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Crowd Management Doctor

A new YouTube channel has been launched as a crowd management training tool. The free videos are designed to help train front line staff. Through utilizing 15 minute or less videos, venue management and crowd management companies can help train their staff on a continual basis. Crowd management training is often undertaken once a year, but to really turn crowd management best practices into muscle memory for employees there needs to be constant training and refresher training on a broad array of topics front line staff might face. That is what motivated Professor Gil Fried, from the University of West Florida, to launch the YouTube channel called the Crowd Management Doctor. The channel can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwHLQMat7qeoMuH-VQefuWA. Prof. Fried stated “[T]he channel’s goal is to provide current events and cases studies in a fun and informative manner which can be watched by an employee on their phone and on a break to keep their skills as current as possible.”

The channel has been adding new videos, including a regular update of current events. Other videos have included case studies, responding to various hazards, and then interviews with industry professionals such as fan psychologists and venue professionals. The plan is to release 10-12 videos every year and then at a certain point create a library where front line staff can watch a certain number of videos, take an exam, and receive independent third-party certification of crowd management knowledge from the University of West Florida. This training is not designed to replace any current training undertaken by venues and crowd management companies, but to serve as a supplement where staffers can hear from others and learn in a different environment.

For more information visit the YouTube page.

August 16, 2021

Sport Law Expert Gil Fried joins University of West Florida Faculty

Pensacola, FL

The University of West Florida (UWF, Pensacola, FL) is pleased to announce that Gil Fried has joined the faculty in the College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS), starting in the fall 2021 semester.  Professor Fried will not just teach sport management courses, but will also Chair the Administration & Law Department, which includes sport management, construction management, public administration, and legal studies. 

Professor Fried Joins UWF after spending 22 years at the University of New Haven (UNH). While at UNH, Professor Fried became a major national figure in the sports safety area working on topics such as foul ball safety, crowd management best practices, and buffer zone safety in various sports. He has taught thousands of students in classes such as sport law, sport facility management, sport finance, and event management.  Professor Fried is also prolific author. He has written over 12 textbooks on topics such as sport law, sport facility management, sport finance, sport analytics, and even Esport business management. His textbooks are currently used at over 140 universities throughout the United States as well as being translated into various language such as Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. 

While Professor Fried has had a strong academic focus, he is often best known for his work outside the classroom.  He has served on various boards both with for profit corporations and nonprofit organizations. For example, he is on the Executive Board of the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) where he helps lead over 60 million young Americans who participate in youth sports.  He also has worked on some of the most important sport law cases over the last 30 years ranging from deaths at stadiums to nationally regarded cases involving assaults and injuries at both major and minor sports, entertainment, and recreation venues. 

“I am so happy to be part of a team where I can leverage not just my sport management background, but also my legal background with UWF’s nationally ranked legal studies program, my facility management background with our construction management program, and my experience working with cities/counties for UWF’s public administration degree,” said Professor Fried.

CEPS Dean, Dr. William Crawley said, “[W]e are so excited to have someone with Professor Fried’s knowledge, experience, and background joining us.  He can leverage our existing resources and faculty, and help grow stakeholder engagement and partnership opportunities to help our students and the programs thrive.”

For additional information or to reach Professor Fried directly you can reach him at gfried@uwf.edu or 850-474-3246.

Dallas, Texas. 19 April 2021. Leading independent technology advisory, investment and delivery company PMY Group (PMY), today announced its acquisition of Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams, Inc. (WJHW), a consulting and design services firm based in Dallas, Texas, United States of America (US).

Please click here to read the full press release.

For further information about PMY: www.pmygroup.com

For further information about WJHW: www.wjhw.com

kevin kahn  1. Organization Name
  Colorado Rockies Baseball Club

  2. Job Title
  Chief Customer Officer / VP Ballpark Operations

  3. What does your organization do?
  Professional baseball and other entertainment events

4. What exciting and unique things has your organization done in the past or is workng on currently?
We are preparing for the 2021 MLB All-Star Game

5. What is one of your favorite stories that you tell about the business?
Play-in game versus San Diego in 2007 when a very close play at home plate that scored the winning run. Went on to win the NL Championship and play in the World Series.

6. What is your favorite thing about SMA?
The opportunity to meet new poeople across different types of venues as well as learn about products and services to enhance our operations.

7. What is one thing that excites you about being a part of the industry?
The incrdible level of energy and passion towards our industry. It is truly inspiring!

SBA Launches Portal to Begin Accepting Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications on April 8
National informational webinar to review application process on March 30

Release Date: March 19, 2021 Contact: Press_Office@sba.gov
Release Number: 21-22 Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration is launching a splash page for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal today in anticipation of opening applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

“Help is here for venue operators hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA has worked diligently to build the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program from the ground up to assist and address the diverse eligibility requirements of each type of applicant and we will open for applications on April 8,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “The SBA knows these venues are critical to America's economy and understands how hard they've been impacted, as they were among the first to shutter. This vital economic aid will provide a much-needed lifeline for live venues, museums, movie theatres and many more.”

Prior to the official SVOG application opening, the SBA will host a national informational webinar to highlight the application process for potential eligible entities from 2:30 to 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Those interested in participating can register here.

The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, which appropriated $15 billion for it. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion, bringing the program funding to a total of $16.25 billion, with more than $16 billion allocated for grants.

To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act also amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this.

As the SBA builds and prepares to open the program, the dedicated SBA website, www.sba.gov/svogrant, which includes frequently asked questions, video tutorials and other SVOG details, is the best source for information for those looking to apply for a grant. To prepare in advance of the SVOG application portal opening on April 8, potential applicants should get registered in the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov), as this is required for an entity to receive an SVOG, and reference the preliminary application checklist and eligibility requirements.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. It delivers services to people through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.