 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Real estate development Professional sports |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | Tim Leiweke andIrving Azoff |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Irving Azoff (president) |
| Subsidiaries | Pollstar |
| Website | www |
Oak View Group, LLC (OVG) is an Americanprofessional sports andcommercial real estate company based inDenver. It manages several sports venues, includingClimate Pledge Arena inSeattle, which was constructed under the company's supervision. OVG was formed in 2015, byTim Leiweke and his business partner,Irving Azoff.[1]
The former KeyArena inSeattle was redeveloped in preparation for theSeattle Kraken, the city'sNational Hockey League team. The new arena, namedClimate Pledge Arena via a naming rights deal withAmazon is also home to theWNBA'sSeattle Storm. On December 4, 2017, theSeattle City Council voted 7–1 to approve amemorandum of understanding with the OVG for the redevelopment,[2] which built a new subterranean arena on the existing site while retaining the historical landmarked roof and three exterior walls. Demolition and construction for the new arena began in 2018 and was fully completed in 2021.[3] The company was competing against arival proposal byChris Hansen.
On December 7, the NHL's board of governors agreed to consider an application for an expansion team from Seattle, with an expansion fee set at $650 million.[4] The Seattle ownership group is represented byDavid Bonderman andJerry Bruckheimer.[5] On February 20, MayorJenny Durkan launched an NHL campaign during her State of the Union and announced that the OVG would be initiating a season ticket drive on March 1, 2018.[6] OVG manages Climate Pledge Arena.
The group is also a partner inUBS Arena with theNew York Islanders.[7] In December 2017, New York Arena Partners (a venture of the Islanders, OVG, andSterling Equities) won a bid to construct a new, 18,000-seat arena and mixed-used district atBelmont Park, beating a competing proposal byNew York City FC for a new soccer stadium. The new arena was completed in time for the 2021–22 season.[8][9]
In 2016, OVG announced an "Arena Alliance" of independent arenas such asAT&T Center (San Antonio),Scotiabank Arena (Toronto),Amalie Arena (Tampa Bay),BB&T Center (Ft. Lauderdale),Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis),Chase Center (San Francisco),PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh),KeyBank Center (Buffalo),The Forum (Los Angeles),Golden 1 Center (Sacramento),Little Caesars Arena (Detroit),Madison Square Garden (New York),Ball Arena (Denver),State Farm Arena (Atlanta),Prudential Center (Newark),Rocket Arena (Cleveland),Rogers Arena (Vancouver),Enterprise Center (St. Louis),United Center (Chicago),Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia), andXcel Energy Center (St. Paul).[10]
In 2016, OVG acquired Venues Today, a trade publication for the live entertainment industry.[11] In 2017, the company purchasedPollstar, atrade publication for theconcert industry.[12]
In 2018, it was announced that OVG and theUniversity of Texas at Austin (UT) had agreed to build a new $338 million arena for the Texas Longhornsmen's andwomen's basketball programs to replace theFrank Erwin Center.[13] Under the agreement, UT has exclusive use of the arena for 60 days per year and receives all revenue from Longhorns games, while OVG and its partnersLive Nation andC3 Presents have the right to hold events on the other days, receiving the bulk of the revenue from those dates.[14] The arena, ultimately namedMoody Center, opened in April 2022.[15]
In 2019, OVG launched Oak View Group International. Based in London, it will focus on building arena and stadium development and partnership opportunities in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Jessica Koravos, president ofAndrew Lloyd Webber’sReally Useful Group, and formerly MD ofAnschutz Entertainment Group Live and COO of AEG Europe, is co-chair of OVG International alongsideTim Leiweke.
In February 2019, it was announced that OVG had become the arena manager of Webster Bank Arena, now known asTotal Mortgage Arena, inBridgeport, Connecticut.[16] Oak View Group also will operateAcrisure Arena inThousand Palms, California. Upon completion in December 2022, the arena became the home ice for the Kraken'sAmerican Hockey League affiliate, theCoachella Valley Firebirds.[17]
In August 2021, it was announced that OVG and Spectra, a venue management company, would be merging to form a full-service live events company.[18] In October 2021, Oak View Group partnered with the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG) to redevelopHamilton, Ontario's Arts and Entertainment district, including a renovation ofTD Coliseum.[19]
In November 2021, Oak View Group and Thirty Five Ventures (founded by basketball starKevin Durant) reached a 30-year agreement withBaltimore City to operate the city-owned arena, now calledCFG Bank Arena.[20] The arena underwent $250 million in renovations and reopened in April 2023.[21]
In March 2022, OVG announced its largest project to date, a 20,000-seat arena in Las Vegas.[22] The 25-acre site (10 ha) is south of thestation for the high speed rail line to the Los Angeles area,Brightline West.[23]
On July 10th, 2025 the Department of Justice indicted Tim Leiweke for violation of the Sherman Act in relation to bid rigging of a college stadium in Texas. As a result of the indictment, Oak View Group agreed to pay a $15M fine and Tim Leiweke stepped down as CEO.[24][25]