TAG consults with companies in the live entertainment space to help increase their revenue opportunities, deliver operational efficiencies, take the fan experience to new levels, increase concession and merchandise sales per heads, increase sponsor sales, develop captivating experiential activations, create new content, and acquire top international touring artists. 

TAG consults with sports organizations (teams, venues, leagues, associations, major events) to help increase their revenue opportunities, and attract additional programming. TAG helps sports venues eliminate dark days by diversifying their events calendar with a broad range of revenue producing events.  

TAG also offers sports organizations the opportunity to develop entertainment events around their sport to create new revenue streams, broaden the sport’s audience base, bring in new youthful fans, gain expanded media coverage, heighten sponsor investments, and lift the overall fan experience.

TAG has a strong background in the F&A of businesses in the sports and entertainment industry.  The strategy and diligent budgeting of an event upfront is one of the most mission critical elements for success when it comes to holding large-scale events.  TAG approaches the F&A setup with careful consideration and due diligence, as money is such a touch point for everyone; vendors, clients, media, sponsors, and guests.  TAG learned early on having a personable and well-oiled F&A department goes miles in creating strong relationships.  And just as vitally important, the numbers don’t lie, and when you know where to look you can find new opportunities, and the red flags, in the numbers.

With TAG’s deep experience and knowledge base in accounting, overseeing event and venue budgets in the tens of millions of dollars has been an area TAG excels.  This strong suit gives TAG a leg up in most settlements and contract negotiations, saving organizations thousands and maximizing revenues.

TAG acquires top tier internationally touring artists for events, and most importantly TAG has the experience at negotiating contracts with performers at the right guarantees.  TAG understands the difference between booking a big name band and booking the right band for each specific event.

TAG’s President, Paul Thornton, has been working at the highest levels in the live entertainment industry for more than two decades.  TAG has promoted just about every major touring artist, from classic artists like The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Sting, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Buffett and Elton John, to today’s top artists like Mumford & Sons, Maroon 5, Pitbull, Kanye West, Miguel, Nicky Jam and Drake.  From rappers like Eminem, Dr. Dre and Jay Z to country artists Tim McGraw, Florida-Georgia Line, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean.  TAG has booked just about every major international touring artist at every level; clubs, theaters, arenas, amphitheaters and stadiums.

TAG’s mission is pretty straightforward; turn fans into true passionistas.  Create an amazing experience and the dollars will always follow.

TAG understands that the fans of today are no longer happy being mere spectators, they want to be participants.  Getting fans hands on in participatory activations has always been a primary goal for TAG, as this builds the emotional engagement of the fan to the brand.  

TAG looks at the development of the fan experience as job #1.  The creation of an amazing fan experience will always drive the success of the revenue generation.  Creating a fun, social, captivating, (and most importantly today) a ‘participatory’ experience is the key to creating loyal fans, and opens the doors to new revenue streams and lasting brand affinity.  TAG’s background includes 20+ years of diving into the most minute details of what makes a fan experience a great one, and how to create mystery, intrigue, and exhilaration for fans.  Each event is unique, and each fan experience needs to capture that uniqueness and be a fresh experience, every time. 

In the sports and entertainment industry sponsorship sales, and corporate partners development, have become an extremely important revenue line item.  There is more competition than ever from groups for these brand dollars.  It takes diligence and creativity to successfully research each brand’s goals and develop strategies that highlight exciting activations to help sponsors capture their ROI, while at the same time increasing the sponsor dollar commitments.  The sales pitch is certainly important in the process, but most deals are truly won or lost before the first meeting, as the creation of “sponsorable” inventory that is a win-win for the event and the sponsor partner is the critical part of the equation.

TAG excels at creating these “sponsorable” experiences that lead to higher dollar sponsorship sales and years of renewals with happy brand partners.

TAG helps live entertainment and sports organizations with the design of their new facilities.  TAG specializes in designing flexible use amphitheaters and other live entertainment venues to deliver engaging, participatory fan experiences, while capturing the highest per head revenues.  

The guest experience is absolutely critical in maximizing long-term revenues, and it all starts with the design of the venue.  Many fail before they even stick a shovel in the ground because they put the design of their venue in the hands of an architect exclusively.  Of course an experienced architect in this space is critical, but it is just as important to address every facet in the design of the guest experience.  There is a fine balance between creating a powerful and memorable guest experience and still maximizing profits.  The design of every touch point to the fan is critical.  Another important factor in venue design is to create a flex use venue, so that a diversity of events don’t just fit in the venue, but can succeed in the venue. 

TAG’s President has twenty plus years of experience in not just designing venues but operating them.  This includes the last large-scale amphitheater built in the US, the 16,000 capacity Austin360 Amphitheater.  The venue’s immediate success has led to hosting more than 200,000 guests annually, has one of the highest revenue per heads in the industry, and won Pollstar’s Best New Major Venue of the Year (worldwide),  nominated for Pollstar’s Best Major Outdoor Venue, and was named to USA Today’s 10Best Concert Venues.

TAG offers strategic facility management consulting for amphitheaters, arenas, theaters and larger clubs, as well as for sports stadiums.  TAG works with these groups to enhance the fan experience, develop operational and production efficiencies, grow primary revenue centers, diversify the events calendar, and develop new ancillary revenue streams.  TAG works with organizations in all the key areas, including;

MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS * TICKET SALES * PREMIUM SALES PROGRAMS * OPERATIONS * PRODUCTION * F & A * STAFFING * EVENT ACQUISITION * TALENT ACQUISITION * CONCESSIONS * MERCHANDISE * BOX OFFICE * SPONSORSHIP SALES & ACTIVATION * FAN EXPERIENCE * POLICY & PROCEDURES.

TAG’s President, Paul Thornton, has successfully owned and/or operated multiple types of venues including amphitheaters, theaters, clubs, outdoor pavilions, restaurants and bars.  

TAG has negotiated thousands of contracts; from ticketing contracts, concessions, operations, production, media, municipalities, labor, PSL’s, sponsorships, facility rental agreements, merchandise, and talent contracts.  TAG has a keen understanding of how to work with government officials for approvals, funding, transportation plans, and special events permitting.

TAG has successfully led RFP bids winning prominent contracts including;

Circuit of The Americas and the City of Austin bid for the ESPN Summer X Games.  This was an intensive competition that pitted Austin against 18 other cities.  TAG’s strategy to expand the X Games into a major sports and entertainment festival was the determinant factor.  TAG also produced the event which achieved the largest attendance in the X Games twenty year history with 160,000 patrons, and generated revenues five times greater than any year previous.

The Enthusiast Network bid for The Dew Tour.  TAG led the RFP process and developed the strategy behind the revamp of the new Dew Tour ultimately winning the bid for The Enthusiast Network over ESPN and NBC.

As well TAG negotiated with the Port of San Diego and City of San Diego’s Tourism & Marketing District contracts that awarded the Wonderfront Festival the largest event sponsorship grants the City of San Diego has ever approved, totaling in excess of $1,000,000 for this first year festival.