Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Year's Eve Tickets Still Available

Looking for something to do tonight? Check out these great New Year's Eve events and get tickets now!

Boston New Year's Eve Events
Hyatt Regency Ballroom
RumoR Nightclub
Venu
Vinalia
Sanders Theatre - Harvard University
View more Boston New Year's Eve Events

Miami New Year's Eve Events
Hilton Miami
Dave and Busters
Let Loose Cruise
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
View more Miami New Year's Eve Events

Looking for another location? View more New Year's Eve Events.

Make your plans for New Year's Eve today! Get tickets to exciting New Year's Eve events at Tickets.com

Monday, December 29, 2008

New Year's Eve Event Tickets at Tickets.com

Got Plans for New Year's Eve?
It's not too late to get great New Year's Eve tickets!

Make your 2008-2009 New Year's memorable by getting New Year's Eve tickets to a New Year's event. Whether you're into the New Year's party scene or a quiet, reflective New Year's dinner at a posh restaurant, Tickets.com has the New Year's Eve event tickets for you.
  • Ring in the 2009 New Year with cocktails at a hot nightclub event.

  • Or, watch the New Year's ball drop in Times Square from the comfort of a nearby restaurant while enjoying a special New Year's Eve menu.

  • Dance the night away with your friends at a New Year's party.

  • Celebrate with New Year's Eve reservations for a special dinner with your sweetheart or your family.


New York New Year's Eve Events
Tavern on the Green
Bryant Park
Hotel Gansevoort
Amalia
Peter Jay Sharp Theater
View more New York New Year's Eve Events

Chicago New Year's Eve Events
Hilton Chicago
The Underground
The Drake Hotel
Rockit Bar and Grill
View more Chicago New Year's Eve Events

Las Vegas New Year's Eve Events
Prive Vegas
Pure
LAX Nightclub
Rain
GhostBar
View more Las Vegas New Year's Eve Events

Looking for another location? View more New Year's Eve Events.

Make your plans for New Year's Eve today! Get tickets to exciting New Year's Eve events at Tickets.com.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Happy Holidays from Tickets.com

Happy Holidays from the Tickets.com Team!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Sacramento Ballet

Ballet dancers hit the streets to sell 'Nutcracker' tickets
Rachel Leibrock

It's come to this: Sacramento ballet dancers will sell tickets to upcoming "Nutcracker" performances on the corner of 19th and J streets in Sacramento as part of an effort to raise public awareness about their company's dire financial circumstances.

The announcement comes in the wake of an emergency Wednesday board meeting in which Jill Kaiser Newcome, board president of the financially beleaguered dance company, said that the Sacramento Ballet is relying on ticket sales to this year's run of "The Nutcracker" to pull them through a financially uncertain time.

Ron Cunningham, the ballet's artistic co-director, said ticket sales make up 80 percent of the ballet's budget.

The dancers will be in front of the midtown Starbucks from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tickets to "The Nutcracker" range in price from $14 to $63 and also are available through the Community Center Theater box office, (916) 808-5181 or via Tickets.com.

For more information, call (916) 552-5800 or visit www.sacballet.org.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Ticket Industry News: Ticket Summit NYC adds more expert speakers to panel sessions

Ticket News
By Alfred Branch Jr.


Ticket Summit NYC, the nation's largest ticket industry conference and trade show, has added several more speakers to its already impressive roster of experts participating in panel discussions. The three-day conference is scheduled for January 6-8 in New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria.

Jeff Kline, President of the ticketing solutions company Veritix, will join keynote panel entitled "Who’s On First? The New Paradigm in the Ticket Marketplace," which will take an overall look at the constantly evolving ticket industry. From the panel description: "Primary, Secondary and Future markets have fueled a New Paradigm of continuous change in the industry. Leaders in the industry will discuss these changes and the continual evolution of the market."

In addition to Kline, the other participants on the panel are Greg Bettinelli, Executive Vice President, Business Development and Strategy for Live Nation; Derek Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer at Tickets.com; Mark Wienkes, CFA and CPA at Goldman Sachs; Chuck LaValle, head of Music Business Development at StubHub; and Don Vaccaro, CEO and Founder of TicketNetwork, which created and hosts Ticket Summit.

The other new speakers are Peter Glaeser, Founder of the European mobile marketing and ticketing company Mobile Space Ltd., will join the Getting Global: Ticketing & International Expansion panel, and Frederick Vallaeys, Adwords Evangelist at Google will be the featured speaker of the "Be Googled" best-practice session.

Ticket Summit NYC is one of two conferences TicketNetwork will host in 2009; the second is Ticket Summit Las Vegas, scheduled for July 15-17 at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Tickets.com ProVenue® Software Summit 2009 - Dates Announced!

Tickets.com 2009 ProVenue Software Summit
ProVenue® Software Summit 2009
SAVE THE DATES!
June 15 – 18, 2009
Hyatt Regency, Long Beach, CA


HAD ENOUGH OF WINTER WEATHER? START PLANNING FOR SUMMER!

Summit 2009 will have many exciting changes in store for you. We plan to improve on the success of 2008 by offering even more sessions relevant to you and your business needs.

Some conference session highlights include:
  • Innovative ProVenue Product Line Updates such as ProVenueMobile™ and ProVenueCRM™

  • Ticketing Trends – how to make the most of your ticketing solution now and in the future

  • Marketing Strategies – surefire tactics for tight marketing budgets

  • Incremental Revenue Opportunities in a down economy

  • Client Case Studies

  • Networking events and more!


NEW THIS YEAR! We will be offering a full-day of ProVenueMax™ training on Thursday, June 18th. Seating is limited so space will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information and programming updates, be sure to check out our Summit website

REGISTRATION OPENS EARLY JANUARY 2009!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ticket Industry News: Ticket Summit 2009

With a full exhibition hall and an impressive attendee list, expect success at Ticket Summit 2009 NYC

By Crystal Astrachan
TicketNews


Even though the economy is struggling, Ticket Summit 2009, the ticketing industry’s leading biannual conference and tradeshow, has managed to beat the odds; with nearly 500 attendees already registered and only one booth left in the exhibition hall, conference organizers expect nothing but success for Ticket Summit 2009 NYC, which will take place at the Waldorf-Astoria from January 6-8.

The ticketing industry has seen brighter days. This year, TicketsNow and its parent company Ticketmaster reduced their workforces to stay competitive in the market. In October, Ticketmaster eliminated roughly 300 jobs, including 60 jobs at TicketsNow. Similarly, ticket brokers’ profits are becoming slimmer, as many tickets sell below face value, including tickets to Young Frankenstein and the Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao fight. Ticket Summit’s ability to flourish during this economic downturn demonstrates the event’s value in the ticketing industry.

With only one booth remaining, the tradeshow’s exhibition hall has almost sold out. Registered exhibitors include Admit One, The Association of Secondary Ticket Agents UK, The Better Ticketing Association, Celebrity Access, FanFetch, FanSnap, Free Ticket Exchange, Global Collect, The New York Ticket Exchange, Suites & Seats, TicketNetwork, TicketNews, Travel Guard, Verizon Wireless, Worldwide Ticketcraft, and yoonew. A detailed floor plan, with booth assignments, can be found here.

Ticket Summit has been able to thrive because of its many supporters. CelebrityAccess (the operator of a state-of-the art database containing profiles on more than 35,000 performers, musicians, comedians, lecturers, agents, managers, record companies, talent buyers and venues) has been a proud supporter of the conference since Ticket Summit 2008 in Las Vegas. Shawn Garrity, senior account supervisor of CelebrityAccess told TicketNews that "Ticket Summit has opened a whole new mutually beneficial market to Celebrity Access." This year, CelebrityAccess did not hesitate to renew their contract with the conference, as it is clearly in their favor to sponsor of the conference as well set up a booth.

Attendees will also benefit from a wealth of panel sessions, training sessions, and product demonstrations. Industry professionals will educate attendees on legal issues, the differences between the primary and secondary ticket markets, PCI compliance, and a wide range of other topics. View the complete lineup of speakers and all panel descriptions on the event’s Web site.

