BOOK REVIEW

Sport Facility Management: Organizing Events and Mitigating Risks

By Robin Ammon, Jr., Richard M. Southall & Mark S. Nagel

Fitness Information Technology, 2010, 261pp, ISBN: 978-1-935412-07-06

Reviewed by: Mauro Palmero Ph.D., East Tennessee State University

The second edition of Sport Facility Management: Organizing Events and Mitigating Risks presents undergraduate and graduate students majoring in the field of sport management with invaluable information regarding how to manage sports facilities and events, and provides them with realistic training scenarios that allow them to practice the skills learned in each chapter of the book.

The authors start by introducing the readers to the sport facility industry. They discuss current trends (e.g., green facilities, violence in sport and entertainment, innovative venue design and events, and the globalization of sport) and how developments affect the way facilities are designed and managed today. The authors also discuss event management and how the physical characteristics of a venue and the needs and interests of event participants, spectators, and sponsors strongly influence the planning and delivery of events. In addition, the strategic, conceptual, operational, and contingency planning phases of an event are presented with tools (e.g., checklists) that can help in successfully accomplishing each phase.

Chapters three and four discuss the increased facility renovation and construction of the last decade, and the issues related to taxpayers’ increasing resistance to the public funding of new venue construction. The authors guide the readers through the construction / renovation process. They start with the research needed to compose a financing and construction plan, continue with the existing funding strategies, and end with the bidding process.

Chapter five addresses the importance of efficient management of revenues and expenses for the success of a facility or event. The chapter presents common revenue sources and the typical expenses incurred in the operation of a facility / event. Outsourcing and the dominant private management companies in the sport facility industry are presented as a viable option for reducing liability and cost, and increasing profit and service quality.

Chapter six approaches the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how its requirements affect the management of sport facilities. The chapter provides a list of potential barriers that must be removed or altered to allow people with disabilities access to various types of facilities. It also presents a set of guidelines for existing and new facilities to achieve compliance with the ADA.

Chapter seven discusses the hiring of personnel. It starts with the drafting of a job description, covers laws regulating the employment process, discusses proper interview protocols and the checking of references, and concludes with the job offer. In addition, it offers samples of acceptable and unacceptable interview question, and best practices regarding testing and selecting candidates.

Chapter eight approaches the different types of contracts a facility and its management can engage in, and the components that should be present within a legally binding contract. The chapter presents the common errors that may result in a contract being deemed invalid. In addition, it discusses how practitioners can either defend themselves (and their organization), or seek remedies when a breach of contract occurs.

Chapter nine and ten discuss the concept of risk management and the legal responsibilities owed to those who utilize the venue. The authors present a set of steps that practitioners should take to develop, implement, and manage risk through the use of a risk management plan. They also discuss the concept of negligence, its elements, and the existing defenses practitioners may use against negligence claims.

Chapter eleven and twelve discuss the importance of efficient crowd, emergency, and evacuation management, and the need for an emergency management plan. The authors detail existing operating procedures related to crowd and emergency management plans. They also discuss new technology developments in crowd and emergency management.

Chapter thirteen deals with alcohol management and debates the potential positive and negative outcomes from alcohol sales at sport venues. The chapter discusses the common issues (financial, risk management, etc.) concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages at professional and amateur sporting events. It also provides the components of an effective alcohol management plan and examples of alcohol training programs used by many venues and events.

Finally, chapters fourteen and fifteen approach the two most important sources of revenue for venues and events: concession and ticket sales. The authors discuss the main aspects necessary for a venue to achieve successful food service management, the issue of performing these tasks in-house versus outsourcing, and the main companies currently providing concessions service to facilities in the United States and overseas. Regarding ticketing and box office management, the authors discuss the role of the box office manager, the existing types of tickets and how they are currently priced and distributed, the ticketing companies serving the industry and the secondary ticket market.

The chapters are written in a clear and appealing language. Each chapter begins with carefully constructed case studies, which present the reader with real-life situations related to each chapter’s topic. This enables readers to have a reference point for the application of introduced chapter materials. Overall, it is a valuable text book that certainly will enhance the learning experiences of those students who utilize it.