The New MVPs of LBEs: Sports and Lifestyle Brands Score in Entertainment

IAAPA Expo Europe 2025 curated an expert panel of speakers to explore this dynamic new era in entertainment. Annabel Rochfort, CEO of Rochforts LBE Consultancy, has worked in IP for 20 years with top names including Mattel, Time Warner, and Ferrari, where she oversaw Ferrari’s location-based entertainment, museums, and esports. Joining her onstage were Jordi Penas Babot, director of the FC Barcelona Museum, and Hamish Jenkinson, CEO of The Department, an agency that has produced events including Opening Ceremonies for the Champions League Final, and FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup celebrations.  

Although media-based IPs have flourished within the LBE space, these properties can rise and fall in popularity. “Continuous investment” is, in Rochfort’s view, what makes a lifestyle or sports brand attractive in the long term. “FC Barcelona is always going to be playing football. Swarovski is always going to be making jewelry. Ferrari is always going to be making great cars.” From a location-based entertainment perspective, these brands provide a reliable foundation for securing a return on investment. Brand visibility and ongoing activities also provide “a continuous flow of technically free marketing,” she adds. 

At Ferrari, Rochfort saw how sports-based IPs drove fan engagement in new ways. Esports was a natural brand extension for Ferrari. “Esports is now a global phenomenon,” she says. Ferrari’s esports tournaments allow it to reach hundreds of thousands of fans and meet new generations at venues worldwide. 

However, Rochfort cautioned attendees about the potential risks to brands when translating IPs into themed experiences. “The simple answer is you work with partners you trust,” she says. She highlights Miral’s expanding portfolio of branded attractions on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, as a successful example. Operators should also consider the consumer journey, enabling every target demographic to connect with the brand.  

Jordi Penas Babot charted the FC Barcelona Museum’s evolution since it opened in 1984. The museum currently occupies a temporary home while renovations on the Spotify Camp Nou stadium continue. It is the number one museum in Barcelona and Catalonia and the third most visited museum in Spain. “We receive more than one million visitors a year,” he says. He expects the new museum to open in March 2026.  

With only 30 matches per season, the FC Barcelona Museum allows fans to feel close to the action all year round. Besides the glittering trophies and artifacts from the team’s past, the museum uses technology to create immersive experiences for guests. Highlights include a 360˚ wraparound screen, VR experiences, and a forest of multimedia displays where guests can find out facts about the teams. Jordi Penas Babot wants people to feel closer than ever to the players.  

“I love the way the big sporting brands are realizing they can create these kinds of experiences,” says Jenkinson. For example, the NBA House, a free and interactive event in Paris, enabled fans of all ages to experience the excitement of the NBA with basketball-themed activities and star appearances.  

One project Jenkinson’s agency is working on is the experiential lounge at Everton FC’s Hill Dickinson stadium in Liverpool, England. The football club has developed a Tunnel Club matchday experience that gives a unique view of the players’ tunnel. “We’re designing VR experiences and penalty shoot-out experiences in small rooms off the main dining and F&B space,” he says.  

Jenkinson is energized by the growing opportunities to develop entertainment content rooted in sports IPs. He believes brands such as the NBA, NFL, and UFC may look to emulate the experiential models championed by operators like Topgolf and TOCA Social—blending sport, entertainment, and social interaction in innovative ways.