Earlier this month, The World Games 2021 CEO Nick Sellers announced that Birmingham’s LRY Media Group has been awarded the first contract through the World of Opportunity Supplier Diversity Program. Through the contract, LRY will be tasked with the production of the Opening and Closing ceremonies for The Games, as well as The World Games Plaza.
“They just captured the heart and soul of the magic that is happening in Birmingham and Alabama,” Sellers said of LRY. “They gave us great confidence in their ability to deliver something world-class and memorable.”
Today, LRY founder and CEO Rashada LeRoy is answering five questions about her company, her vision for The World Games 2021 and more.
What’s the most exciting part of being awarded this partnership with The World Games 2021?
“The most exciting part for us is that we get an opportunity to coordinate, produce and be the company behind this type of experience. As we enter the concepting phase and start working on the storyboard, it’s starting to become real. We’re excited to dig deep into the creative aspect of what these ceremonies will look like and knowing that we’re the driving force behind that is truly exciting.”
Can you share the story of how LRY Media Group began?
“I’ve always considered myself an entrepreneur. After college, I started a magazine and we used events to promote the magazine. Through that experience, I found out I was skilled at coordinating and producing events. When I moved on from the magazine business, I had an opportunity to start doing event planning full time. That’s where I really honed my skills. That’s where the story of LRY began. I started honing in on my craft and worked to make sure what we were doing was above the industry standard. In 2017, I left corporate America and started doing LRY Media Group full time. We’ve had the pleasure of producing some amazing events and experiences and this has translated throughout the company and all of the events we produce.”
LRY Media Group will be in charge of producing the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as The World Games Plaza. What does your early vision for those events look like?
“Our vision for the ceremonies is to really celebrate Birmingham. When I first moved here, I wondered why it was called The Magic City, and as I spent time getting to know the city, I started to understand. The people, the places and the experiences of the city are magical. So our goal is to showcase what’s so magical about Birmingham. Between both ceremonies and the plaza, our ultimate vision is to celebrate Birmingham and to have people leave understanding the narrative of Birmingham today. There’s a new Birmingham that we want the world to experience.”
In your view, what makes Birmingham the ideal city for The World Games 2021?
“Our diversity makes us a great option for The World Games. The city is truly open. We’re open to fans coming to town, we’re open to tourists and we’re open to these athletes coming here to live out their dreams. We’re ready for the whole world to come in and experience what Birmingham truly is today.”
Why do you believe LRY Media Group is the ideal company to take on this job?
“We have the passion. Everything we do, we put our full heart into it. I believe we have a team that is completely qualified and up to the challenge, but most importantly, we have the vision and we have a team that can 100 percent make that vision a reality.”
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 15-25 July 2021. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in the Games.
