Profit-focused strategy for stadiums and arenas.
We help owners get more out of their new builds, renovations, and existing buildings.
The Problem
A venue is one of the largest investments a sports organization will ever make, yet most are designed without a clear strategy and perspective on what the building could earn.
Early decisions are often made based on aesthetics, precedent, and size targets. Premium mix, pricing, sponsorship inventory, and F&B get worked out later, after the structure has already capped what's possible. The result is a building that delivers the program on paper but leaves value on the table for decades.
The venues that outperform are the ones where strategy leads the design.
What We Do
Existing venues. We run an independent assessment of how your seating products and revenue assets are actually performing, and where the upside is in pricing, product, sponsorship, and F&B. From our experience, years two through four of a new venue hold some of the best opportunities for step-change revenue growth, if you know where to look.
New builds. Before design locks in, we define what the building must deliver across every revenue driver: premium product mix and quantity, pricing by zone, sponsorship inventory, F&B, and event calendar. We turn that into design requirements the architect can build against.
Renovations. We build the business case for each intervention with ROI, payback, and phasing modeled. That way capital goes to the projects that perform, and every value engineering cut is weighed against what it gives up.
Owner's advisory. Once the strategy is set, we stay in the room through design and construction. We act as the revenue and profit lens on key decisions and flag changes that carry outsized risk to performance.
How it Works
Most engagements start with a focused four to six-week assessment or strategy sprint, with a clear deliverable: revenue model, product definitions, prioritized set of opportunities, etc. Ongoing advisory through design and construction is available from there.
Why VSG
Operator perspective. Built by someone who has run venue strategy at the ownership level, not modeled it from the outside.
Independent. Not tied to any operating, sales, or concessions agreement. Focused only on how the asset performs once it opens.
Revenue first. Every recommendation is measured by its financial and experiential return, not just cost per square foot.
Gordon Barfield
FOUNDER
With 15+ years of experience, he was previously Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development at AMB Sports and Entertainment, where he led profit growth efforts across Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, and several other properties. As part of that, he owned the business case, analysis, and strategy for the stadium's renovation and all major capital investments, responsible for ensuring investments met the organization's financial and experiential goals. He also ran AMBSE Ventures and underwrote acquisitions. Since starting VSG, Gordon has advised and partnered with owners, venue and club leadership, and investors to deliver similar outcomes across the industry.
VSG works with team and venue owners, club leadership, developers, municipalities, and investors across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, USL, and collegiate athletics.