Detroit City FC picks OVG Hospitality for new AlumniFi Field stadium. Detroit City FC announced OVG Hospitality will be the exclusive food and beverage provider for its new AlumniFi Field. 2 days ago Thursday, Oct 29 By Downriver Today Staff Reports Detroit City Football Club announced Thursday, Oct. 29 that Oak View Group will serve as the exclusive food and beverage hospitality provider for AlumniFi Field, the club's new home slated to open in spring 2028. The announcement comes as construction progresses on AlumniFi Field, a privately funded, 15,000-seat stadium being developed on the former Southwest Detroit Hospital site, according to Detroit City FC. The venue will serve as the future home of Detroit City FC while also hosting concerts, community events and other sports and entertainment programming, the club said. "AlumniFi Field is being built with our supporters, our neighborhood, and our city in mind," said Todd Kropp, Chief Operating Officer of Detroit City FC. "As we plan for the forever home of Detroit City FC, it was important to choose a hospitality partner that understands live event operations, but more importantly understands how food and beverage contributes to the overall game-day experience."``` "Detroit City FC continues to build something incredibly special in Detroit, not only as a soccer club, but as a reflection of the city and the community it represents," said Ken Gaber, President, OVG Hospitality. Before the stadium opens, OVG Hospitality will develop the food and beverage strategy for AlumniFi Field, working with local providers to showcase signature dishes, fan favorites, regional influences and premium offerings, according to the club. The program will incorporate Detroit-based food providers and ingredients from Michigan farms, along with technology designed to speed ordering and purchasing, Detroit City FC said. OVG Hospitality also provides food and beverage services at venues including Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Inter&Co Stadium, home of Orlando City SC, according to the announcement. Additional details about the hospitality program will be shared closer to the stadium's opening, the club said.

Detroit City Football Club selects OVG Hospitality as exclusive food and beverage provider for AlumniFi Field. Detroit City Football Club (DCFC) today announced that Oak View Group (OVG), a global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, will serve as the exclusive food and beverage hospitality provider for AlumniFi Field, the club's new home slated to open in spring 2028. The announcement comes as construction progresses on AlumniFi Field, a privately funded, 15,000-seat stadium being developed on the former Southwest Detroit Hospital site. The new venue will serve as the future home of Detroit City FC while also providing a new destination for concerts, community events and other sports and entertainment programming in Detroit. "AlumniFi Field is being built with our supporters, our neighborhood, and our city in mind," said Todd Kropp, Chief Operating Officer of Detroit City FC. "As we plan for the forever home of Detroit City FC, it was important to choose a hospitality partner that understands live event operations, but more importantly understands how food and beverage contributes to the overall game-day experience. OVG Hospitality brings that expertise, and we look forward to working together as AlumniFi Field comes to life." "Detroit City FC continues to build something incredibly special in Detroit, not only as a soccer club, but as a reflection of the city and the community it represents," said Ken Gaber, President, OVG Hospitality. "We look forward to working closely with the club to create an innovative hospitality experience that captures the energy of its supporters, celebrates Detroit's character, and gives fans another reason to make AlumniFi Field their home." Before the new stadium opens, OVG Hospitality will develop the strategy for AlumniFi Field's food and beverage program, working with local food providers to showcase signature dishes, approachable fan favorites, regional influences, and premium offerings. OVG Hospitality's approach blends local favorites with nationally recognized brands to create a vibrant and distinctive game-day experience. The program will incorporate state-of-the-art technology designed to make ordering and purchasing food faster and more convenient, while sustainability will remain a priority through food waste reduction and improved energy efficiency across food and beverage operations. At AlumniFi Field, OVG Hospitality will celebrate Detroit's rich food culture by incorporating Detroit-based food providers and fresh ingredients from Michigan farms. Together, these offerings will create unique game-day experiences that reflect the character of Detroit and Detroit City FC's devoted fan base. OVG Hospitality provides food and beverage services at live sports and entertainment properties across North America, including Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders (NFL); Benchmark International Arena, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL); Mortgage Matchup Center, home of the Phoenix Suns (NBA), and Inter&Co Stadium, home of Orlando City SC (MLS), among many others. AlumniFi Field represents a major step forward for Detroit City FC as the club continues to grow its presence in the city and across professional soccer. The stadium is expected to anchor a broader development that benefits the surrounding neighborhoods and creates a year-round destination for sports, entertainment, private events and community activities. Additional details about AlumniFi Field and the hospitality program will be shared closer to the stadium's opening. For more information, visit AlumniFiField.com and DetCityFC.com. About Oak View Group Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the Company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. About Detroit City Football Club Detroit City FC is a professional soccer club competing in the USL Championship. Founded by five Detroiters in 2012, the club has earned national recognition for its passionate supporter culture, community-first mission, and commitment to growing the game while investing in the neighborhoods it calls home. DCFC has grown to include men's professional and women's pre-professional sides, an indoor soccer facility, the Detroit City Fieldhouse, and a sports bar, City Clubhouse. Over 500 families have kids play for DCFC City Youth, with thousands more repping Rouge and Gold in one of the other youth travel affiliates. Detroit City FC will begin play in the 15,000-seat, soccer-specific AlumniFi Field in 2028.

