag us and use the hashtag, #TampaBayLV, to show your support for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee. Maybe you could end up being showcased in TOUCHDOWN Tampa Bay, too!

Follow Our Flow @TAMPABAYLV

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