The following distinguished companies have confirmed their attendance: Ticketmaster, LiveNation, StubHub, TicketNetwork, Tickets.com, GET ME IN, StubHub, eBay, AEG Live Northeast, Google, Association of Luxury Suite Directors, Goldman Sachs, INTIX, Celebrity Access, Chicago – The Musical, Federal Trade Commission, CNBC, NBA, NBC Universal, World Wrestling Entertainment, New Jersey Nets, New York Yankees, NFL, NHL, United States Tennis Association, New York Post, New York Times, Reuters, Venues Today, Sports Business Journal, Theatermania, Veritix, Control Scan, Verizon Center, SeatWave, Mondial Assistance, and The Berklee College of Music.

"We’re proud to have supported Ticket Summit since its first conference and every year since. Sponsoring helps support the industry’s activities, and it facilitates discussions with industry leaders which helps us stay abreast of ticketing trends and convey our unique value to clients," said Steve Utley of Mondial Assistance.

Ticket Summit NYC is one of two conferences scheduled for 2009; both were created and hosted by TicketNews's parent company TicketNetwork. The second event, Ticket Summit Las Vegas, will enter its fourth year July 15-17 at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino. To register for Ticket Summit, visit www.ticketsummit.org or email info@ticketsummit.org. After 5pm today, December 15, the admission price for Ticket Summit NYC will go up to $499, and the amount for buying passes for both the New York and Las Vegas conferences (a combo pass) will be $599. A single admission pass to the Las Vegas conference will remain $249.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino

Mötley Crüe tour starts in Indio
By VANESSA FRANKO
The Press-Enterprise


Last year Mötley Crüe brought the inaugural edition of Crüe Fest to Devore and now the rock band is launching its Saints of Los Angeles tour in Indio at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino's Special Events Center on Jan. 31.

Mötley Crüe is one of the most notorious bands in rock 'n' roll, exploding from the Sunset Strip scene in LA in the early '80s and having celebrated a debauchery-filled lifestyle in its music and off the stage. Along the way, the band has sold millions of records.

Singer Vince Neil, bassist Nikki Sixx, guitarist Mick Mars and drummer Tommy Lee have had mega-hits with songs such as "Dr. Feelgood," "Home Sweet Home," "Girls, Girls, Girls" and "Kickstart My Heart."

Mötley Crüe will kick off its Saints of Los Angeles tour Jan. 31 in Indio.
The band released "Saints of Los Angeles," an album based on its best-selling book "The Dirt," earlier this year before kicking off what members promised to be an annual touring rock 'n' roll festival called Crüe Fest.

Tickets for the Fantasy Springs show are $69, $79, $89 and $109 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

They can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office or by calling 760-342-5000. Tickets can also be bought online at www.tickets.com or www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Phase 1 ticket inventory for 2010 Olympic Winter Games going, going, gone

Additional tickets to go on sale in mid 2009

(Canada Newswire English Via Acquire Media NewsEdge)

VANCOUVER, Dec. 12 /CNW/ - A mere five hours after they were re-released for sale today, the remaining available tickets to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games in the Priority Access Period have been sold, reported the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) this afternoon. The next phase of Vancouver 2010 ticket sales will occur in mid-2009. VANOC will begin selling tickets to the Paralympic Winter Games on May 6, 2009. VANOC is continuing to work with tickets.com on an authorized ticket resale program where people will be able to offer their tickets for sale, and customers will be able to buy with confidence knowing tickets are legitimate. Further details will be announced later in 2009.

"Once again, we have been amazed by the interest and support shown by Canadians in tickets to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games," said Caley Denton, VANOC vice-president ticketing and consumer marketing. "Our website was overwhelmed today and we want to thank everyone for their enthusiasm and patience. We encourage anyone who wants tickets in the future to sign up for updates at www.vancouver2010.com."

The tickets today were only available to Canadians who requested tickets in Phase 1 of sales, which ended November 7. The Priority Access Period was originally scheduled to run from today to December 22. Earlier this week, VANOC invited ticket account holders to sign into their ticket account at www.vancouver2010.com to find out what tickets they had received from their earlier requests this fall.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Tickets.com Launches Singapore B2B Website

Tickets.com has launched a new Singapore business-to-business website to enable our clients, media, partners, and potential clients around the world to find the information they need.

The website features enhanced functionality including convenient access to:
  • Tickets.com product, feature, and service offerings

  • The latest news and information about Tickets.com

  • Training requests

  • And more


View the Tickets.com Singapore website >

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games tickets confirmed today for Canadians; ice hockey, curling and snowboard tickets still available

VANCOUVER, Dec. 10 /CNW/ - After five long weeks of patiently waiting, Canadians who requested 2010 Olympic Winter Games tickets in Phase 1 will find out today what tickets they have secured, and can start planning what additional tickets they'll look for when the Priority Access Period opens from December 12-22.

An e-mail sent today from the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) will invite each account holder to log on to their ticket account at www.vancouver2010.com and view the result of their request. These same ticket buyers will also have the exclusive right to buy remaining tickets on a first-come, first-served basis beginning this Friday, December 12 at 9:00 am (Pacific Time). Any tickets remaining after this period, plus any tickets released from the contingency and any remaining Victory Ceremony tickets, will go on sale to the public in mid-2009. VANOC will begin selling tickets to the Paralympic Winter Games on May 6, 2009.

While demand for the majority of sports meant that many sessions were allocated by lottery, there are still tickets remaining, including tickets to preliminary sessions for high-demand sports such as ice hockey and curling. With competitions such as ice hockey, large-capacity venues such as Canada Hockey Place will allow a large number of fans to experience the thrill of seeing elite athletes compete at the highest level, as the shorter tournament competition format ensures every match holds particular significance as competitors vie to finish high in the standings to earn important rest days.

Along with the confirmation of ticket orders today, VANOC issued a reminder to fans to be wary of tickets offered for sale through channels other than www.vancouver2010.com (in partnership with VANOC's official ticketing services supplier tickets.com) and official 2010 Winter Games hospitality partners JetSet Sports and CoSport.

"We encourage everyone to be vigilant about individuals or companies offering "guaranteed" tickets for sale. For most people even a "money back" guarantee is little consolation for the disappointment, inconvenience and embarrassment they'll experience if they discover at the gate their ticket is invalid," said Caley Denton, VANOC vice-president ticketing and consumer marketing. "We are continuing to work with our partner tickets.com on an authorized ticket resale program where people will be able to offer their tickets for sale, and customers will be able to buy with confidence knowing our bar code technology has confirmed the tickets are legitimate."

Details on VANOC's official ticket resale market will be announced later in 2009; however, until then, VANOC's website www.vancouver2010.com or its official hospitality partners, JetSet Sports and CoSport, are the only Canadian sources where people can be confident their 2010 Winter Games tickets are authentic.

About VANOC

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Tickets.com and Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts Sign Long-Term Contract For Exclusive Ticketing Technologies and Services

COSTA MESA, CA – December 10, 2008 – Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, announces an exclusive ticketing services agreement with Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia. Recognized as America’s only National Park for the performing arts, the non-profit entity includes the 7,028 seat Filene Center amphitheater, Children's Theatre-In-The-Woods, The Barns at Wolf Trap and Wolf Trap’s Center for Education. The park is managed through a public/private partnership between Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts has been allied with Tickets.com since 1992 and was the first Tickets.com client located in the mid-Atlantic region, as well as the first performing arts organization to use the company’s Private Label, Shopping Cart, and Virtual Waiting Room features and functionality. Other Tickets.com patron experience enhancing products available for use by Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts include: Tickets@Phone, digital ticket delivery to a consumer’s mobile phone; and ProVenue® Automated Kiosks, offering 24/7 self-service stand-alone box office facilities. Additionally, in the fall of 2009, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts will upgrade their current ticketing system to the latest, most advanced ProVenue solution.

“We appreciate Tickets.com’s ongoing commitment to developing leading edge technologies and ensuring their ease of use,” said Beth Brummel, vice president for External Affairs, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. “This allows us to provide the best possible customer experience for everyone who attends concerts, events, and educational programs at Wolf Trap.”

