Fy14 annual report

FY14 MULLINS CENTER ANNUAL REPORT


Page 1

Table of Contents

Statement of Purpose _________________________________________2

Message from Ruth Yanka ______________________________________3

Message from Joe Dolan _______________________________________4

Facility Overview _____________________________________________5

2013-2014 Summary of Events __________________________________6

Capital Projects ___________________________________________________________8

UMass Athletics ______________________________________________9

Our Partners ________________________________________________10

Financial Performance ________________________________________12

Event Mix Analysis ___________________________________________13

Marketing __________________________________________________14

Our Team _________________________________________________________________15

Organizational Chart _________________________________________16

How You Doin’? ______________________________________________17

Community Involvement ______________________________________18

Customer Comments _________________________________________21

Future Outlook ______________________________________________23


Page 2

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the Mullins Center is to provide the University of Massachusetts Amherst with

a versatile facility that will accommodate students, faculty and the surrounding Western

Massachusetts community. The venue offers a variety of events including commencements,

collegiate athletics, concerts, theatrical productions, and family shows. The goals of Global

Spectrum, managers of the Mullins Center, are to generate revenue, manage expenses,

provide a clean and safe environment, host world-class events, and provide students with

employement and educational opportunities.


Page 3

Message from Ruth Yanka


Page 4

Message from Joe Dolan


Page 5

Facility Overview

Proudly managed by Global Spectrum, the Mullins Center is a 10,500 seat, multi-purpose

arena with an adjoining Community Ice Rink located on the University of Massachusetts

Amherst campus. The venue is home to the UMass Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams and

the UMass Men’s Ice Hockey team. The Mullins Center provides the flexibility to host various

athletic events, concerts, commencements, theatrical productions, and family shows. The

venue includes 3,500 square feet of functional meeting space featuring the Massachusetts

Room and Green Room.

The Mullins Center sits on Commonwealth Avenue on the western edge of the University of

Massachusetts Amherst campus. Overlooking the outdoor playing fields, the Mullins Center

represents a continuation of the campus’ architecture, and in spirit, of the campus’

commitment to the quality of life at the University.


Page 6

2013-2014 Summary of Events

During the past year, the Mullins Center hosted 177 events. In addition to the events

highlighted below, all of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball and Men’s Ice Hockey home

games were played in the Mullins Center.

September

September 15 – Pioneer Valley Roller Derby

September 24 to 29 – Acquire the Fire

October

October 2 – Sesame Street Live: Make A New Friend

October 26 – Fright Fest III (Featuring Trinidad James and

DJ Envy)

December

December 5 – Craig Morgan (Featuring Jana Kramer and

Uncle Kracker)

February

February 1 to 2 – Northeastern Nationals Wrestling

March

March 1 – Casting Crowns

March 6 – Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour by

Cirque du Soleil

March 28 to 29 – Monster X Tour


Page 7

April

April 12 – Code Black

April 13 – UMass UPC Spring Concert

(Featuring Wale, Goo Goo Dolls and Slightly Stoopid)

April 25 to 26 – Ice Stars for Wounded Warriors

May

May 2 – UMass Commencement Ball

May 3 – SuperDogs

May 9 to 10 – UMass Commencement

June

June 5 to 6 – Ludlow and Amherst Regional High School

Graduations


Page 8

Capital Projects


Page 9

UMass Athletics

UMASS MEN’S BASKETBALL

The 2013-14 season saw UMass Men’s Basketball return to the national spotlight. After

starting the season 6-0, the Minutemen finished the season with a 24-9 record. By the time

the season ended, the team had cracked the AP’s

Top 25 for the first time since 1998 and earned an

at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the

program’s first appearance in 16 years. Led by one

of the nation’s premier point guards, Chaz Williams,

the team established a remarkable home court

advantage (12-2) at the Mullins Center.

UMASS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The UMass women’s basketball team reached the Atlantic 10

Tournament in 2014 during head coach Sharon Dawley’s

fourth season guiding the program. The season’s

highlighting moment came at home in the Mullins Center

when the Minutewomen earned a thrilling one point victory

over national powerhouse and eventual NIT Champion,

Rutgers University.

UMASS MEN’S HOCKEY

UMass Hockey qualified for the Hockey East

playoffs in head coach John Micheletto’s second

season at the helm. The Minutemen impressed with

several quality victories including a two game

sweep of visiting Michigan State and a signature

shutout victory on the road over #11 Northeastern.


Page 10

Our Partners

AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES

Auxiliary Enterprises is responsible for all of the dinning and

catering on the campus of UMass Amherst. They also provide

concessions and catering service during all Mullins Center

events. Auxiliary Enterprises aims to provide quality food and

service to enhance the customer experience.

LEARFIELD SPORTS

In complete collaboration with the University,

Learfield Sports is committed to extending the

affinity of the UMass brand to businesses and

corporations of all sizes, looking to align with the undeniable loyal and passionate collegiate

fan base. As the exclusive multimedia rights holder for UMass Athletics, UMass Sports

Properties manages all aspects of the rights relationship, providing corporate partners both

traditional and new media opportunities with the Minutemen in which to bolster their own

brand and garner maximum exposure through inventory.

