Our guest this week is Nick Sautner, CEO of Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.  A worldwide leader in sports and entertainment, Eden Park was the first venue to host a sporting event and a concert at full capacity since the pandemic and has won a number of recent global awards, including the Product Innovation Award for  "Staydium Glamping".  Sautner has also been recognized as EVANZ Supreme Person of the Year and TheStadiumBusiness Global Executive of the Year.   Throughout this episode, Sautner shares his framework for  Eden Park's strategic plan, his "town hall vs. cathedral" mentality and monetizing the venue to create more participative events and experiences. 

Show Notes
(4:38) Escapism and importance of returning to operation

(5:38) Hosting the world’s first capacity sporting event and concert  

(8:42) Pre-COVID vs. Post-COVID Operational Changes

(14:50) Relay communication like a coaching game plan 

(17:25) Communicating the game plan throughout all organization levels 

(22:17) Driving Strategic Plans & Creating "Instagrammable" Experiences 

(29:23) Instilling an Entrepreneurial Culture

(31:16) “People Describe Stadiums As Cathedrals..Think of Them More Like Town Halls”

(35:29) Cultivating a Culture of Utilization and Collaboration

(39:31) The Idea Factory

(42:19) 3 Beneficiaries for Successful Events

(45:23) Hot Take: Design Flaws of Stadiums

(49:53) Nick’s Mantras

Additional Notes

Visit Eden Park |  Experiences |  Partnerships

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn or via email

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Know exactly who’s working in your venue.

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