Tickets for a number of 2009 Filene Center season events went on sale November 22, including A Prairie Home Companion – Garrison Keillor, Face of America – Glacier National Park, High School Musical, Riverdance, and pop/world acts Gordon Lightfoot; Peter, Paul & Mary; and Pink Martini.

“We are honored that Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts has continued to entrust Tickets.com with providing ticketing solutions and customer service for its facilities,” said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales, Tickets.com. “It is exciting to be part of the organization’s continued growth, and to offer its customers new breakthrough technologies that will further complement their patronage of Wolf Trap’s beautiful venues.”

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino

Singer/songwriter John Legend will make his Coachella Valley debut at 8 p.m. Jan. 17 in the Special Events Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.

From his multi-platinum debut album, “Get Lifted,” in 2004, Legend has continued to explore his musical range, including performances with rap artists Andre 3000, Fergie and T.I.

Legend’s current CD, “Evolver,” was released in October. “Green Light,” is the first single from the disc which has already topped Billboard’s R&B and hip-hop charts and reached the number 4 spot on the Billboard hot 200 list.

Tickets for the concert, priced at $29, $49 and $59, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the casino box office and online. Find John Legend tickets >

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is in Indio at 84245 Indio Springs Parkway. For tickets or information, call 342-5000 or go to tickets.com or fantasyspringsresort.com.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Wolf Trap

Wolf Trap's Filene Center Receives Nomination for Best Small Outdoor Venue Award by Pollstar and Ranks # 3 in Ticket Sales

VIENNA, Va., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Filene Center, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts' outdoor amphitheater, recently received massive dual recognition from international concert industry resource Pollstar as one of the Top 100 Worldwide Amphitheater Venues for 2008. The Filene Center received nomination for a 2008 Pollstar Concert Industry Award in the category of Red Rocks Award/Best Small Outdoor Venue, resulting from the collective decision process of industry agents, managers, talent buyers, and record company executives. The Filene Center has enjoyed previous success in this category, taking home the award in 2003. Additionally, the weekly magazine listed the Filene Center as the No. 3 amphitheater for third quarter year-to-date tickets sales, surpassing sales of such nationally recognized venues as Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado; Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York; and Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia.

Additional Washington D.C. area amphitheaters listed in the top 100 include Merriweather Post Pavilion (No. 26) and Nissan Pavilion (No. 7). Washington D.C.'s 9:30 Club was ranked No. 1 out of the top 100 club venues in the United States. Pollstar's latest ticket sales rankings are a testament to fans appreciation for the high-quality, diverse programming that Wolf Trap and other D.C. area venues continue to offer each year.

The Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts was named after Wolf Trap's founder, Catherine Filene Shouse, who donated 100 acres of her land and related funds to the federal government in 1966 with the specific intent of constructing the nation's first and only National Park for the Performing Arts. Throughout the summer season, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts offers a broad representation of performance styles for all ages, including rock, pop, jazz, blues, zydeco, soul, funk, country, opera, and classical. To name a few, this past summer featured such legendary performers as James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Al Green, Mark Knopfler, Herbie Hancock, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, and Ben Folds.

More information on Wolf Trap's Filene Center >

More information on the 2008 Pollstar Concert Industry Awards >

More information about Tickets.com ticketing solutions >

Friday, December 5, 2008

Dynamic Ticket Pricing: San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants rethink ticket pricing and will offer dynamic pricing in 2009.

Dynamic Ticket Pricing at AT&T Park

Watch video >

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: San Jose Earthquakes

Mexico Open '09 U.S. Tour Against Sweden
Soccer365.com

The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF), together with Soccer United Marketing (SUM) and the San Jose Earthquakes, today announced the Mexican National Team’s 2009 U.S. Tour will kick off on Wednesday, January 28 against the Swedish National Team at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum at 7:30 pm PT (TV: Telemundo, Radio: Futbol de Primera), setting up an exciting match up between Mexico’s head coach Sven-Göran Eriksson and his native country where he enjoys superstar status.

The popular Mexican National Team will play five games on U.S. soil in 2009, which will mark the sixth edition of the annual tour. "After a successful first season for the San Jose Earthquakes we want to continue our efforts to bring international soccer matches to the Bay Area," stated David Alioto, Executive Vice President of the San Jose Earthquakes. "We are very excited to host the Mexican National team and show our efforts to serve the Hispanic community as well."

Tickets starting as low as $20 for the January 28 match at McAfee Coliseum go on sale today, December 3, 2008 in an exclusive Visa presale. Visa cardholders should visit Tickets.com to purchase tickets with their Visa cards. Tickets to the general public will go on sale on December 15 and will be available by visiting Tickets.com or calling 1-800-225-2277 and 1-877-QUAKE-01. The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol encourages its fans to use their Visa cards.

Mexico vs. Sweden – January 28

Mexico and Sweden have met on eight occasions all-time, with two wins and three ties for the “Tricolor.” The last match between the two on U.S. soil was played on January 26, 2004 in San Diego, California, ending in a 0-0 draw. The upcoming January match will mark Mexico’s return to Oakland where it has played many times, most recently in a 4-2 win over Ecuador on March 28, 2007 in front of a sold out crowd of 47,000 fans. More recently on March 2, 2008, the Under-23 teams of Mexico and Australia tied 1-1 at the then-named McAfee Coliseum once again in front of a sold-out crowd.

Following its qualification to the Final Round of World Cup Qualification in the CONCACAF region, Mexico will start its quest for a ticket to South Africa against its biggest rival the United States in a venue to be determined in the United States on February 2, 2008. The match against Sweden is the team’s only preparatory match before it starts the next round of Qualification.

Sweden, who has qualified for the last two World Cups and made the second round in both, is currently in 5th place with a 1-2-0 record in Group One of UEFA World Cup Qualifying. Prior to the match against Mexico, Sweden will face the United States on Saturday, January 24 at the Home Depot Center.

The Mexican National team’s U.S. tour not only allows its U.S.-based fans to witness team’s matches first hand, but also allows the team to play top class opponents while strengthening its player pool in preparation for major international tournaments.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Event Ticket Insurance

Event Ticket Insurance by Tickets.com: Get Protected
Purchasing tickets for your favorite show or sporting event can be an investment, especially when you want the best seats in the house. Sure, there's nothing better than being close to the action at a live event. And who knows? Maybe you'll be pulled on stage to sing a duet with U2's Bono or get tangled up with Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek over a foul ball? Stranger things have happened.

So don't be afraid to buy those premium seats to the next All-Star Game, Tony Award-winning solo, or bench clearing brawl. For a worry-free transaction, choose Event Ticket Insurance and protect your financial investment when you make your next ticket purchase.

Learn more about Event Ticket Insurance >

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: San Francisco Giants

Giants plan aggressive dynamic-pricing effort

Published December 01, 2008
Sports Business Journal
By DON MURET
Staff writer


The San Francisco Giants have signed a deal with a software company that enables them to change single-game ticket prices at any time.

The club hired QCue to help find the right price for selling 2,000 seats in AT&T Park’s outfield bleachers and upper deck, the last ones to sell for Giants games, said Russ Stanley, managing vice president of ticket services and client relations. Stanley declined to disclose the financial terms, and as of last week the two parties were still negotiating the length of the contract.

QCue, a one-year-old firm based in Austin, Texas, connects its system with Tickets.com, the Giants’ ticket agent. QCue joins Stratbridge, Eloqua and other data managers that teams use to crunch sales numbers to determine the right price to sell those tickets in low demand.

QCue’s formula, similar to Stratbridge’s, plugs in factors such as team performance, opponent, starting pitchers, weather conditions, day of the week and gate giveaways. The Giants will use those results to raise or lower ticket prices as late as the morning of a game for tickets purchased online, at ticket kiosks, by phone and at the box office, Stanley said.

The plan early on is to adjust prices once a day for every home game. “We have the potential to change every price in those [seven] sections every day,” Stanley said. “We could go up or down. There may be a day we do multiple changes and we have that ability.”

The price change will most likely be 25 cents to $1. The Giants believe even a decrease that small will make a difference as they attempt to move slow-selling seats without alienating season-ticket holders who pay full price for their seats, Stanley said.

