Exploring the Myths of Luxury Boxes

The stadium luxury box is a fascinating concept.  With a DNA made up of equal parts meeting space, buffet, and sports den, it is a wonderful way to take in a game, provided that the other amenities that are available in these special cabins do not distract you from remembering that there actually is a game occurring.  It is also the source of a host of myths that range from its practical to its professional use; tall tales of woe that may prevent the company executive to pull the trigger on spending the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to secure its magic for a full season.

Here’s the funny thing about myths, though – they are seldom, if ever, accurate.  Yes, some of the information gathered that create and maintain these bogus accounts come from things that exist – for example, the story of the unicorn works because your kids can see a bunch of two-horned critters running around at the zoo.  But if you take the time to explore the information that encircles the stories themselves, you will discover the distance between fact and fiction is quite wide.  Certainly, this applies to luxury boxes.  Since it is such a hefty investment to make, it is important to realize that a lot of concerns that have traditionally surrounded these squares of athletic opulence can easily be explained away once you take a hard look at the data.

Here, then, are five of the more prominent myths regarding luxury sports boxes, and why they are just, well, myths:

1.  Luxury boxes are inconvenient.  Let’s say your company is located in the Irvine Spectrum, just south of the infamous El Toro Y.  You don’t even need to look at a map to know that Angel Stadium and the Honda Center are not exactly next door to your office space.  When you add the traffic that traditionally clogs the 55 Freeway during rush hour, the length between the two areas seems to feel a little longer and a lot nastier.  If you are lucky enough to have an office blessed with a conference room that clients and various business partners seem to really like, buying a luxury box in a place that is several miles and minutes away may feel like too much of a hassle.  However, once you make it to your destination, and see the baseball diamond or the hockey rink laid out in all of their respective glory, suddenly all thoughts of inconvenience and time-consuming traffic completely disappears from your mind.   After all, you are at a live sporting event, in the equivalent of a world-class living room, and you have plenty of food and drink at your disposal.  It may not be as easy to get to as your conference room, but the fun and relaxed ambience that the space naturally seems to generate more than makes up for this issue.  

2.  Luxury boxes are a wasteful expense.  This notion is largely attached to the fact that if you purchase a box, you will not have a need to utilize it every time the Angels or Ducks are at home.  Frankly, this could very well be the case, regardless of the size of your sales force or high-level management.  However, consider how much of a morale booster it would be for your staff if you were able to release the tickets to them on the dates that it is not needed for business purposes.  Since happy employees tend to produce better results, this little act of kindness could assist in producing long-term dividends that would far outweigh the box’s short-term price tag.

3.  Non-sports fans would not enjoy the luxury box.  One of the beauties about attending a sporting event in a luxury box is that you don’t ever have to set your eyes on the actual sport.  Indeed, if the prospect of watching the Angels or Ducks play doesn’t thrill you, don’t worry.  Simply put together a plate of food, sink into one of the comfortable lounge chairs positioned deep in the box and completely away from the action, and hang out with some of your clientele while others enjoy the athletic shenanigans.  This myth is particularly busted when you open the box to your non-executive and sales staff, as employees who wouldn’t be able to tell a strikeout from a power play would still view the opportunity to hang out in the special facility as a golden one, because it would give them the grand feeling of being privileged and important, even if they do nothing more than watch alternative programming on the box’s flat screen television. 

4.  Real fans never use the luxury box.  This is possibly the most obnoxious myth, because it assumes you and the people that may utilize the box for business purposes are either not real sports fans or lack the capability of being one.  However, if this was true, then there would not be a single sports franchise that could boast an owner.  If you do like sports, make no mistake that there is nothing more thrilling or surreal than the idea of talking up your company with current and future clientele with the spectacle and pageantry of a live event providing the backdrop.  And if you happen to root for the Angels or the Ducks, this intriguing atmosphere tends to become even greater.  Of course, if you don’t enjoy sports, please re-visit point number three.

5.  Nobody ever gets any important business done in a luxury box.  Okay, so there may be a little bit of truth to this one.  But really, has this little issue ever stopped you from hitting the golf course with clients?  

When these myths are researched and ultimately debunked, you are left with one of the coolest and most versatile business tools around.  Not only does it leave a remarkable impression on clients and business associates, it also serves as a very desirable employee perk and workforce morale booster.  In the long run, these important aspects make a luxury box much more exciting than a game-winning hit or an overtime goal.  Well, maybe…

By Rich Manning