COCA-COLA

As part of Coca-Cola’s sponsorship agreement, they

have allocated a specific amount of money for the

Mullins Center Marketing Department. At the venues

discretion, the money is used to support various

shows throughout the year.


Page 11

THE ISENBERG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

The Isenberg School of Management is composed of seven undergraduate programs,

including Sport Management, and rigorous MBA and PhD programs. Through

internships, a graduate assistant marketing position, and part-time jobs, The

Mullins Center provides these students with unique opportunities to gain

hands-on, real world experiences. Through these additional experiences,

Isenberg students gain the knowledge and the confidence to begin careers in

the sports and entertainment industry upon graduation.

GREATER SPRINGFIELD CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau is dedicated to

bringing tourists to the Pioneer Valley. The organization helps visitors plan

their trips to the area and highlights all of great attractions that the region

has to offer, including the Mullins Center. The GSCVB also provides services

for local businesses to plan group tours and events to attract visiting

customers.

AMHERST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Amherst Chamber of Commerce consists of over 500 members

and works to promote a thriving business climate throughout the

area while supporting civic, educational, recreational, and

economic well-being. The Chamber helps promote all Mullins

Center events online and at their events. The Mullins Center also

features a kiosk that supplies patrons with pamphlets and information on local area

attractions.


Page 12

Financial Performance

FAV(UNFAV)

ACTUAL

BUDGET

VARIANCE

NUMBER OF EVENTS

177

157

20

ATTENDANCE TOTAL

241,263

256,295

(15,032)

DIRECT EVENT INCOME

$438,823

$471,246

($32,423)

TICKET REBATE REVENUE

51,184

189,745

(138,561)

ANCILLARY INCOME

160,777

224,154

(63,377)

TOTAL EVENT INCOME

650,784

885,145

(234,361)

OTHER INCOME

582,252

578,932

3,320

INDIRECT EXPENSES

2,491,070

2,412,284

(78,786)

NET INCOME (LOSS)

($1,258,034)

($948,207)

($309,827)


Page 13

Event Mix Analysis

ATTENDANCE BY EVENT TYPE GROSS REVENUE BY EVENT TYPE

NUMBER OF EVENTS BY TYPE

Hockey 20%

Men and Women's

Bball 35% Concerts

5%

Family Shows

4%

Special Events

36%

Hockey 19%

Men and Women's

Bball 35%

Concerts 13%

Family Shows

12%

Special Events

23%

Hockey 23%

Men and Women's

Bball 35%

Concerts 7%

Family Shows

6%

Special Events

23%


Page 14

Marketing

The Mullins Center has a full-service in house marketing department consisting of marketing,

public relations, sponsorship, and group sales functions.

SOCIAL MEDIA

There are three social media platforms the marketing department focuses their time on in an

effort to capture our fans’ attention.

Facebook – over 7,300 likes

Twitter – over 2,000 followers

Instagram – over 150 followers

AD PROGRAM

The Ad Program provides promoters the assets the marketing and sales department can offer

to maximize sales for their shows. Elements include, but are not limited to:

Distribution of posters and flyers at approved locations on UMass Amherst Campus,

including Dinning Commons, Dorms, library, and classroom buildings

Show specific sponsors and third party promotions – utilize the Mullins Center partnerships

and relationships in the area to promote the show (for example: Dave’s Pet City OR

Macaroni Kid Amherst/Northampton)

Press release distribution to all local media outlets

We will work as a full service advertising and PR firm that will negotiate all media buys

tmMESSENGER

With the transition from Vertical Response to tmMessenger, a Ticketmaster product, the

Mullins Center has a reliable and easy way to send emails to their database and receive

analytics on these emails. With our database being linked to Ticketmaster, we are able to

segment the emails deployed. Currently, there are over 38,000 members in our Cyber Club.


Page 15

Our Team

Global Spectrum staff at the Mullins Center is committed to the long-term success of the

facility. Each member of our team has embraced Global Spectrum’s “How You Doin’?” service

philosophy and implements it on event days as well as in their day-to-day business activities.

Through hard work and dedication to the venue’s success, our staff continues to make the

Mullins Center a positive community venue for UMass students and residents in the Pioneer

Valley.

Our staff seeks to establish lasting relationships with our customers by consistently providing

thrilling events and memorable service. The staff’s combination of professionalism,

enthusiasm, commitment to success, and creativity ensures that our customers receive a

world class experience whenever they step foot in the Mullins Center.


