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Photo courtesy of: Greg Land
How analytics are shaping the future of venue management
Arenas and stadiums that are ahead of the curve are increasingly treated as living environments that evolve based on fan behavior, revenue performance, and real-time data. In today’s Ask the Expert, B&D’s Ryan Aylmer shares how data analytics and revenue modeling drive smarter decisions and highlight where venues often leave money on the table.
B&D: Tell us about yourself.
Ryan Aylmer: My background is in sport management and real estate analysis. I joined B&D about two and a half years ago, and I focus on pre-development advisory work. That includes financial modeling for new venues, financial planning for existing ones, and revenue analysis to improve efficiency and performance.
B&D: How do data analytics and revenue modeling work together, and why does that matter long term?
RA: Good revenue models start with real venue data. Without it, you’re making educated guesses about things like foot traffic or spend per fan. The more data you have, the more confident you can be in your decisions, and that has a direct impact on long-term performance.
B&D: Where do venues most often leave money on the table?
RA: Lines. Every minute a fan spends waiting in line is time they’re not spending money or engaging with the event. Improving throughput, especially at concessions, makes a real difference. That’s why there’s been such a strong push toward faster transactions and better overall flow.
B&D: How do you see venue management changing?
RA: Many venues were built to be one-time investments. You build it, operate it for decades, and eventually replace it. That mindset’s shifting. Instead of starting from scratch, we’re often looking at how to rework existing space to improve the fan experience and offer a wider range of options.
B&D: For owners who feel overwhelmed by data, where should they start?
RA: Start by figuring out what data you already have or could easily collect. Take stock, find the gaps, and focus on one area where better insight could lead to real improvement. Most of the time, the issue isn’t a lack of data, it’s knowing how to use it.
B&D: And for the record, who are your teams?
RA: I was born and raised in Michigan, so it’s all Detroit teams. Michigan across the board.
Thank you to Ryan for participating in Ask the Expert. If you have a topic you’d like one of our experts to cover in a future column, submit your ideas here.