There are other clubs reducing ticket prices on game days to fill seats, said Matt Marolda, founder of Stratbridge. Marolda, whose company has deals with 40 teams and leaguewide contracts with the NBA and NHL, declined to identify specific clubs.

Stratbridge was among the first to develop computer programs to help pro teams implement dynamic-pricing strategies before and during the regular season. “No teams are as aggressive as the Giants,” Marolda acknowledged.

The Colorado Rockies, whom the Giants talked to before doing their deal with QCue, use a less analytical form of dynamic pricing to fill Coors Field’s 50,449 seats.

The team does not feed boutique software into its Paciolan system (soon to be known as Ticketmaster Irvine) but does rely on historical data and team performance before setting prices for single-game tickets, said Greg Feasel, the Rockies’ senior vice president of business operations.

“We have so many people who live and work downtown that wait longer to make a decision,” Feasel said. “A lot depends on the weather.”

Depending on day-of-game demand, the team lowers its price by about $1 for seats in the upper deck and $4 to $6 for other seats when the Rockpile, the popular family section above the batter’s eye in center field, sells out.

Kids younger than 12 and adults older than 55 can buy tickets for $1 in the 2,300-seat Rockpile and others pay $4 to sit there. “We don’t want to lose those fans waiting in line if they can’t get those tickets,” Feasel said.

In San Francisco, QCue tested its software without selling tickets at the end of the 2008 season, and identified a three-game series in early September against the Diamondbacks for which the team could have decreased prices slightly to move tickets.

“It gave us a good feel for how this would work,” Stanley said.

The Giants were out of the divisional playoff race and “there wasn’t a whole lot of demand” for those games, said QCue CEO Barry Kahn.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Dallas Stars

Modano's 3rd-period goal lifts Stars past Oilers
USA Today

Dallas Stars Tickets

DALLAS (AP) -Mike Modano's latest milestone gave the Dallas Stars yet another home victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Modano scored on a power play with 2:21 remaining in the Stars' 4-3 victory over the Oilers on Sunday night.

Modano broke a tie with his 537th career goal, beating rookie Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers from the left circle off a feed from Brad Richards to become the 31st NHL player with 1,300 points.

``That was a great shot there, especially on a milestone goal that was so meaningful for our group,'' Stars coach Dave Tippett said. ``You don't get 1,300 points without being a great player, and that was a great goal.''

Modano also had an assist and extended his lead among U.S.-born goal-scorers.

``(Richards) made a great pass, on the stick, and I found a seam,'' said Modano, playing in his 20th season - all with the Stars. ``I've been blessed to have been around this long.''

Toby Petersen scored his first goal in two seasons, and Mike Ribeiro added a power-play goal for Dallas. The Stars improved their regular-season home record against Edmonton to 23-4-2 since they moved from Minnesota in 1993.

The honors continue for Modano, the franchise's greatest player.

``When you think about all he's done, the milestones and the ceremonies, and one more creeps up on him,'' Stars goaltender Marty Turco said. ``At this juncture of the season we need him more than anyone.''

Modano, second on the team with nine goals, wasn't sure he would be healthy enough to play after overnight back spasms. But a pep talk from his father, Mike Sr., visiting for the holidays, convinced Modano to lace on the skates.

``It spasmed up in the middle of the night, but it felt better as the day went on,'' Modano said.

``Dad gave me a little lip service, told me not to sit this one out.''
Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said leaving Modano alone on a late-game power play was a major tactical error.

``It was missed execution on a pretty elementary part of our penalty kill,'' MacTavish said. ``The game was there for us. It was ripe for opportunity. We squandered a pretty good second and third (periods) with boneheaded mistakes.''

Sean Avery gave Dallas - last in the Western Conference - a 3-2 lead with 5:09 remaining off a centering pass from rookie James Neal, but the Oilers tied it with 3:22 left on Kyle Brodziak's goal off a rebound, his second goal of the game.

Ales Hemsky also scored for Edmonton. The Oilers were 4-2 winners at St. Louis on Saturday night, but Edmonton is 2-5-1 in its last eight.

Ribeiro put the Stars in front at 7:20 of the first period. Modano's shot from the right point was stopped by Drouin-Deslauriers, but the puck popped into the air, rolled down the goalie's arm and into the crease, where Ribeiro nudged it over the goal line.

``It was a bad bounce,'' said Drouin-Deslauriers, who hadn't played since Nov. 13. ``I batted the puck in the air. I needed to back up in my net. It was bad bounce off my pads. When you're lucky, that hits the top of the net.''

Petersen's tip-in of Matt Niskanen's shot pushed Dallas' edge to 2-0 at 14:01 of the opening period. The goal was Petersen's first for the Stars and first in the NHL since March 27, 2007, while a member of the Oilers.

Hemsky's power-play goal from the left circle at 12:11 of the second cut it to 2-1, and Brodziak's rebound goal tied it at 2 at 4:21 of the third.

Losing two leads in the third period caused doubt to creep in for the stumbling Stars, 3-5-2 in their last 10 games.

``It's a pattern, but finally our power play was something to get excited about,'' Modano said. ``It finally won us a game. It's been a while. It's been a real struggle at times, but you've got to brush yourself off and come to work.''


Friday, November 28, 2008

Tickets.com INTIX Red Carpet Event

Save the Date!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Tickets.com Red Carpet Event!

Join us after the Opening Tradeshow Reception as we kick off INTIX 2009!
Special V.I.P. early access for all Tickets.com clients.

Special Guests to be announced soon!

Transportation will be provided.

RSVP for this event with your name, organization, email and number of people attending.

Contact Us:

For ProVenue® product information or to schedule a demonstration, please call 1-888-397-3400 or email sales@tickets.com

For Tickets.com exhibit and special event questions, please contact Chaeli Walker at cwalker@tickets.com

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving from Tickets.com

The Tickets.com Team wishes you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Tickets.com sales surge for the 2010 Winter Olympics

The Costa Mesa-based company is the official supplier for the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

OC Metro
By Jena Vuylsteke
Published: November 24, 2008

Although the 2010 Winter Games are over a year a way, tickets.com has already seen their sales skyrocket. Expected to release 1.6 million tickets over the course of the next year, the company began phase one of the process on Oct. 3, opening up tickets for Canadian residents that ranged anywhere from $25 for a single event, to $1,100 to attend the opening or closing ceremonies.

“In terms of volume, Vancouver presented a unique challenge; compared to the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games, in phase one alone Vancouver has already sold two times the tickets requested,” according to tickets.com CEO Larry Witherspoon.

Activating a new ProVenue Ticket Management System to ensure security, the Vancouver Organizing Committee agreed that the first phase of sales was a success. "The Web site developed by tickets.com was easy to use and held up under incredible volume including $135 million in requests on the final day,” says Caley Denton, the committee's vice president.

The 2010 Winter Games marks tickets.com’s fourth time as an Olympic retailer, beginning with the Atlanta Summer Games in 1996.

Learn more >

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: University at Buffalo Bulls

UB’s comeback is simply golden
Bowl invitation helps right past wrong

With their 40-34 double overtime win on Friday night at Bowling Green, the University at Buffalo Bulls clinched their first outright Mid America Conference East Division championship. The Bulls will play the West Division winner in the MAC Championship game Sat Dec 6 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. The Bulls will meet either 16th ranked Ball State, Central Michigan or Western Michigan. UB’s regular season concludes with a home game on Fri Nov 28 2pm vs. Kent St.

Buffalo rallied from a 20 point deficit with just 13 minutes left in the game, tying the game at 27-27 with 37 seconds left, sending Buffalo to overtime for the fifth time this season. James Starks 25 yard TD run on the first play of the second overtime clinched the victory. Of their 11 games this season, five games have been decided in OT and two others on the final play of the game.

Following the MAC championship game, the Bulls season will continue as participants in either the International Bowl in Toronto, Motor City Bowl in Detroit or the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, AL. The last Bulls team to quality for a post season bowl game was the ‘58 squad who qualified for the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, FL. But the team declined the bid when the Orlando hosts said UB’s two black players wouldn’t be allowed on the same field with white players. The 1958 team was honored earlier this season prior to a UB home game and also was featured on ESPN’s “Outside The Line” on Sun Nov 23.

