Sharecare teams up with CAA ICON and Oak View Group to restore fan confidence at sports and entertainment venues

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May 19, 2021, 10:45 ET

ATLANTA, May 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As COVID-19 restrictions ease and entertainment and sporting events resume across the U.S., Sharecare today announced it has enhanced its Health Security VERIFIED™ solution for sports and live entertainment venues with the support of CAA ICON, a division of leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and Oak View Group (OVG). Tailored to help public assembly venues restore fan confidence and mitigate risks associated with COVID-19 and other public health events, Sharecare VERIFIED™ for stadiums, arenas, and public assembly venues aligns with the unique attributes of large-capacity venues including people movement, player/performer protocols, and up-to-date public health recommendations and protocols.

"Whether resuming activities or building next-generation event experiences, we're proud to deliver stadiums and arenas a flexible solution precisely designed to align with their operational needs, yet easily configured to best practices as well as league and public health protocols as they evolve," said Hermann Elger, executive vice president of travel, entertainment, and health security at Sharecare. "We're grateful for the support of CAA ICON and OVG in bringing this high-tech, high-touch solution to venues worldwide to enable visitors a safe and sustainable return to live event experiences."

To achieve health security verification from Sharecare, venue operators undergo a multi-step process that begins by self-attesting to more than 140 expert-validated standards across more than 600 venue checkpoints – including building preparation, the fan journey, sanitization and cleaning, air circulation, and more – to ensure the right public health protocols are in place throughout the venue. The process is easily navigated through a chatbot-enabled screener, which also updates seamlessly as professional league requirements, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, and other relevant guidance evolve.

Once the verification and self-attestation is completed by the operations team, a Forbes Travel Guide-certified hospitality inspector reviews compliance across various health security checkpoints within the facility. To deliver additional value to venue management teams, Forbes Travel Guide – the global authority on luxury hospitality – also assesses and recommends opportunities to drive positive fan engagement.

After successful completion of the verification process, stadium, arena, and public assembly venues earn the Sharecare VERIFIED™ badge – an easily identifiable "seal of approval" – that signals to fans and visitors the venue's commitment to health security as they return to live events. State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks, became the first venue to achieve this designation in January 2021.

Sharecare VERIFIED™ for sports and live entertainment venues was developed with support from industry experts CAA ICON and OVG and through an intensive research and development process to integrate facility best practices with clinically validated public health guidance. The enhanced version of the verification platform also was refined and tested with two of the National Hockey League's newest arenas – Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, which will be the future home of the Seattle Kraken and the Seattle Storm; and UBS Arena, which is set to become the new home of the New York Islanders, in Belmont Park, N.Y. Both arenas, which are under construction, have adopted the enhanced VERIFIED™ solution to support their facility operations.

"We were drawn to Sharecare because of their ability to customize their verification platform for this unique building type and their willingness to commit the time to do so," said Tim Romani, chairman of CAA ICON. "This allowed us to interactively collaborate on the technology so that it is flexible for changing protocols, league requirements, and clinical recommendations."

"As we begin to see the industry reopen, bringing innovation to the sports and entertainment industry that sets a new standard for the health and safety of fans, artists, and staff must be a top priority," said Tim Leiweke, CEO of OVG. "We're pleased to align ourselves with Sharecare as we prioritize safety so all who enter live entertainment venues can feel comfortable and confident in attending sporting events and concerts once again."

To learn more about Sharecare VERIFIED™ for sports and live entertainment venues, visit sharecare.com/venues.

About Sharecare
Sharecare is the leading digital health company that helps people – no matter where they are in their health journey – unify and manage all their health in one place. Our comprehensive and data-driven virtual health platform is designed to help people, providers, employers, health plans, government organizations, and communities optimize individual and population-wide well-being by driving positive behavior change. Driven by our philosophy that we are all together better, at Sharecare, we are committed to supporting each individual through the lens of their personal health and making high-quality care more accessible and affordable for everyone. To learn more, visit www.sharecare.com.

About CAA ICON
A division of leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), CAA ICON is the world's-leading owners representative and strategic management consulting firm for public and private sports and entertainment facility owners/operators, professional franchises, and leagues. With more than 50 sports, entertainment, and public assembly projects and over 1,500 consulting engagements, CAA ICON has managed the development of many of the most successful venues around the world, spanning 11 professional sports leagues, totaling nearly $20 billion. CAA ICON offers world-class service in the areas of project management, strategic advisory, feasibility and planning, and beyond. For more information about CAA ICON, visit www.caaicon.com.

About Oak View Group (OVG)
Oak View Group (OVG) is a global sports and entertainment company founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015. OVG is focused on being a positive disruption to business as usual in the sports and live entertainment industry and currently has eight divisions across four global offices (Los Angeles, New York, London, and Philadelphia). OVG is leading the redevelopment and operations of Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA, and UBS Arena in Elmont, NY as well as leading arena development projects in Austin, TX; Palm Desert, CA; and Manchester, UK. OVG Global Partnerships, a division of OVG, is the sales and marketing arm responsible for selling across all OVG Arena Development projects. To learn more, visit www.oakviewgroup.com.