Published by Neil Thompson, 17th July 2025
Stadium Experience has grown it’s Leadership Team by welcoming two new faces – Angela Sanders from Edgbaston Stadium, and Helen Tully from Norwich City FC. They join a team of experienced industry volunteers who guide the management of Stadium Experience – a not-for-profit association, which now works with over 70 major football, rugby and cricket venues across the UK, and saw a 38% increase in venue membership in 2024.
About Stadium Experience
Stadium Experience works primarily with stadium teams from departments including non-matchday events, matchday hospitality, as well as public catering and retail kiosks. The aim is to promote these prestigious venues, and to connect and collaborate by sharing ideas, best practice and continually drive-up standards in the sector. Some of the many activities include; regular business updates, industry gatherings, online marketing, supplier introductions, agent visits and joint exhibitions, as well as celebrating the best in the industry at the prestigious Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards, now in their 18th year. The Leadership Team meets regularly to discuss and guide the strategic direction of the association, seek out new opportunities for the member venues, as well as support the awards programme and vote for the next awards host venue.
About Angela Sanders…
Angela has spent the last 20 years in the conference and events industry, working with top hotel brands like Hilton, IHG, and Copthorne, as well as venues such as etc.venues and Gloucester Rugby. Now, as Head of Conference and Events Sales at Edgbaston Stadium – home to Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Birmingham Bears, and Birmingham Phoenix – she is passionate about creating exceptional event experiences. Working closely with Edgbaston’s catering partner, Compass, Angela ensures that events not only deliver outstanding service but also offer high-quality experiences. With a deep passion for revenue, data, and industry trends, Angela is committed to helping stadia understand the value of revenue optimisation and how data-driven decisions can drive success.
Angela commented: “I’m incredibly thankful to join the Stadium Experience leadership team. At Edgbaston, we truly value our membership and are committed to making the most of the opportunities it provides. I look forward to working closely with fellow members, particularly in supporting them on revenue strategies and sharing valuable insights on data trends, which I gain from the benchmarking platform Venue Performance. By leveraging this data, I hope to help stadia make informed decisions and maximize their potential.”
About Helen Tully…
Helen is the Conferences, Meetings and Events Assistant Manager for Carrow Road, at Norwich City Football Club. Formerly Delias Canary Catering, led by the renowned chef Delia Smith. Her role is to sell the space on non-match days, building relationships within the local business community and sourcing exciting new events to entice people into the stadium.
Helen’s background is in Theatre, having worked in the industry for 18 years, the last 11 as Front of House Manager and Environmental Champion. Attention to detail, high standards and excellence in customer experience are at the core of what Helen likes to deliver, to any audience. Using her people skills and passion for the environment Helen successfully led the Theatre to achieved two national awards and the highest rating certification for their environmental work. Helen continues this work today for Carrow Road alongside her role.
Helen commented: “I am thrilled to be part of the Stadium Experience Leadership Team, being a member for the last two years has been so helpful to me, as I don’t come from a sporting background. I have been part of similar groups in my previous role in the theatre industry and the support and knowledge sharing was invaluable. Stadium Experience has become my go to for advice, the wealth of knowledge is amazing and they have been very welcoming. I am on the Board of Trustees for a local charity and I know the importance of volunteering and the impact it can have. I look forward to sharing my skills and experience and contributing towards this already hugely successful organisation.”
The Leadership Team
The Stadium Experience Leadership Team is a voluntary group of members who bring a wealth of industry knowledge and years of experience. The team covers a variety of sports, locations as well as a mix of catering partners and in-house representation. The team currently includes:
Collette Salmon – Sales Manager at Liverpool FC (Chair)
David Timms – Senior Business Development Manager at Chelsea FC (Vice-Chair)
Sue France – Founding Member & Treasurer
Nav Daine – Regional Manager (Retail Operations) at Chelsea FC (Public Catering Chair)
Kelly Englefield – Head of Sales for Stadia at Sodexo Live!
Aimee Richardson – Senior Account Project Manager at Fury Design Agency
Jenni Ford – Director of Sales & Marketing at Coventry Building Society Arena
Marc Lee – Strategic Sales Manager at Principality Stadium
Helen Tully – Conferences, Meetings and Events Assistant Manager at Norwich City FC
Angela Sanders – Head of Conference and Events Sales at Edgbaston Stadium
Debbie Rigney looks after the day-to day operation of Stadium Experience with support from the Leadership Team.
Collette Salmon, Chair of Stadium Experience, said: “We are thrilled to welcome both Angela and Helen into our Leadership Team. They bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, and help grow our team as the wider membership continues to grow significantly. Stadium Experience was founded 23 years ago with just 5 clubs, aiming to share best practice and network with like-minded professionals. Today, this ethos continues with over 70 venues now part of the Stadium Experience family. It’s great to bring new and knowledgeable people into our team, to continue driving our association forward and seeking out new opportunities for all of our stadium venue members.”
