Tim Zulawski, President, AMB Sports and Entertainment
In an interview with Focus:, Tim Zulawski discussed AMB Sports and Entertainment’s role in bringing world-class events to Atlanta, the economic impact of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the organization’s data-driven approach to the fan experience. With the FIFA World Cup having built global visibility for the region and additional major events ahead, Zulawski emphasized the broader purpose behind the organization’s work. “The uniqueness of sport is that it is a galvanizing agent,” Zulawski said.
Can you provide an overview of AMB Sports and Entertainment and its role in Atlanta’s business landscape?
AMB Sports and Entertainment is the operating entity associated with the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, our NWSL Atlanta franchise that will begin playing in 2028, and the day-to-day operations of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. We also have PGA TOUR Superstore as well as Atlanta Drive GC, our men’s TGL golf franchise, and will be launching our WTGL team this fall.
In building Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the focus was to use sport as a catalyst to make Atlanta and Georgia better tomorrow than they are today. Society has many forces that separate people. The uniqueness of sport is that it is a galvanizing agent. We bring together people who might not otherwise meet, giving them opportunities to celebrate, express emotions, and build lasting memories.
Our role is to acquire the best content from around the world and bring it to Atlanta. The Falcons, Atlanta United, and our future NWSL franchise give us roughly 60 major events annually. We then pursue events such as the World Cup, the 2028 Super Bowl, the 2031 Women’s World Cup, and the 2031 NCAA Final Four. We also self-promote events by taking risks and purchasing content, including college football games and concerts.
Our goal is for Mercedes-Benz Stadium to attract outstanding talent while serving as a heartbeat for the city and state. The stadium’s kitchens were closed only eight days last year, which shows how active we want to be for the city. Beyond major events, we host more than 100 private events annually, allowing corporations to transform the 2 million-square-foot venue into a platform for engaging employees, customers, and other stakeholders. It is an economic engine, but more importantly, it is a connective tissue linking the city and state to the world.
What did hosting the World Cup demonstrate about Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz Stadium?
About 80% of the U.S. consuming public is within a two-hour flight of Atlanta. The city has thousands of hotel rooms within walking distance of the stadium and an airport connected to the venue by public transportation. Between the FIFA Fan Fest and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, well over 1 million people experienced eight matches, viewing opportunities, and everything Atlanta and Georgia offer.
Navigate Research reported that Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Atlanta’s hosting of the World Cup provided $27.4 billion in gross media value to the city. The matches placed Georgia and Atlanta on a global platform in a way that other events to date have not replicated.
How can Atlanta sustain the momentum generated by major global events?
I have worked in sports and entertainment for 33 years, and some events move a city forward incrementally. Events of this magnitude create opportunities to reshape a city’s image and align its broader community.
The World Cup aligned federal, state, and city governments. Visitors needed to land at Hartsfield-Jackson, move efficiently through the airport, use public transportation, and encounter a welcoming environment around the stadium. Investments at Hartsfield-Jackson totaled hundreds of millions of dollars, while more than 2.5 million people rode MARTA during the event window. More than $5 billion in private capital is also being invested near the stadium to redevelop south downtown, including Centennial Yards.
Visitors now return home with memories of a city that welcomed them, offered convenient transportation, and provided a walkable downtown experience. These elite events place the city and state on the global stage. We achieved that with the World Cup and will do it again with the Super Bowl, the Final Four, and, if Atlanta wins its bid, the Women’s World Cup.
Our focus remains consistent for every Falcons game, Atlanta United match, concert, and private event. We welcome people into Mercedes-Benz Stadium as if it were our home. We want to showcase the best of Atlanta and Georgia, so every guest leaves with a positive impression and lasting memories.
How do you respond to changing fan demographics and expectations?
Our ethos is to bring the best content from around the world rather than content for one particular demographic. Each event brings its own audience. We might host Karol G, followed by a Falcons game, Ed Sheeran, and an Atlanta United match. Collectively, those events bring nearly every demographic profile through our doors.
We operate through an inverted pyramid: those closest to the fans know the most, while leaders like me know the least. My job is to get close to the people who know the most. The challenge is responding without filtering their feedback.
After each event, we generally collect 3,000 to 4,000 survey responses covering roughly 80 operational and experiential key performance indicators. We analyze those responses within 72 hours and redistribute the findings to our operators. Regardless of what we have achieved, there is always something we can improve tomorrow.
We benchmark comparable events while considering differences in audience composition. A Rolling Stones concert, for example, may require more accessibility accommodations and assistance than an Atlanta United match whose demographic may skew a bit younger. Success requires a process for asking customers what they need, capturing and organizing the information, and putting it into practice without predetermining the outcome.
How are data and technology helping personalize the stadium experience?
The issue is not simply the output of digital or social media. It is how much data we can responsibly collect and what we do with it. A guest may enter the stadium with 70,000 other people, but that individual sees the experience through their own eyes and wants it personalized.
The more we can treat each guest as an individual rather than as a demographic or age profile, the more effectively we can customize the experience around seating, merchandise, parking, accessibility, and the people accompanying them. Data should either amplify something that improves the experience or reduce something that detracts from it. As long as guests have authorized us to use their information, we can draw from ticketing, mobile, credit card, and other available data to create value.
Consumer behavior is also changing from traditional searches to detailed questions submitted through artificial intelligence. Someone might ask an AI platform to recommend seats, a hotel, and an entrance based on previous Falcons attendance, a preference for the 100 Level, and the needs of an older parent and a young child. We previously relied on search engine optimization to place individual offerings before consumers. Now we must adapt how we present our experiences so AMBSE remains visible and relevant as those behaviors evolve.
What are AMB Sports and Entertainment’s priorities for attracting world-class events over the next five to 10 years?
We must remain connected to audiences and understand what they value. Consumer interests evolve, so we have to identify emerging demand, determine whether Mercedes-Benz Stadium can host it, and find a way to bring it here. If chess could attract 70,000 people, we would find the world’s two best chess players and bring them together at the stadium.
Our approach is to remain unbiased, listen to the people we serve, and deliver the entertainment experiences that matter to them. We use data analytics to understand audiences, take financial risks to acquire talent rather than merely waiting for tours to arrive, and employ a team dedicated to evaluating potential events. For every opportunity, we ask whether it is the right event and whether it will create meaningful experiences and lasting memories for Atlanta.
