Bayer Leverkusen to build 'Talent House' for future stars
Bayer 04 will be preparing young talents for a potential sporting career in an even more systematic way in future. The club is breaking new ground to help develop their academic, social and personal skills as well. With the ‘Haus der Talente' or 'Talent House’, Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH is creating a new centre for the development of young athletes in a central location in Leverkusen. Once completed – expected to be in the summer of 2027 – the project will be run in partnership with TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen e.V.
Anyone expected to make the right decision under pressure in the 89th minute of a Champions League match or during an Olympic final needs more than just talent, technique and fitness. They must be used to making decisions on their own initiative and trusting their skills and intuition. Optimal preparation for a potential sporting career therefore also involves the continuous development of young athletes’ academic, social and personal skills. To this end, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen are creating an exceptional environment. 36 young athletes aged between 14 and 18 will live and learn together under one roof. These will include young footballers, but also young people from other team sports, athletics, judo, fencing and parasport. They will live together in residential groups under the supervision of teachers. Skills such as a willingness to perform, motivation and perseverance will be part of the educational and learning process. Added to this will be the development of social skills such as teamwork, respect and reliability, as well as a willingness to try new things and accept criticism.
Like the Bayer 04 Campus planned for Monheim, the Talent House is a key component of Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s overall strategy for medium- and long-term success. The facility is being built between the Löwenburg children's nursery and Elisabeth-Langgässer-Straße in Leverkusen. It's situated in a green setting yet close to the city centre, and therefore near the partner schools and various sports facilities. This is because the young athletes should, where possible, be able to travel to school and training by bike or bus. A concept agreed with the Jugendamt (child protection services) will allow for targeted support. Each residential group will have a designated key worker who acts as a point of contact for the young people on all matters beyond sport. They'll have close communication with the coaches, parents and the Jugendamt. Cross-sport exchanges between top athletes will be part of the educational concept. At the Talent House, the residents will have to carry out household duties, just as they would in a family.
The Talent House, designed and built by architect Bernd Oxen, will be a sustainable timber-frame building with plenty of greenery that blends in well with its surroundings. The living areas will feature a green façade, supported by wooden trellises. The roofs will be covered with greenery and fitted with a photovoltaic system, whilst a heat pump will provide heating and hot water. Rainwater will be fully absorbed into the ground via drainage channels on the property. The outdoor areas will primarily feature native trees and shrubs.
Bayer 04 has been in close contact with the future neighbours of the Talent House for almost three years. The organisers presented their ideas and plans to them at an early stage so their suggestions could be incorporated into the planning. Five public meetings were held, during which there was a constructive, open and detailed exchange of views.
Following the Leverkusen City Council’s resolution on the urban land-use planning process, the city administration has now granted planning permission. The actual construction phase will take around a year. If all goes to plan, the young athletes will be able to move in during the summer of 2027.
Simon Rolfes, Bayer 04 Leverkusen managing director sport: “The competition to attract the best young talent in modern top-flight football is extremely fierce. The Talent House will give us a significant advantage over other clubs, both in terms of content and infrastructure. This is because the concept, in this form, is a unique and promising one. Here, young athletes who possess the necessary skills can develop into elite performers in a state-of-the-art and professional environment.”
Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 Leverkusen CEO: “Success in elite sport is no accident, but rather the result of, among other things, professional planning and a modern infrastructure. The Talent House is a key component of Bayer 04’s overall medium- and long-term strategy. This also includes the Campus, which we hope to be able to bring to fruition soon.”
Steffi Nerius, head of the boarding school: “Since taking up my post 11 years ago, I've been particularly committed to strengthening Leverkusen as a sporting hub and offering young talents the best possible opportunities for development. So I'm delighted Bayer04 Fußball GmbH and TSV Bayer04 Leverkusen e.V. are making an important contribution to the future with the Talent House. The focus is on dual careers: sport and academic education should go hand in hand. With the Talent House, we're creating the ideal conditions to give young people the best possible preparation – in terms of sport, education and personal development – for the rest of their lives.”