Read more >

Monday, November 24, 2008

Ticketing Industry News: Billboard Touring Conference Panel

The Hollywood Reporter
By Mitchell Peters, Billboard
Nov 20, 2008, 05:52 PM ET


Ticketmaster Entertainment might be experimenting with eliminating convenience charges for ticket purchases, but "they're not going to die off entirely," a Ticketmaster executive said.

After announcing recently that it has acquired a controlling equity interest in Irving Azoff's Front Line Management Group, Ticketmaster president Sean Moriarty said during Billboard's fifth annual Touring Conference in New York that the company will "experiment" with eliminating add-on fees for some Eagles shows.

But during Wednesday's "Two Tickets to Paradise" panel, Live Nation executive vp business development and strategy Greg Bettinelli said the eliminated convenience fees still will factor into ticket prices. Even so, Ticketmaster senior vp Joseph Freeman noted that concertgoers likely will be less agitated if add-on fees don't appear on their credit card bills.

"I've had so many family and friends tell me over the years that they'll happily pay $100 for a ticket, but the $90-plus-$10 drives them bonkers," Freeman said.

Tickets.com chief commercial officer Derek Palmer agreed that additional ticket charges will not go away because "there are actual costs involved," he said. "We spend millions of dollars every year in infrastructure to provide these technologies."

While some on the panel agreed that Ticketmaster's paperless ticketing technology is emerging as a potential weapon in artists' efforts to eliminate resellers from the ticket-buying equation, others said its inconvenience could be hurtful. Paperless ticketing, which has been used by Tom Waits, AC/DC and Metallica, requires concertgoers to bring the credit card they used to make the transaction, along with a valid photo ID, to the concert they're attending.

"Overall, it's going to hurt primary sales," StubHub director of music relations Chuck Lavallee said. "Restricting the marketplace is only going to harm the marketplace."

Bettinelli said the problem with paperless ticketing is that "it doesn't help sell more tickets." He noted, though, that most artist fan clubs will "move toward the paperless model in 2009 and 2010."

Meanwhile, on the secondary market, TicketNetwork CEO Don Vaccaro said, "we're seeing a greater amount of tickets being sold for less than face value, which is a very bad trend. At the end of the day, consumers feel that they're paying too much for tickets at the boxoffice when they see the secondary market selling tickets for less. It's embarrassing for some artists and teams."

On the flip side, secondary ticketing Web sites are seeing more traffic from concertgoers "because they know that they will get great seats, and for much less than what the primary sellers charge them," Vaccaro said.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Tickets.com Client Training: Campaign Creator Tips & Tricks

Tickets.com is happy to announce that we have scheduled the following webinar for our clients:

Campaign Creator - Tips & Tricks


Topic: Client Product Knowledge Seminar: Campaign Creator Tips & Tricks
Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008
Time: 10:00 am, PST / 1:00 pm, EST

Learn more about ways to use Campaign Creator to increase ticket sales and build strong relationships with your customers.

These training sessions are free of charge and are offered to Tickets.com clients as an value-added service.

Register Now >

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Tickets.com and VANOC Exceed Expectations During First Phase of Ticketing for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

Tickets.com, a leading global provider of integrated ticketing solutions, is the Official Supplier of ticketing services for the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In association with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), Tickets.com has activated the ProVenue® Ticket Management System (PV-TMS), which supports all aspects of the ticket sales process, including the Olympic ticket request and lottery programs, ticket sales for Olympic and Paralympic events, the ticket management and auction programs, ticket printing and fulfillment, and staffing and management of all Games-time ticket offices.

The Phase 1 Request Period was open to Canadian residents from October 3 through November 7 at www.vancouver2010.com. With the goal of ensuring efficient and fair ticket distribution under large request volumes, Tickets.com incorporated the PV-TMS technologies and first-class customer service, giving Canadians nationwide the only opportunity to obtain tickets for all competitions and ceremonies, including the most popular events.

"The unique needs, massive volume and security concerns that factor into Olympic ticketing are challenges we've had the privilege of addressing with best-in-class solutions since Atlanta over a decade ago," said Larry Witherspoon, chief executive officer, Tickets.com. "In terms of volume, Vancouver presented a unique challenge; compared to the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, in phase one alone Vancouver has already had two times the total tickets requested."

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games ticket requests by the numbers:
  • Total value of tickets requested by Canadian residents from October 3 to November 7: $345 million

  • An estimated 120 of 170 sessions will be allocated by lottery

  • Dollar value of requests submitted on November 7 alone was 182 percent of the total dollar value of tickets allocated during phase one of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games

  • 18.4 million page views from October 3 to November 7

  • More than 3.5 million page views on November 7 alone


In total, approximately 1.6 million tickets will be sold for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and 250,000 for the Paralympic Games (which go on sale May 6, 2009). Ticket prices for Olympic sports events range from $25 to $775, with over 50% of them priced at $100 or less. Admission for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies ranges from $175 to $1,100.

Read more >

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Two Tickets to Paradise: Tickets.com on Billboard Touring Conference Panel

On November 19 from 1:45pm - 3:00pm, Derek Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer of Tickets.com, will be speaking on the "Two Tickets to Paradise" panel at the 2008 Billboard Touring Conference.

TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE

There is no hotter or more controversial topic in the touring industry today than ticketing, and the wild west of the secondary market is the flashpoint issue in this space. We’ll break down trends in this market, as well as examine other topics of interest in the world of ticketing, including auctions, presales, data control and box office trends.

Moderator:
Carla Varriale, Partner, Havkins Rosenfeld Ritzert & Varriale

Speakers:
Charlotte Allison, Director of Sales, Veritix
Nathan Hubbard, CEO, Live Nation Ticketing
Eric Korman, EVP, Business Development, Ticketmaster
Chuck Lavallee, Director of Music Relations, StubHub
Don Vacaro, CEO, TicketNetwork
Derek Palmer, CCO, Tickets.com

Learn more about Tickets.com >

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Tickets.com Increases Score in Annual Service Desk Institute (SDI) Audit

Tickets.com provides top-level bi-lingual customer European Support with SDI Service Desk Certification

Milton Keynes, UK, 12th November 2008 –Tickets.com, the premier event ticketing solutions and services provider for thousands of top worldwide entertainment and sports venues, has not only successfully maintained their SDI 3-star accreditation for its UK and European Service Desk operations but increased its overall rating. Tickets.com is the only ticketing software supplier that has secured IT Service Desk accreditation.

Tickets.com is a global company with customers in the Arts, Sports and Visitor events and attractions sectors. With over 500 clients Europe-wide, the UK operation supplies and supports ticketing and marketing software to a variety of customers from large organisations, such as Historic Royal Palaces, Chelsea Football Club and Eastbourne Theatres, to many small Arts Centres, such as Cornerstone Arts Centre. Ticketing is a highly competitive market and Tickets.com provides and supports three business-critical software products, ProVenueDatabox™, ProVenueMax™ and ProVenueOnline™, for its customers to support large volumes of sales traffic securely and efficiently. As positive end user experiences are vital to Tickets.com’s customers, it is imperative that the IT Services Desk is able to react quickly and effectively to any issues.

David McClellan, Tickets.com Managing Director, EMEA and APAC; and Howard Kendall, SDI Founder and Master Auditor

Jessica Epton, Customer Services Manager, Tickets.com (EMEA), comments: “Working with SDI has revolutionised our best practice framework and the way we run our service desks, which has significantly helped to set us apart from our competitors. Our Service Desk is known throughout the industry for providing the highest level of service, and as the only Ticketing company to have SDI certification, we also have the edge when it comes to competing for business.”

Since the 2007 audit SDI has moved to the 9 Concept version of the maturity model and have introduced an additional concept, Social Responsibility. As a result, Tickets.com have reviewed their environmental policy with a view to reducing their own carbon footprint as well as encouraging suppliers and partners to do the same.

