PRESS RELEASE: The Maryland Club Set To Open For 2024-25 Basketball Seasons

Maryland Athletics announced the Maryland Club will open for the 2024-25 Terrapin men’s and women’s basketball seasons overlooking Gary Williams Court at XFINITY Center. 

The Maryland Club will be a showcase venue as part of the comprehensive partnership with global premium experiences company Legends. The Maryland Club is an all-inclusive premium club on basketball game days, providing an elevated bar, dining and social experience. With an unparalleled view of the main court, it will be the premier gathering place for Terp fans to enjoy drinks, food, and the best college basketball in the country. The Maryland Club will debut to the public on Monday, Nov. 4 as the Terrapin men’s basketball team hosts Manhattan. 

“The opening of the Maryland Club is a centerpiece of Maryland Athletics reimagining the Terrapin fan and alumni experience,” said Damon Evans, Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics. “Our partnership with Legends demonstrates a major investment to our fanbase and I can’t wait for them to come out to join us at the Maryland Club for a night they will never forget while cheering on their Terps.” 

On non-gamedays, the Maryland Club will serve as an exclusive private social club, showcasing a refined bar, elegant dining room, upscale lounges, private event spaces, and collaborative workspaces. A place where members can work, dine, and socialize, surrounded by the pride of Maryland Athletics and the University of Maryland. 

Maryland Athletics also announced the creation of a new Club Seating section, just steps from the main court behind the northside basketball hoop. This new 200-seat section will come with exclusive access to the Maryland Club, in-seat food and beverage service, high-back padded chairs with side tables, and commanding views of Maryland men’s and women’s Basketball games. 

Terrapin Club members will have an exclusive opportunity through October 22 to learn more about the amenities and benefits of the Maryland Club and Club Seating. If availability remains after October 22, the Maryland Club and Club Seating will be made available to the general public. For more information, please visit https://themarylandclub.com/. For further questions, please contact our team at premiumseating@umd.edu.

Legends has vast experience operating membership clubs and premium hospitality in professional, collegiate, and international venues globally, including at SoFi Stadium, AT&T Stadium, BMO Stadium, Cowboys Club at The Star, Spurs Club at The Rock at La Cantera, Doak Campbell Stadium (Florida State), Etihad Stadium, Santiago BernabĂ©u, and Yankee Stadium. As well, Legends’ is the leader in advising university athletic departments on identifying opportunities to enhance fan experiences and optimize revenue streams on new and renovated facility projects, having partnered on Northwestern, University of Kansas, University of Notre Dame, University of Oklahoma, University of Southern California, University of Utah, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Villanova University, and San Diego State University, amongst others.

CORE architecture + design, based in Washington, DC, led the design of the Maryland Club.

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL: Game Changer Kirta Carroll – Legends

Via Sports Business Journal

Kirta Carroll SBJ Game Changer
-Yesi Fortuna / Fort Lion Studio

Longtime marketing pro Kirta Carroll oversees Legends’ extensive merchandise business, but she didn’t have a direct path to the sports world, first working across industries as varied as health care and luxury fashion. That was until 2011, when Carroll landed at Foot Locker.

Carroll was initially tasked with guiding Foot Locker’s then-nascent efforts with female consumers. She developed marketing strategies and helped roll out custom product launches, including a collaboration between Puma and Rihanna, that ultimately produced record revenue for Foot Locker’s women’s division.

“Hitting that milestone was a really proud moment,” Carroll said. “It was hard, and it took external factors, internal factors, sort of getting the team to believe that we could do it. And being really strategic around how do you grow a segment of the business that is underperforming?”

Carroll spent over a decade at Foot Locker before departing for Legends in August 2022. In leading the Legends Global Merchandise team, comprising more than 1,700 employees around the globe, Carroll oversees relationships with organizations including FIFA, PBR, the PGA and Real Madrid.

She also negotiated Legends’ recent acquisition of AdPro Sports, which strengthened the company’s wholesale and licensing efforts, and led the launch of Legends’ proprietary e-commerce platform. Next up, Carroll is focused on further developing efforts to provide more support for the burgeoning women’s sports space.