Stefan Hebbel, Lord Mayor of Leverkusen: "The Talent House will strengthen Leverkusen as a sporting hub. We've known for decades how professionally and strategically Bayer 04 and TSV promote young talent. This project and other challenges - such as the expansion of the A1 Autobahn, which directly affects the people of Leverkusen, the club as a whole, Bayer 04, other stakeholders and the city - are evidence of cooperation on an equal footing. And, of course, we are also united by the hope that our city will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games."
Bernd Oxen, architect: "The Talent House will be surrounded by lush greenery and adjacent to nature and residential neighbourhoods. This guided us in our design. The building will blend seamlessly into its surroundings. This will be ensured by the vines, the greenery and the plants we've selected. In terms of the rooms, it will be important that there will be areas for the young athletes to retreat to, but also places to meet and socialise that also take into account the needs of the residents."
Anne Dannenberg, managing director BayArena Tech +: "We involved our future neighbours in the process right from the start, regularly asking them for their opinions, suggestions and concerns. We were able to take many of the things that were important to them into account in our planning. We're convinced that building is a process that works particularly well when people listen to each other. We're delighted that, after a long phase of preparation, we're now moving on to the realisation phase."
New Nissan Stadium to host 2030 Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is headed to Music City.
On Tuesday, the National Football League announced that Nashville will host Super Bowl LXIV in 2030 at the New Nissan Stadium.
The announcement was made at the NFL Spring League Meeting here in Orlando following a review of the proposal by the NFL's Fan Engagement & Major Events Committee and a vote by full ownership.
"The 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville was one of the great fan events in our history," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Super Bowl LXIV at the new stadium is the next step in this remarkable football journey. The vision of Amy Adams Strunk and the Tennessee Titans helped make this moment possible, along with our great partners at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. We can't wait to put on an unforgettable show in 2030."
The Titans and the city of Nashville did their due diligence in recent months and years while preparing to make a formal pitch to the NFL to host the game.
Leading up to Super Bowl LX, Titans President and Chief Executive Officer Burke Nihill and Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, president & CEO Deana Ivey were among those from Tennessee who traveled to San Francisco, studying how the Bay Area Host Committee coordinated the events leading up to the game.
Goodell, during the Steel Topping Out ceremony at new Nissan Stadium in November, raved about the franchise's new stadium, scheduled to open in 2027, and the city of Nashville, and at the time dropped some strong hints this announcement could be coming.
That day was Tuesday.
Super Bowl LXIV will mark the first time Nashville will host the event.
"Hosting the Super Bowl is a defining moment for Nashville and Tennessee and reflects years of work to build Music City into a globally recognized destination for music, entertainment, and live events," Ivey said. "This event is an incredible opportunity to showcase the dynamic and creative character of Nashville to a global audience and to deliver a Super Bowl experience that is distinctly Music City, where music, sports, culture, and hospitality come together in a way few cities can match. We are grateful to the NFL for the confidence they have placed in our community. Nashville has earned a reputation for hosting major events at the highest level, and we are ready to welcome the world."
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp serves as the lead event organizer and will coordinate operational planning and partnerships with the city and state.
The Titans organization serves as the Host Club, providing stadium resources and operational support.
"Tennessee's selection to host the 2030 Super Bowl is a proud moment for our state," Governor Bill Lee said. "We invested in a new stadium with a vision for the future - one that brings major events, drives tourism, and fuels economic growth while creating new opportunity for communities across Tennessee. I'm grateful for the partnerships that made this possible, and we look forward to showcasing all that our state has to offer on a global stage."
"Nashville is the complete package when it comes to hosting the nation's biggest events," Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said. "Nashville has repeatedly demonstrated that top events succeed here because of the way we come together to offer an unmatched entertainment experience. We're looking forward to showing the world an East Bank with a century of affordable housing and great infrastructure and green space as they watch the biggest event in sports. And we're going to work hard to ensure our local residents and businesses benefit as much as possible from being on the world's biggest stage."
When Nashville hosted the NFL Draft back in 2019, the event drew 600,000 fans in a then-record-setting weekend that generated $224 million in economic impact.