Page 16

Organizational Chart

Contract Administrator

Ruth Yanka

General Manager

Joe Dolan

Director of Finance

Helen Gundlach

Staff Accountant

Kim Graham

Ice Rink Manager

Brad Alheim

Ice Rink Staff/PT

Asst. GM/ Director of Operations

Brian Caputo

Event Manager

James Staple

Event Supervisors/PT

Event Staff/PT

Custodial Supervisor

Mike Picard

Peter Castillo

Custodial Staff

Operations Manager

Jim Barabe

Operations Leads/PT

Operations Staff/PT

Lead Engineer

Aaron Hibbard

Engineer

Dan O'Sullivan

Box Office Manager

Sarah Dench

Box Office Staff

Director of Marketing

Rachel Meyrowitz


Page 17

10. Do It Now

9. Enthusiasm

8. Everybody

Sells

7. 24-Hour Rule

6. Positive Attitude

5. Be Professional

4. Think YES

3. Listen 2. Golden

Rule 1. Customer

First

How You Doin’?

The “How You Doin’?” customer service program is the cornerstone philosophy that drives

everything we do at the Mullins Center. HYD employs 10 goals to help maintain a first rate

facility by providing top-notch service to our customers. This program is a company-wide

customer service initiative to ensure that our clients and visitors are welcomed

enthusiastically with the best service possible.

A committee is in place to help create a fun and exciting work atmosphere. Several highlights

from the HYD committee include: a reward/raffle program for employees who received

recognition cards, a yearly party open to staff members, annual orientation meetings with

part-time staff, and a year-end party to recognize staff achievements.


Page 18

Community Involvement

Global Spectrum Charities was established by Global Spectrum

to improve the quality of life for people living in regions

throughout the US and Canada, where the public assembly

facility management company operates a stadium, arena,

convention center or theatre. Global Spectrum Charities gives

back to the community through contributions, donations, celebrity and star appearances, and

random gifts of kindness on behalf of the company’s employees, customers and visitors.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES

The Mullins Center hosted two American Red Cross

blood drives this year. After three days of donations,

roughly 200 units of lifesaving blood were collected -

enough to help save the lives of up to 680 patients.

MCCORMACK SPORT MANAGEMENT AWARDS BANQUET

Established in 2012, the Comcast Spectacor Scholarship supports students at the University of

Massachusetts who demonstrate financial need and are participating in an internship with

Comcast Spectacor through the McCormack Sport

Management Department. This year’s recipients, Tyler

Booker and Brittany Green will be completing their

internships this summer in Philadelphia. Tyler will intern

in the Archives and Sustainability Operations

Department and Brittany will be the Hockey Operations

intern for the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. These

internship experiences will provide both recipients with a

unique and hands-on experience in the sport and

entertainment industry.


Page 19

NORTHAMPTON SURVIVAL CENTER

Participating in Comcast Cares Day, we volunteered

at the Northampton Survival Center on April 24 by

getting the food pantry ready for low-income

individuals and families in Hampshire County.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

On a cold and rainy Wednesday, April 30th

morning, Sarah Dench (Box Office Manager),

James Staple (Event Manager), Aaron Hibbard

(Engineer), and Rachel Meyrowitz (Director of

Marketing) drove around UMass Amherst

delivering hot coffee and donuts to the

construction workers on campus. These men

are outside whether it is sunny, rainy, or snowy

outside and we wanted to thank them for all of

their hard work.

CANCER CONNECTION

We fixed up the meditation garden at Cancer

Connection on June 23 by weeding, mulching and

restoring the furniture. Cancer Connection offers a

haven where people living with cancer, their families,

and their caregivers can learn how to cope with their

changed lives and bodies and emotional turmoil by

sharing strategies and resources.


Page 20

BEST OF THE VALLEY

For the second year in a row, the Mullins Center Community Ice Rink won “Best of the Valley”!


Page 21

Customer Comments


Page 22


Page 23

Future Outlook

The Mullins Center continues to serve as a premier sporting and entertainment venue in

Western Massachusetts. Global Spectrum has worked diligently to ensure UMass Athletics,

world-class concerts, family shows, and other events have reached the highest levels of

success. Moving into Fiscal Year 2015, the Mullins Center will play host to a variety of new

artists, athletes, and performers, along with patrons of all ages throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Through continued improvement of the relationships with University personnel, UMass

Athletics, event promoters, and the local community, Global Spectrum has once again

exceeded budget goals for the Fiscal Year. As we move forward in the 2015 Fiscal Year, the

goal remains for Global Spectrum to reach and exceed its financial, community, and customer

service goals.

Our emphasis on fan experience is exemplified through our “How You Doin?” customer service

program. With this in mind, we are excited to present our newest facility upgrades. We have

completed a comprehensive LED lighting upgrade that will save on utility costs while

improving the viewing experience for all patrons. In addition, we are nearing completion on

our seating project that will see the installation of new upholstery for over 3,500 seats and cup

holders for over 7,700 seats.

We are privileged to have the opportunity to continue serving the University of

Massachusetts. As the Mullins Center embarks on another year of quality events and

experience, Global Spectrum will continue to emphasize customer satisfaction and world-

class entertainment for the University and the local community. We look forward to another

successful year in 2015.

Fy14 annual report

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