Sports hospitality giant Levy launches £350m plan

Sports hospitality giant Levy has launched a new umbrella brand for its portfolio of businesses, Lyvera, as part of ambitious plans to double turnover to £350m by 2028.

Lyvera will incorporate Keith Prowse, Gullivers Sports Travel, The Experience Golf, Lime Venue Portfolio, Events International, the Venues Collection and recent acquisition the iLuka Collective.

Levy, which is chaired by English cricket chief and agency boss Richard Thompson, has clients including the All England Lawn Tennis Club, St Andrews, the Jockey Club, Allianz Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Edgbaston.

“This is an extremely exciting new development and proposition from Levy and reflects the shift in expectations around hospitality and looking for a new more elevated premium experience at sporting, entertainment and business events,” said Thompson 

“The launch of Lyvera is responding to the shift in expectations and will be to the benefit of our existing and future clients and partners. The experience and portfolio of Levy and Compass Group is second to none and continues to set the standards for others to follow.”

It comes amid booming demand for premium experiences in live sport and entertainment and follows a £100m deal between Levy and the Jockey Club announced last week.

Lyvera to broaden reach of group companies

Lyvera will be run by Levy’s former chief commercial officer Charlie Buck and by the end of 2028 aims to have doubled both its market size in Europe and group turnover. 

Its companies include Keith Prowse, which runs hospitality at Wimbledon and the Allianz Stadium, specialist tour operator Gullivers Sports Travel, and the Experience Golf, which organises tee times at iconic courses such as St Andrews.

The iLuka Collective offers high-end experiences at major events including the recent Winter Olympics and this summer’s Fifa World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

“We want to be able to frame sports, entertainment and business moments at the greatest events and most iconic venues on earth,” said Buck. 

“Lyvera will allow us to align our businesses and proposition under one group brand and on an international scale.

“Lyvera will see us broaden our reach and showcase the full range of services that we offer to our customers and clients, in a clear and cohesive way, to rights holders, venues and to major international governing bodies as well. 

“This is about placing people, businesses, talent and brands at the heart of the world’s greatest sporting events and venues, and communicating our proposition to the world.”