In addition to the game, Super Bowl week will feature NFL Honors, Super Bowl Experience, Super Bowl Opening Night and meaningful community initiatives, including NFL Source, the league's procurement program for local and underrepresented businesses.
Dates for the next four Super Bowls are now on the schedule:
LXI, 2027: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
LXII, 2028: Mercedez-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
LXIII, 2029: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
LXIV, 2030: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
"We are thrilled that the new Nissan Stadium will host Nashville's first Super Bowl in 2030," Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. "This is an exciting moment for our city and our entire state. We cannot wait for our community to experience an event of this magnitude and for the world to see the energy, hospitality, and culture that make our city so special on a global stage. Thank you to Commissioner Goodell, my fellow owners, and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. for their partnership throughout this process. We look forward to bringing an unforgettable Super Bowl experience to Nashville together."
Wembley offer Michelin-Starred dining at FA Cup Final
Wembley Stadium, the home of English football, and Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food service, successfully redefined the major stadium food and beverage experience at Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup Final by introducing the first-ever concessions concept led by a two-Michelin-star chef.
This pioneering activation with Chef Andrew Wong of A. Wong delivered an elevated, bespoke menu directly to Inner Circle members, underscoring Wembley Stadium’s commitment to providing world-class dining at every level of membership experience. Inner Circle is one of the stadium’s more accessible memberships, giving fans the chance to enjoy some of the biggest games and events, as well as a range of bars and restaurants.
The initiative marked the first introduction of a Michelin-starred chef-led concessions concept delivered at scale within a major stadium environment. Working with Delaware North, Andrew Wong created a bespoke menu inspired by dishes from his acclaimed restaurant, A. Wong, specifically centred on the energy of dim sum and layered flavours.
The activity is part of a wider stadium strategy to deliver a sense of occasion, quality, and meaning to fans, not just those enjoying the already elevated offerings in the hospitality and members’ areas. Andrew Wong was chosen not just for his prestige, but as a chef whose cooking, rooted in heritage, translates and is adaptable at scale.
Andrew Wong commented on the event: “Our presence at the Emirates FA Cup Final was about creating a concessions concept that still felt true to A. Wong. The menu was a snapshot of what we do there, centred on the energy of dim sum and layered flavours, but translated for scale. It wasn’t about recreating a restaurant, but about redefining concessions as something more thoughtful, expressive and accessible to every fan.”
Doug Tetley, Managing Director, Delaware North, added: “At Delaware North we always aim to deliver stand out quality hospitality experiences and we’re delighted to collaborate with Andrew Wong to bring this unique and distinctive dining experience to Wembley Stadium.
"Andrew is an incredible chef, and this collaboration brought an exceptional level of culinary excellence to this weekend’s Emirates FA Cup Final. Andrew’s vision and expertise is elevating expectations of what stadium food can be, setting a new benchmark for hospitality in live sport.”
While Wembley Stadium’s matchday hospitality has long been a space for elevated dining, this successful launch ensures that fans in entry level membership can also access Michelin-level thinking. The concept successfully demonstrated that quality and accessibility are not mutually exclusive, using food as a way to elevate the overall matchday experience.
Based on the significant success of this initiative, Wembley Stadium and Delaware North are exploring opportunities for future concession concepts, featuring a curated collection of industry-leading chefs.
SeatGeek Launches Game Day Your Way Product Suite
SeatGeek, the high-growth technology platform transforming the live event experience for fans, teams and venues, today announced the launch of its new product suite, “Game Day Your Way” — a connected set of product features that gives teams a complete, real-time picture of their fans across every touchpoint of game day, from parking to post-game. For the first time, ticketing, entry, concessions and payments live in one place, unlocking better operational decisions, new revenue opportunities and a more seamless experience for every fan in the building. The Game Day suite is one important step in SeatGeek's broader vision of creating a fully connected live event experience for rightsholders and fans alike.
