Elevate has acquired marketing and hospitality firm Zinc Agency in a move to expand its footprint in the experiential premium hospitality space.
The sports practice is now positioned to introduce a new and improved version of its event and hospitality division, Elevate Experiences, which previously collaborated with Zinc to produce fan and corporate hospitality experiences across major sports and entertainment events. The more robust division currently represents various client properties including tennis’ U.S. Open, the PGA Tour and FIFA World Cup.
“The addition of Zinc Agency significantly enhances Elevate’s capabilities, bringing unparalleled expertise and resources to our growing family,” Al Guido—the chairman and CEO of Elevate, and the president of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers—said in a statement.
Elevate has continued to focus on client portfolio growth with a buying spree across different sectors; the Charlotte-based company acquired executive search firm SRI and Fenway Sports Management’s consulting group earlier this year. The reintroduction of Elevate Experiences allows its parent company to be more strategic and serve clients’ needs from product research to event-day operations.
Elevate Experiences looks to leverage the expertise at Zinc, which produces more than 1,000 events annually, and will roll in their top leadership with the move. Zinc co-founders Will Steinberg and Zachary Yabroff now will become the co-heads and managing partners of Elevate Experiences alongside senior vice president Dan Rosenthal. The trio will report to Elevate President of Property Sales Flavil Hampsten.
“Being part of Elevate will now allow us to broaden our offerings to corporations through Elevate’s official deals with marquee events like US Open Tennis, Formula 1, ACC Tournament and more,” Yabroff said in a statement.
Elevate Experiences will have access to more talent to execute premium events with the addition of more than 100 celebrities including pro athletes, business leaders and big-name chefs. The division will also inherit a list of former Zinc corporate partners including Ferguson, SAP, Aura, PNC Bank and Cigna.
The company has been busy as it prepares to execute another U.S. Open in partnership with the USTA. It also is handling premium hospitality sales for Formula 1’s U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in October and will do the same for the anticipated Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson bout in November.
