The Lee Network www.TheLeeNetwork.com has over 20 years experience at the pinnacle of the strip club industry, as the world’s premier agency for feature dancers. In North America it has helped shaped the business, and with its London office now open, Strip Magazine caught up with Adam Elfin, the head of Lee Network International to see what the future holds.SM: Feature dancers haven’t been part of the European industry, why did you feel it was the right time to enter the market?
AE: It wasn’t something we undertook lightly. Since the 80’s the feature dancer has been part of the strip club industry in the USA & Canada. The Lee Network is the leading agency in those markets, we have the largest talent roster with the biggest names ( you can see our roster at www.TheLeeNetwork.com ). Our offices in Toronto and Los Angeles lead the way in North America. However, we felt to properly represent our performers in Europe, and to fully engage with the European market, you need to be based here. We spent many years looking at the market and seeing what was going to work best.
If you look at the numbers of strip clubs now, to say 5 and 10 years ago, there has been a marked increase. This expansion is partly due to the demand outstripping the supply ( pun intended ). As the market matures, clubs can’t expand without entering in to competition with each other for market share. The feature performer is a key tool in that dynamic. Also, for those club that want to ensure the top entertainment for their customers and raise the club’s profile, what better way, than with a feature performer.
SM: So what does a feature bring to a club?
AE: It’s not just clubs. We also book our performers as the headline talent at adult conventions around Europe. But in answer to your question, its not just the quality of entertainment on stage, its also what the performer brings in terms of profile and media opportunities to the booking. Our performers are the biggest names and highest profiles in the industry.
Adult film stars tend to have a higher profile and larger fanbase than show girls. Other than working the booking through their fanbase, and thus attracting greater attendance at the club, they can give a focus to a clubs marketing & promotion campaign. Our performers are all used to giving interviews to the media on behalf of the booking. Having a feature allows the promoter a focus with which to secure promotion for their club. This added marketing and promotion to the public and the performers fanbase, should lead to an increased attendance on the night, but also possibly by people that haven’t previously been to the club, and who hopefully have a good time, and it creates repeat business.
With the added marketing and promotion the club’s profile is raised, even if the people that can’t make it down on the night of the performance, maybe they’ll come down another time. That being said, obviously each territory and city works slightly differently, and you have to respect that. Performers can have different profiles in different territories.
SM: Who have you had performing in Europe, and who is on the way?
AE: To date we’ve booked Katsuni, Julia Ann, Belladonna, and Nikki Benz over here. Actually, we’ve had Julia Ann over twice, once to headline an adult convention in Finland, and also for a London booking at Spearmint Rhino. It went well, the attendance at the club was greatly increased. So, we’ve now booked Nikki Jayne in to a UK tour of Spearmint Rhino’s in Sheffield, Birmingham and London at the end of March.
We also have bookings coming up for Christina Aguchi, Dakota Skye and Puma Swede. Every club/convention promoter we have worked with so far in Europe, has wanted to work with us again. As features become more the norm, both the promoters and pubic will better understand how they fit in, and the benefits they bring. So, we’re looking forward to the future.
SM: Does The Lee Network have anything else planned for the future?
AE: Of course! We are obviously looking at working with more clubs and conventions, and are expanding the territories we work with in Europe. But we’re also looking at other territories like Australia, South Africa, the Far East, as well as other markets. The Lee Network is an international company, and we intend to grow accordingly. One thing I am looking forward to doing, is growing our roster of European based talent. At the moment, the majority of our roster is based in North America. We are looking to represent the best performers based in Europe, and work with them to grow their career, and eventually book them in to North America as well. We also have a few other ventures we’re presently working on as well.
Visit TheLeeNetworks web page here:www.TheLeeNetwork.com
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Author: Saxon
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