For too long, teams have operated game day across a patchwork of disconnected systems. A fan walks through the gate, grabs food at a concession stand, redeems a loyalty offer, and makes a payment, and each of those moments lives in a different system, owned by a different vendor, invisible to the others. The result is an incomplete picture of how fans actually experience a game and limited ability to act on it in the moment.
SeatGeek's Game Day suite changes that. By connecting ticketing, entry, concessions and payments into a single unified system, teams gain a 360-degree view of fan behaviour and spend and the tools to act on it in real time. That means resolving a ticketing issue from the concourse, pushing a personalized offer to a fan who just entered the building, or adjusting concession staffing based on live wait time data, all from one place.
The suite was piloted at Rocket Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, where it is serving as a proof point for what a fully connected game day looks like in practice.
"Teams have always had data on their fans, but it has never lived in one place," said Russ D'Souza, Co-Founder of SeatGeek. "Our Game Day suite connects every touchpoint of the fan journey into a single system, giving teams the full picture they need to make better decisions on game day and build deeper relationships with their fans over time. What's happening at Rocket Arena is one important step toward that vision."
For fans, the difference is felt immediately. Faster entry, real-time wait times, and easier in-venue transactions bring the kind of seamless experience that once felt reserved for premium ticketholders and VIPs to every fan in the building.
"SeatGeek’s Game Day tools provide us a clear, real-time view of how our fans move through Rocket Arena and experience a Cavs game, from the moment they arrive until the moment they head home," said Chris Kaiser, Chief Marketing Officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers. "We’re obsessed with finding a better way, and the insights we gain from this platform will elevate the fan experience and strengthen how we deliver for our guests and partners every night."
Key features in the Game Day suite include:
- Native Access Control: Real-time ticketing and entry management, operable from any mobile device, with ingress data available in under one second.
- Live Activities: Dynamic, real-time updates that keep fans informed and engaged throughout the event, before, during, and after.
- Virtual Box Office: A mobile-first box office experience that lets teams resolve ticketing issues and serve fans from anywhere in the venue. (SBJ Award Nominee: Best in Venue & Franchise Operations Technology)
- Wait Times: Real-time concession and entry wait time data surfaced directly to fans, reducing friction and improving flow throughout the venue.
- Virtual Payment: A connected payment experience that ties transactions across the venue into a single, unified system, integrated with Cavs Rewards, the Cavaliers' fan loyalty platform powered by Uptop.
The Game Day suite was successfully piloted at Rocket Arena and is available to SeatGeek enterprise partners. Learn more at SeatGeek's Game Day Your Way hub.
Newcastle United complete strategic purchase for stadium plans
Newcastle United has completed the purchase of a significant portion of the historic Leazes Terrace building next to St. James' Park.
The acquisition of a substantial majority of the Grade I listed structure includes its northern, southern and western elevations – including all areas facing the stadium.
It also includes most of its eastern elevation, with a small block of private residences remaining in this part of the building.
A strategic purchase
This strategic purchase is part of the club's long-term planning as it continues to assess all credible and feasible options for the future of its home stadium.
It provides Newcastle United with greater flexibility and ensures any future decisions support the club's ambitions, as well as its responsibilities to the local community and the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The club recognises the building’s historic and architectural significance and is committed to its preservation.
Ongoing use
There are no plans to change the current use of Leazes Terrace, which is currently let for student accommodation, and the club will retain the building’s existing property management operator.
The investment to purchase Leazes Terrace does not impact the club's football trading position.
Detroit Pistons Secure NBA’s Largest Practice Facility with Motorola Solutions Technology
The Henry Ford Health Detroit Pistons Performance Center (PPC), the largest practice facility in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and primary business headquarters for the Detroit Pistons, has unveiled a technology system that seamlessly blends rigorous security with the open civic spirit of uptown Detroit. PPC’s security staff worked with Motorola Solutions and technology integrator Knight Watch to deploy a system combining video security, access control and voice communications solutions, purposefully designed to identify and resolve potential issues across the facility.
