The Leader: Stephen Cannon

An article by 

The SportBusiness International – The Leader (Original Publication date:  September 2016)

Stephen Cannon is the new chief executive of AMB Group, the parent company of the Atlanta Falcons NFL American football franchise, Atlanta United FC from Major League Soccer and the PGA TOUR Superstore. Here he talks about how his career in the car industry has prepared him for his new role.

The diversity of businesses in the AMB Group portfolio is one of the factors that made this opportunity so exciting for me and also what presents an interesting challenge from a brand consistency and support standpoint. We are similar to a media company, with business units that serve very different audiences. The Falcons have a mass market appeal; Atlanta United has more of a specialised, millennial fan base; Mercedes-Benz Stadium guests will be varied with diverse passions; and the PGA TOUR Superstore and Mountain Sky Guest Ranch reach a higher end consumer.

We are also somewhat unique in the sports industry in that we operate using a shared services model, where certain business functions support several properties. This works for us on many levels and allows us to capitalise on the experience and expertise of associates in each discipline.

Although each entity is unique in terms of audience, business approach and success metrics, what ties them all together is a strong set of core values that our owner, Arthur Blank, put in place when he began building his portfolio. These values include: Put People First, Listen and Respond, Include Everyone, Innovate Continuously, Lead by Example and Give Back to Others. Adhering to these values is what provides the link between businesses and allows us to operate with consistent goals in mind.

Having recently moved from Mercedes-Benz USA to AMB Group, I’ve just begun to realise the many ways the sports and automotive industries intersect. First and most importantly, whether building cars or leading a sports franchise, the customer or fan experience should be at the heart of every decision.

“The Falcons have a mass market appeal; Atlanta United has more of a specialised, millennial fan base.”

I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen in the sports industry in terms of improving the fan experience. It’s important today, more than ever before, to create an extraordinary in-stadium experience for sports fans. In order to persuade them to leave their living rooms, where they have access to big-screen TVs and all of the comforts of home, the experience at the venue must be seamless, specialised and extraordinary. We are mindful of that in the United States, which is why you are seeing venues focusing on areas such as advanced technology, improved ingress and egress, and personalising game-day moments. The trend globally is to improve connectivity and convenience, and to make the in-stadium experience immersive and unique for the fan.

When complete in 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium [the new home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United] will be the most advanced, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex in the world. There are operational decisions being made every day to ensure that when our fans walk into the stadium for a Falcons game or an Atlanta United match, or when a guest visits for an event, we have thought through every detail in order to make their experience exceptional from start to finish. The same holds true in the automotive industry; attention to detail and understanding your customer are central to maintaining loyalty.

In sport, finding the competitive edge is a critical component to delivering a winning product on the field. What are the factors that set us apart from the competition? What can we do better in terms of preparation, focus, training and execution? Are we identifying areas of opportunity where we can gain an edge ahead of our competitors?

In the auto industry, innovation drives success. It’s exciting to see the innovation happening in sport, particularly in areas like wearable technology, analytics and player performance. As leaders in the industry, it’s our responsibility to encourage big ideas and creative thinking. In Atlanta we’re in the process of building a Major League Soccer team from the ground up, which means we have incredible opportunities to establish brand identity and fan culture, as well as create a blueprint for how the team is shaped on the field. Ultimately, our success will come from how we set ourselves apart from the start by creating a brand that resonates not only with prospective players, but with soccer fans on local, national and global levels.

Stephen Cannon is a speaker at The Leaders Sport Business Summit at Chelsea FC, London, from 5-6 October, 2016.