The auditors were delighted to report that many improvements have been made since the last Surveillance Audit 12 months ago. It is particularly noteworthy that the Tickets.com management team remain enthusiastic and passionate about Service Excellence. The Service Desk has achieved an overall score of 3.71, a very healthy score, against the SDI standards during this S2 audit.

UK Tickets.com Customer Service Team with Howard Kendall

The structure of the Site Certification and SDI’s regular audits have ensured that Tickets.com has a framework, and that standards are continually maintained and improved as has been the case this year. SDI worked closely with the Customer Services team from the initial stages to fully understand the business, so that it could define and implement the most effective ITSM standards for Tickets.com.

Howard Kendall, Founder and SDI Master Auditor comments: “It’s terrific to see the continued excellent progress since the original audit in 2004, and since last year’s surveillance. There are no weak scores and this is testament to the enthusiasm and passion the team exude – and bodes well for the roll out across the world and the January USA assessment. Great stuff!”

About Tickets.com
Tickets.com, a subsidiary of MLB Advanced Media, LP, the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, is a premier event ticketing solutions and services provider for thousands of top worldwide entertainment and sports venues. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, Ca. with other offices around the United States and the world, the company facilitates the sale of tickets by enabling venues with proprietary, cutting edge software, retail outlets, automated kiosks, and the latest in digital ticketing functions including Tickets@Home®, Tickets@Phone™, and Access Control. Please visit www.tickets.com.

About The Service Desk Institute
SDI is the new driving force for the ITSM and service desk industry with a vision of being recognised globally as the professional body that drives exceptional IT service and support. As the leading authority on Service Desk and IT support related issues, SDI will enable organisations to enhance the value of business and IT integration through exceptional IT service and support. SDI is responsible for setting global industry standards, delivering thought-leadership and knowledge, and influencing service improvement for individuals and organisations. The globally recognised SDI Service Desk Certification standard is the only best practice standard that provides a clear and measurable set of standards for a Service Desk operation.

Acting as an independent advisor, SDI captures and disseminates creative and innovative ideas for tomorrow's service desk and support operation. SDI sets the standards for the IT support industry and is the conduit for delivering knowledge and career enhancing skills to the professional community.

It also offers the opportunity for international recognition of the support centre operation through a site certification audit programme. It members span numerous industries and include, AOL (UK), Barclays Bank, Computer Associates, ITV, O2, T K Maxx, United Biscuits and E.On. Further information about the SDI can be found at www.sdi-europe.com.

Monday, November 17, 2008

ProVenueMobile Featured on JumpIntoTomorrow.com

ProVenueMobile - Now you can use any internet-enabled mobile phone to complete a ticket transaction without having to "click to call" on your computer, or call up an actual agent to reserve tickets to an event you want to attend. Be green while getting tickets to your favorite event.

JumpIntoTomorrow.com is a website that honors breakthrough technologies. Made up of technology aficionados, technology professionals, enthusiasts, academics and people who believe in and recognize the power of truly innovative ideas, JumpIntoTomorrow.com acknowledges breakthrough thinking.

Learn more about Tickets.com >

Friday, November 14, 2008

Tickets.com Marketing Services Capabilities

Extend your reach with our expertise

Marketing services from Tickets.com works in partnership with your in-house staff with a single goal in mind - to help you reach more customers and sell more tickets, as simply and cost-effectively as possible.

Our tried and true marketing programs deliver a proven track record of results—from strategic planning, events and media outreach campaigns to leveraging our expertise in technology with integrated email campaigns and website ticketing.

Learn more about Tickets.com's marketing services >

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Tickets.com In the News: ProVenueMobile

Tickets.Com Mobile Delivers Tickets to Mobiles without Waiting in Line
Wireless and Mobile News
November 12, 2008


Tickets.com is now offering ProVenueMobile, a mobile version of their consumer ticket sales website. The service allows full-circle ticket purchases to be made 24/7 on any handheld mobile device. Missing an on-sale time, waiting in line and being put on hold will be things of the past for mobile users.

The Usablenet Mobile-supported site integrates seamlessly with all web-enabled devices from smart phones (Blackberry, iPhone, Treo, etc.) to basic cell phones with web access. It supports all browsers, file formats, carriers and other technologies, so that Tickets.com customers can shop for and purchase tickets from anywhere, anytime.

The new mobile-web platform - developed by mobile technologies leader Usablenet - allows Tickets.com consumers to both purchase and digitally receive tickets entirely on their mobile phones from any Tickets.com client venue enabled with Tickets@Phone functionality. The technology delivers barcoded tickets directly to customers’ mobile phones immediately following purchases. The day of the event, the customers simply present their mobile phones for quick and efficient scanned entry into the venue, making the entire ticket transaction experience as simple and convenient as possible.

Learn more about Tickets.com >

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Times Union Center

River Rats Honor Veterans With Free Ticket

Albany River Rats at Times Union Center ALBANY, NY - The Albany River Rats announced today the team will offer all veterans and active military personnel a free game ticket for the team's game against the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday, November 12 at 7:00 pm at the Times Union Center.

In order to receive their ticket, veterans should bring their military ID, American Legion or VFW Card, or a copy of the DD214 form to the River Rats office during regular business hours or to the Times Union Center Box office at least more than one hour prior to the game. There is a limit of one ticket per veteran.

The River Rats will complete their three-game home stand on Wednesday, November 12th as they host their I-90 Rivals the Syracuse Crunch for a 7:00 pm face off at the Times Union Center.

River Rats flex ticket packages and individual game tickets are on sale now at the River Rats office and the Times Union Center Box Office. For more information please contact the Albany River Rats at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyriverrats.com.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Tickets.com Congratulates John Bolton, Winner of VenuesToday Award

The 2008 recipient for VenuesToday "Hall of Headlines" Award in Bookings goes to Tickets.com client John Bolton, General Manager SMG-BOK Center

John Bolton, General Manager of the SMG-BOK Center , Tulsa, OK., won this honor for the grand opening of the 19,000-seat arena with separate dates for the Eagles, Kenny Chesney with LeAnn Rimes, American Idol Live, Rascal Flatts with Taylor Swift, Jeff Dunham, World Tour of Gymnastics Superstars, and an NBA Exhibition Game (Houston Rockets vs. OKC).

Monday, November 10, 2008

Tickets.com Launches Mobile Ticketing Website

Tickets.com Launches ProVenueMobile™, the Industry’s First Mobile Website that Enables Customers to Buy and Receive Tickets Entirely through their Mobile Phones

Costa Mesa, CA – November 10, 2008: Tickets.com, a leading global provider of integrated ticketing solutions, announces the November 5, 2008 launch of ProVenueMobile, a mobile version of their consumer-facing website. The site will establish Tickets.com as the first in its industry to offer customers the ability to complete a ticket transaction from a mobile phone without having to “click to call,” and the first to offer such a service that is seamless and compatible with all makes and models of Internet-enabled mobile phone devices.

“We are excited about this technology, and view it as a major breakthrough for our company and for our clients,” said Larry Witherspoon, CEO, Tickets.com. “Staying ahead of the curve through industry-leading innovation, as well as delivering unparalleled customer support, is our chief mission. Offering this versatile and convenient mobile platform gives Tickets.com the opportunity to reach new milestones in both areas. We are delighted to be able to introduce a green, paperless technology into the marketplace. In early 2009 we look forward to offering website mobilization services to our clients.”

By extending the functionality and services of Tickets.com – including full e-commerce – to the mobile web platform http://mobile.tickets.com, full-circle ticket purchases can be made 24/7 on any handheld mobile device. Missing an on-sale time, waiting in line and being put on hold will be things of the past. The Usablenet Mobile-supported site integrates seamlessly with all web-enabled devices from smart phones (Blackberry, iPhone, Treo, etc.) to basic cell phones with web access. It supports all browsers, file formats, carriers and other technologies, so that Tickets.com customers can shop for and purchase tickets from anywhere, anytime.