“We are just a few miles from downtown in the heart of Detroit’s New Center neighborhood, and on any given day, we have elite athletes training just floorboards away from people going to the health center or grabbing a bite to eat,” said Matt Grimm, senior director, Corporate Security, Detroit Pistons. “Our unified video and access helps my team maintain the highest levels of protection for players and staff without creating an atmosphere of a high-security fortress. We have the real-time clarity needed to keep security behind the scenes while keeping our doors open to the community.”
Motorola Solutions’ integration of video, access control and voice communications transforms security from passive monitoring to proactive safety. By linking these once-siloed tools into a single, operational view, the Pistons’ security team can identify and resolve potential issues the moment they arise, rather than simply recording them for later review. This unified approach enables the Pistons to maintain a robust security presence across public and private zones that doesn’t disrupt the facility’s open and high-performance culture.
"Instead of relying solely on physical barriers, metal detectors and guards, the Detroit Pistons have demonstrated that the best security is the kind people don't notice," said Jehan Wickramasuriya, senior vice president, Security & Resilience Software, Motorola Solutions. "Their state-of-the-art security operations center acts as a hub for discretely managing events so that community members, staff and players can stay focused on training and work. It protects without intimidating and responds without overreacting."
"Securing a heavily-trafficked, 185,000-square-foot space brings unique challenges,” said Ryan Bailey, CEO of Knight Watch. "Together with the Pistons, we built an invisible safety net spanning practice facilities, an official NBA merchandise store, dining establishments and the Henry Ford Health Center for Athletic Medicine. This is the future of securing multi-purpose developments.”
Click here to learn more about the collaboration.
Manchester City open £10m women's team facility
The opening marks a milestone moment for the new Women’s Super League Champions, and one of the largest-ever investments in a dedicated, purpose-built first team environment for an elite women’s football team.
Spanning 17,000 square feet, the new space incorporates the very highest standards for elite football environments. It includes industry-leading technology throughout, with the aim of optimising player preparation and recovery and minimising injuries.
Included are a world-class gym, with specialist strength and conditioning facilities, dedicated medical, rehab and physio spaces, hydrotherapy and recovery areas. At its heart lies the City circular dressing room, designed to support team connection and further improve player development.
The site includes the 7,000-capacity Joie Stadium, the first purpose-built stadium in the Women’s Super League, as well as access to over 1,000 staff across the wider Club eco-system.
To mark the official opening of the facility, Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak travelled to Manchester to see the space first-hand.
Commenting on his visit, he said: “This new facility marks the next logical step in our long-term commitment to Manchester City Women, and is an important milestone for the club as a whole.
“We have always believed in investing to create the right environment for players and staff to develop and succeed. That approach has underpinned every aspect of our work since the professional relaunch of Manchester City Women in 2014.
“The facility therefore rightly reflects the scale of our ambition for Manchester City Women and our long-term belief in the future of the women’s game.”
Managing Director of Manchester City Women, Charlotte O’Neill, added: “After years of planning, designing and constructing, we are proud to open our new world-class space that we believe offers some of the very best facilities in women’s sport in the UK.
“This building is about so much more than bricks and mortar; it is about creating an environment where our players can thrive, where standards are set at the very highest level, and where the current squad has everything it needs to continue to compete for and win silverware.
“It is also a clear statement of our ambition to continue to develop and attract the very best talent in world football.”
Bournemouth confirm stadium redevelopment planning timeline
AFC Bournemouth have confirmed that plans for the redevelopment of Vitality Stadium have been recommended for approval by BCP Council, with a planning committee meeting date set for Friday 22nd May.
The recommendation marks a significant milestone for the club, coming 14 months after first engaging with the BCP Planning Department regarding its proposals to enhance and modernise AFC Bournemouth’s home.
Throughout the process, the club and its professional advisors have worked closely and constructively with officers from the BCP Planning Department to address all matters raised during consultation and assessment.
The club has also been greatly encouraged by the backing shown by local residents, organisations, businesses and charities throughout the consultation process.
The feedback and support has reinforced the importance of the stadium redevelopment not only for AFC Bournemouth, but for the wider community across the BCP area.