NBA Europe's commercial promise comes with an americanization risk. The NBA's planned expansion into Europe can spark the next phase of basketball's growth, the CEO of Oak View says. Oct 28, 2026 | 04:32 pm REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini Want more from Front Office Sports in your search results? The NBA's push into Europe could be a catalyst for the next stage of basketball's growth on the continent, including modernized arenas and improved broadcasting, Oak View Group CEO Chris Granger told Front Office Sports during the 15th annual University of Michigan Sport Business Conference. The NBA and FIBA are working together on the planned European endeavor, with aims to launch the league in October of next year. The NBA says it wants to collaborate with EuroLeague, but the latter recently rejected the former's initial proposal as woefully inadequate. EuroLeague is instead attempting to chart its own path toward expansion, setting an ambitious 10-year growth plan that aims to nearly sextuple its value to $8.98 billion (€7.98 billion). Granger, who spoke with FOS last week during a panel at the University of Michigan, runs Oak View Group, which owns and operates arenas across the world. The company's U.S. venues include Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle where the Kraken play and UBS Arena where the Islanders play. His company may end up being involved in NBA Europe; one of its venues is Co-op Live, a joint venture with City Football Group that opened in the U.K. in 2024 and has been linked to a potential NBA Europe franchise. "The energy around European basketball is undeniable right now," Granger said. He noted that energy could be tied to the upcoming NBA Europe project, EuroLeague's big ambitions, or both. "I think everyone agrees that there is opportunity when it comes to European basketball," he said. Granger has lots of experience in the world of pro sports, including a four-year stint as president of the NBA's Kings and a more than four-and-a-half-year run as group president of sports and entertainment at Ilitch Holdings, which owns the NHL's Red Wings and MLB's Tigers. According to Granger, the opportunities in European basketball extend beyond what will happen on the court, including modernized arenas. "In any of these global capital markets, they don't have so-called NBA-style buildings in the way we would think about it, the way we would monetize it, the way we would create top, high-end fan experiences," he said. "It just doesn't exist there. It's an older building infrastructure, they're smaller." He also said there's opportunity for enhanced broadcasting, and noted that regardless of what happens between the NBA and EuroLeague, there is momentum to "accelerate a professionalization of basketball in Europe." He is, however, aware of the fear from some in Europe about the NBA trying to Americanize the sport. Responding to a student's question about that, Granger acknowledged that attending pro basketball games in cities like Istanbul or Athens is "completely different than the U.S." "You want to maintain that sense of tribalism, that sense of community in the venue," he said, adding that the presentation of live NBA games in the U.S. can sometimes be "overprogramed." But from his view, the NBA is not planning to come in and completely Americanize the way basketball is played in Europe. He noted there has been discussion about promotion and relegation that would "create some sense of meritocracy" that is important in European sports. Download the FOS app. The business of sports, in your pocket. Scan the QR code to get the app now.