The new mobile consumer website ProVenueMobile meshes perfectly with Tickets@Phone®, the groundbreaking mobile ticket delivery feature launched by Tickets.com in 2006 that is increasingly in demand given the rapid growth in the mobile marketplace. Combined with the company’s Tickets@Phone technology, the new mobile-web platform – developed by mobile technologies leader Usablenet – allows Tickets.com consumers to both purchase and digitally receive tickets entirely on their mobile phones from any Tickets.com client venue enabled with Tickets@Phone functionality. The technology delivers barcoded tickets directly to customers’ mobile phones immediately following purchases. The day of the event, the customers simply present their mobile phones for quick and efficient scanned entry into the venue, making the entire ticket transaction experience as simple and convenient as possible.

“The mobile web is a market that is experiencing rapid growth and adoption among consumers. We are partnering with companies like Tickets.com that understand the value of the mobile channel to interact with their customers,” said Nick Taylor, President, Usablenet. “Our goal is to enable customers to successfully and seamlessly access the Website, including all functionality, through an interface customized for their specific mobile device. It’s all about expanding choices and maximizing innovation – when we’re able to partner with a company that’s as dedicated to that as we are, it’s truly rewarding.”

Friday, November 7, 2008

Tickets.com Ticket Stock

In addition to your choices for software and services, Tickets.com also provides many options for ticket stock and envelope production. Choose from our readily available standard stock or venue-branded custom ticket stock and be assured of the best possible price.

Be sure to inquire about our new offerings including: season ticket books, season cards, parking passes, wristbands, and hang tags.

Learn more about ticket stock >

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Upcoming Tickets.com Client Training - Campaign Creator: Basics and Beyond

Tickets.com is happy to announce that we have scheduled the following webinar for our clients:

Campaign Creator - Basics and Beyond

Topic: Client Product Knowledge Seminar: Email Marketing Basics & Beyond
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2008
Time: 10:00 am, Pacific Standard Time/1:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time

Part two of our three part series on email marketing.

New to Campaign Creator? Interested in using Campaign Creator? Need a getting started refresher course? Then this Client Product Knowledge session is for you. Based on your survey results we will cover three essential features of Campaign Creator to help make your campaigns a success.
  • Content development – Learn how to create and use personalization to customize your emails

  • Simple segmentation – Target your consumers interests using custom fields

  • Reporting – Run reports to understand open rates, click through rates, number of returning consumers


These training sessions are free of charge and are offered to Tickets.com clients as an value-added service.

Register Now >

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Theatre At The Center


The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t

RUNS DECEMBER 1 THROUGH DECEMBER 15

AT

THEATRE AT THE CENTER

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES


Theatre at the Center’s Theatre for Young Audiences, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana, will present The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t, the “behind the scenes” story of Christmas written for children, by children performed by Child’s Play Touring Theatre. The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t will run December 1 through December 15.

The true spirit of the holidays is brought to life in three short plays in The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t. The hustle and bustle and near disasters of the Christmas season are brought to life during “Dinky the Dancing Reindeer”, “How Santa Got Well” and “Santa and the Witch”. Dancing reindeer, medical mix-ups and a spell casting witch are all involved in these delightful tales of narrowly averted Christmas disasters. Join Santa and friends for a behind-the-scenes peek at the entertaining Christmas preparations at the North Pole.

Founded in 1991, Theatre at the Center is a year-round professional, equity theater at its home, The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. Theatre at the Center is conveniently located off I-80/94, just 35 minutes from downtown Chicago.

Group performances are weekdays at 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. There will also be two public performances on Saturday, December 13 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Group prices are $6.50 per student, adult tickets are $8.00. Groups of 100 or more student reservations are $5.50 per student. Public prices are children $7.00 and adults $8.50. A special lunch package will also be available on December 1, 5, 8 and 12 for an additional $4 per person. The lunch will include an all-beef hot dog, potato chips, fruit roll up, cookies and an orange drink. To purchase group tickets call 219.836.3258 and to purchase individual tickets call the Box Office at 219.836.3255 or Tickets.com at 800.511.1552. For more information on Theater at the Center, visit www.TheatreAtTheCenter.com.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Tickets.com Sponsoring Upcoming Billboard Touring Cocktail Reception

Billboard Touring Event Touring '08: The Billboard Touring Conference and Awards

November 19-20, 2008
The Roosevelt Hotel, NYC

Tickets.com proudly announces our sponsorship of the pre-Awards cocktail reception for the 5th annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards in New York City later this month. The 5th annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards is the premier gathering for the concert industry. The Conference will feature informative panels, controversial discussions, invaluable networking opportunities, and an awards reception targeted to promoters, agents, managers, venues, sponsors, and production professionals. This is our third year sponsoring this exciting event.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Saskatchewan Roughriders

Roughriders sell out playoff game versus Lions in just 35 minutes

REGINA — It didn't take the Saskatchewan Roughriders long to sell out their West Division semifinal contest against the B.C. Lions.

The Riders made tickets to the game available to the general public Monday morning, and they were sold out within 35 minutes. So when Saskatchewan takes to the field against B.C. on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET), it will do so with the support of a capacity gathering of 30,945.

It will mark the 18th straight sellout at Mosaic Stadium dating back to last year.

The Roughriders will also be hosting a playoff game for the second straight season after going 18 years without one.

"The support the Riders have received continues to overwhelm us," team president Jim Hopson said in a statement. "From pre-season to the playoff game, the dedication from our fans has not wavered and for that we are grateful."

Friday, October 31, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Wellmont Theatre

Wellmont opens to rave reviews
(by George Wirt - October 30, 2008)

It was a day late, but still great.

That’s what music fans had to say about one of the most anticipated opening nights in Montclair in years as nearly 2,000 patrons poured into the newly renovated Wellmont Theatre to witness Counting Crows inaugurate North Jersey’s newest venue for live performances.

"It’s an awesome place," said first-nighter Rudy Putignano, who came with his wife Terry. "It reminds me a lot of the old Capital Theater in Passaic. It’s a real classic"

"We came down on Monday night, and we were a little disappointed when they had to postpone it," said Terry Putignano, "But it was worth the wait."

The Putignanos were among the Counting Crows fans, music lovers, local officials and the just plain curious who put down $75 a ticket to get a first glimpse inside the new Wellmont Theatre.

Opening night had originally been set for Monday, but was pushed back to Tuesday evening after Crows lead singer Adam Duritz, who has been battling the flu, was unable to perform for the first of three consecutive nights at the new Wellmont.

Concertgoers who purchased tickets for the Crows’ Wednesday show saw the group last night, while Crows fans with tickets for the Crows’ third and final appearance in Montclair during this stop on their tour, will see the group tonight.

"We’re all excited," said Jim Glancy, a partner in the Bowery Presents, a company that bought the Wellmont and restored it to its former glory. "There’s a real buzz. Everywhere I went in town I heard people talking about the Wellmont and which performers they want to see."

The landmark Montclair theater first opened its doors as a venue for live performances in back in 1922 and became a classic neighborhood movie theater in 1929. But changing movie viewing habits and the digital revolution and the movies on CDs took its toll on the venerable theater.

The Wellmont’s former owners converted it into to a triplex, obscuring the theater’s palace-like grandeur which made it so special to earlier generations of Montclair moviegoers. But by 2006, with business plunging, the Wellmont shut down.

The theater was subsequently purchased by Glancy’s group, which then launched an 8-month-long restoration project. The old triplex was carefully demolished and the painstaking reconstruction and restoration process began, culminating in this week’s opening.

"I remember coming here in the old days with the stale popcorn, chewing gum on the seats and the stick floors," said 2nd Ward Township Councilman Cary Africk. "They done a careful and loving restoration."

Local officials hope the new Wellmont will help reinvigorate Montclair’s Central Business District along Bloomfield Avenue.

"You can come to the Wellmont and see great live music and entertainment, have a great meal at a local restaurant, and do it all right here in Montclair without having to go into New York," said 1st Ward Councilman Rich Murnick, who sat with Africk during Counting Crows’ performance.

The Wellmont is expected to attract throngs through the next several months with an announced lineup of upcoming concert appearances that includes Duran Duran, B.B. King, Tony Bennett, Steely Dan, Hanson, Brian Wilson and many more.