“How do we give women’s sports the sort of accelerator that they need from a commercial revenue standpoint?” said Carroll. “We’re starting to see it in some of the partners that we have. 
 But to me, there’s a lot of upside yet to be had for women’s sports in general, so helping to build that goal forward is something I’m supporting and passionate about.” â€” Chris Smith

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL: Legends builds out largest ever Fan Shop for Solheim Cup

Via Sports Business Journal

By Josh Carpenter

A consistent theme in women’s golf in recent years has been to try and elevate all facets of the game to the same levels experienced by men’s players. From major championship courses to TV windows to shot-tracking data.

This week in Virgnia, the merchandise pavilion at the Solheim Cup is more evidence of that trend.

The Solheim Cup Fan Shop, which is being handled by Legends, spans 10,000 square feet, the largest ever for the event. While not at the same scale as some of the men’s tournaments — the PGA Championship pavilion this year was 50,000 square feet — the structure at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club gives off a big-event feel.

“Our goal here was to partner with the LPGA on what’s the most electrifying event in women’s golf,” said Mike Quirk, the chief commercial officer for Legends Global Merchandise. “We go into all of our relationships just trying to paint that picture for them and extend the story or the brand.”

Legends first signed with the LPGA in the spring of 2023 to manage e-commerce sales as well as the merchandise buildout for the Solheim Cup.

“As women’s sports continues to grow, so are the things that are connected to it,” Quirk said. “The size of the tent warrants the level of the event and the attendance they’ll see this week.”

The pavilion this week is being staffed with about 50 volunteers, four college interns and around 10 Legends employees. Brands inside include Dunning, Imperial, Summit Golf Brands/Zero Restriction for the U.S. team and Ping for the Europeans.

Other collaborations include Malbon Golf, Barstool Sports, Lululemon, G-Fore and New Era.

Merchandise is available for both European and U.S. teams, as well as event-specific items and accessories themed to the Northern Virginia and DC areas.

“It connects with the state of Virginia but also with the global presence of the Solheim Cup,” Quirk said. “It’s trying to do both. You’ve got the Solheim brand and the global presence it has, but then also trying to work in the local flavor.”   

PRESS RELEASE: Michigan Partners with Legends to Deliver Enhanced Retail and eCommerce Experience for Fans

Michigan x Legends

The University of Michigan Athletic Department announced today that it has entered into a 10-year partnership with global premium experiences company Legends to create a best-in-class online shopping experience for fans and at all existing athletics facilities. 

Legends will have the exclusive rights to manage, operate, sell, and distribute all Michigan-licensed merchandise and will operate the ‘Official Team Store,’ which will continue under the MDen name. Legends will use a data and fan-led approach to develop an industry-leading customized merchandise solution for Michigan that will deliver an expanded product assortment and enhanced customer experience for students, alumni, and fans wherever they purchase their U-M gear. In addition to the existing athletics facilities, work is underway to secure a new off-campus retail store location.

“Our partnership with Legends will provide our fans with a fully integrated retail experience both in-venue and online,” said Warde Manuel, U-M’s Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. “Fans will be able to purchase a comprehensive assortment of licensed products from a best-in-class retail partner that focuses on a holistic customer experience. We are excited to begin this new venture with Legends.”

“Legends is honored to partner with U-M to deliver their passionate fans an enhanced, seamless shopping experience. Our team will work alongside U-M to maximize fan expression and the University’s powerful brand affinity through compelling products and premium experiences,” said Kirta Carroll, President, Legends Global Merchandise. 

Added Mike Behan, President, Legends College: “Innovative universities like U-M are thinking differently about generating revenue in the new collegiate landscape. Legends’ expertise in creating customized solutions focused on the fan experience and monetization for premier athletic departments makes this a perfect fit.” 

Michigan and Legends’ partnership expands beyond merchandise and includes Legends research arm CSL executing a premium experiences study for Michigan Stadium. 

Legends’ fully integrated retail and merchandising vertical solution works with world-class clients around the globe. This includes vast experience developing and operating eCommerce and retail experiences for some of the world’s largest sporting events and organizations: Super Bowl, Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, PGA Championship, College Football Playoff, Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees, Real Madrid and a growing roster of NCAA partnerships, including Indiana University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, Purdue University, and Villanova University.