In recommending the application for approval, the Council has recognised the substantial economic, social and environmental benefits the redevelopment will bring to the local area.
The proposals are designed to secure the long-term future of top-flight football in Bournemouth while also delivering meaningful community and infrastructure improvements.
As part of the application, AFC Bournemouth has agreed what represents the club’s biggest ever commitment to local infrastructure investment. The planning obligation package, worth in excess of £1,000,000, includes measures aimed at addressing parking pressures in surrounding residential streets, improving sustainable travel infrastructure and uptake, and improving Kings Park for the benefit of local communities and supporters alike.
The proposed redevelopment comes at a pivotal moment, with the club enjoying its best ever season on the pitch and the exciting prospect of what can be achieved.
Consequently, the opportunity to increase capacity and improve facilities is seen as crucial to supporting the continued growth and ambitions of AFC Bournemouth.
Jim Frevola, President of Business Operations at AFC Bournemouth, commented: “Reaching this stage in the process is a hugely significant achievement for everyone connected with AFC Bournemouth. Over the past 14 months there has been an enormous amount of hard work, collaboration and positive engagement between the club, our advisors and BCP Council officers. We’re grateful for the cooperation and commitment shown throughout.
“This proposal represents a major investment not only in the future of AFC Bournemouth, but also in local infrastructure and the wider area around the stadium. We would like to thank BCP Council for their constructive approach in helping us reach this important milestone, and we now look forward to the upcoming planning committee meeting.”
Kilmarnock release update on Rugby Park playing surface
Work is underway on the installation of a new hybrid, grass pitch at BBSP Stadium Rugby Park, Kilmarnock Football Club have confirmed.
It’s an exciting time for Ayrshire’s only Premier club. This summer will see the return of a slick, grass park at the stadium, as everyone looks forward to watching Neil McCann’s Blue & White army take to the top-flight in the manager’s first full season in charge.
This ambitious project coincides with the construction of Bowie Park – the club’s brand-new training facility, which will be operational soon.
On Monday, May 18 CY Turf commenced the process by starting to lift the artificial surface, which was laid in 2019. This was the second astroturf pitch implemented by the club, with the initial artificial surface laid almost 12 years ago.
Upon the completion of this phase, principal contractor, The Malcolm Group, will continue the works.
Gregg McEwan, general manager said: “The agreed scope of works includes the reinstatement of the main playing surface incorporating the new hybrid natural grass system, associated rootzone constructor, irrigator upgrades, under-pitch heating, kerbing works, and pitch surround build-up and surfacing works.
“The club’s target remains to have the pitch completed and in a match-ready condition for the commencement of the 2026/27 season, with works programmed accordingly.”
The club a have also announced that the old artificial surface will be donated to a charitable cause in Africa.
Further progress updates will be issued in due course as the club approach a return to football in July.
FanCompass and Diamond Baseball Holdings Extend Partnership
FanCompass, the global standard in digital fan engagement for sports and entertainment organisations, has announced a three-year renewal and extension of its partnership with Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organisation that owns and operates professional baseball teams across North America.
The renewed agreement builds on a successful collaboration and reinforces a shared commitment to delivering meaningful, fan-first experiences across DBH’s roster of clubs. FanCompass will continue to support the rollout of its FC CORE platform, helping clubs create a consistent and engaging digital destination for their fans.
“FanCompass has been a valuable partner in helping our clubs build deeper connections with their audiences while also enhancing the value and consumer engagement we provide to our partners,” said Andrew Judelson, Chief Commercial Officer at DBH.
Since the inception of the partnership, FanCompass and DBH have worked together to implement engagement strategies that drive participation, deepen fan loyalty, and create new opportunities for clubs to connect with their communities. That ongoing elevated fan connection enables more thoughtful, insight-driven sponsor activations, aligning brand partnerships with fan interests in an authentic and meaningful way.
“We’re proud to extend our partnership with DBH,” said FanCompass Co-Founder & CEO, Jamie Pardi. “Together, we’re helping clubs create meaningful engagement at scale, strengthening fan relationships while delivering long-term value for their organisations and partners.”