The Wellmont crowds are expected to have a decidedly Jersey flavor. Spokesperson Gretchen Wagner said the Wellmont is drawing a predominately New Jersey audience. "Our tracking on the online ticket purchases showed that 90 per cent of them were coming from North Jersey," she said.

To help make sure that the concert-goers enjoy a pleasant experience while in Montclair, municipal officials have taken steps to make parking easier.

The Montclair Parking Authority has provided the Wellmont ticket-holders with access to nearly 800 parking spaces at three nearby lots. Parking will be available at the Walnut Street Lot and the Bay Street Station Deck starting from two hours before show-time. For evening shows, hours are from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. There are 150 spots per deck, and both are walking distance from the theater.

Additional spots are available at DCH, a parking deck owned by DCH Auto Group, located about six blocks from the Wellmont off Bloomfield Avenue, on Orange Road. Concertgoers can also pre-buy parking for $15 per show at the Wellmont Theatre box office or when purchasing tickets on Tickets.com.

Doors at the Wellmont open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m.

For concert information or to check ticket availability, visit the Wellmont Theatre’s box office at 5 Seymour Street, or go online at wellmonttheatre.com. Tickets can also be purchased at Tickets.com.

Contact George Wirt at wirt@montclairtimes.com.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Fantasy Springs Resort

Fantasy Springs to welcome Brooks and Dunn in January

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn practically owned the whole line dancing craze of the 1980s and '90s.

They may own the Academy of Country Music, too, with all the awards they’ve received over the years.

We’ll find out when the duo arrives in the Coachella Valley for a one-night-only concert on Feb. 20 in Fantasy Springs Casino’s Special Events Center.

Ticket for the 8 p.m. concert, priced at $79, $89, $99 and $119, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through the casino box office or online.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is in Indio at 84245 Indio Springs Parkway. Information: 342-5000; fantasyspringsresort.com or tickets.com.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Tickets.com is the Official Ticketing Services Provider for the Cricket Council's Women's World Cup Tournament

Tickets.com Takes Up A New Sport as Official Ticketing Services Provider for the Next International Cricket Council’s Women’s World Cup Tournament in Australia

Costa Mesa, CA – October 29, 2008 – Tickets.com, a leading global provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has signed a new agreement with Cricket Australia to be the official ticketing services provider for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Cup Australia 2009. The venture marks the first time that Tickets.com will be involved with the globally enjoyed game of cricket, adding it to the company’s long tradition of supporting a diverse variety of teams, competitions, sports organizations and events worldwide.

“We’re very excited about our new association with Tickets.com,” said Eugenie Buckley, Tournament Director, ICC Women’s World Cup Australia 2009. “Their reputation for outstanding customer service and technological innovations that simplify and streamline ticket transactions and distribution are assets that we’re confident will support our efforts in reaching as many fans as possible.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Tickets.com will exclusively provide ticketing solutions for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009, including comprehensive ticketing expertise, customer service support and a range of innovative digital technologies. All tickets for the March 2009 tournament will be sold online at www.cricket.com.au, giving customers the convenience of printing their tickets from their home or office computers using the Internet ticket delivery engine Tickets@Home®. Tickets go on sale October 29, 2008, for events taking place March 7 to March 22, 2009.

“We are delighted to be supporting Cricket Australia with ticketing services for the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia,” said Derek Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer, Tickets.com. “Cricket is growing in popularity around the world, and it’s exciting to add it to the roster of sports that we currently serve. Our company is committed to providing the best and most advanced technological breakthroughs to our clients, and it has been a wonderful experience collaborating with Cricket Australia to meet the unique needs of their fan base with our specialized ticketing services. Tickets.com also looks forward to having this opportunity to expand its presence in Australia and other global markets.”

The ICC Women’s World Cup Australia 2009 competition is the first to be played since the 2005 merger of the ICC and the International Women’s Cricket Council, which has contributed to the growth of the sport. In 2009, Australia will be defending its 2005 title against competing teams from India, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa and Pakistan.

The roster of International sports-related clients supported by Tickets.com ticketing solutions includes: teams from Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Hockey League, England’s Premier League and competitions including five Olympics: the Atlanta 1996 Summer Games, the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Games, the Sydney 2000 Summer Games, the Torino 2006 Winter Games and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.

About Tickets.com
Tickets.com is a leading provider of fully integrated event ticketing solutions and services for thousands of top arts, entertainment, and sports organizations worldwide. Delivering the latest in ticketing technology, Tickets.com offers the advanced ProVenue® ticketing platform, which serves the core of a comprehensive suite of integrated features, products, and services that help clients enhance ticket sales, marketing efforts, and overall customer experience. A privately held subsidiary of MLB Advanced Media, LP, since 2005, Tickets.com is headquartered in Costa Mesa, CA, and has regional offices across the U.S. and around the world. The company also sells tickets directly to consumers at www.tickets.com.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Dallas Stars

Dallas Stars and WBAP Stars & Stripes

WBAP and the Dallas Stars want to send a special “thank you” to our service men and women…whether active, reservists or retired. To do so, WBAP is asking for nominations and they will select a military person to be honored at each Dallas Stars home game this season. Each honoree will receive 2 tickets and be recognized on the scoreboard! It’s a tribute and “thank you” to our service men and women for their contribution to our freedom!

Submit your nomination >

Monday, October 27, 2008

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Kentucky Speedway

Kentucky Speedway to Place Affordable 2009 Season Ticket Plans on Sale October 29

SPARTA, Ky. -- Four affordable ticket plans for the six-event 2009 Kentucky Speedway season that will include two doubleheader race days will be placed on sale Oct. 29.

The four-weekend season will mark the facility’s 10th year of operation and open May 9 with an ARCA RE/MAX Series 150-mile event. Racing will continue through an Aug. 1 high-speed doubleheader featuring IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights primetime action.

Season plan prices range from $165 to $255 according to seat location meaning fans can enjoy a reserved seat for each of the six race events for as little as $27.50. Benefit-rich plans also include VIP parking for each event which can be exchanged for general campground admission for a savings of $30, one cold pit pass for each race day with each ticket purchased and the opportunity to purchase additional race tickets at a discount.

Speedway visitors also will be entertained with event-day concerts spotlighting well-known artists. All concerts are included with the price of an event ticket and the line-up will be announced at a future date.

Ticket plans can be reserved and renewed online at http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com, by calling 859-578-2300, through Tickets.com outlets including Meijer stores and by visiting the Kentucky Speedway ticket office in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100 near the Montgomery Inn restaurant or the track Fan Center located off of Interstate 71 Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 N in Sparta, Ky.

2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Race

The ARCA RE/MAX Series will open a speedway season for the ninth time with its 18th all-time appearance at the track. Roush Fenway Racing stock car talent Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., claimed his first Kentucky Speedway win on opening weekend last season by 0.374 of a second over former Formula 1 racing star Scott Speed. The competitive field also is expected to feature 2008 series champion Justin Allgaier and nine-time series title winner Frank Kimmel of Clarksville, Ind.

NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will take center stage June 13 when they contest a 300-mile battle. A track record crowd of 73,195 witnessed the first series win by highly-touted Joe Gibbs Racing driver Joey Logano. The 18-year-old, who will take over the No. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series machine next season, became the third straight competitor to claim his first series win at the track and the third straight NASCAR Nationwide Series regular to triumph in the Bluegrass State. Stephen Leicht and David Gilliland respectively accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2006.

Grizzled veterans and up-and-coming hopefuls will be part of the 10th all-time NASCAR Truck Series visit to Kentucky Speedway July 18 for the “Built Ford Tough 225 Presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers.” Johnny Benson became the ninth different series winner in track history by guiding his machine across the finish line 0.474 of a second in front his Bill Davis Racing teammate Michael Annett in 2008. The margin was the third closest for a series event at the track. A 150-mile ARCA RE/MAX Series event will precede the truck action and mark the first time the two series will appear in a same-day doubleheader at the track. Speed took a tight 0.541 of a second victory over Sean Caisse in the July edition of the ARCA RE/MAX Series “Kentucky 150” last season.

Rocket-like race speeds of more than 200 mph will light up the Kentucky Speedway night Aug. 1 when the IndyCar Series celebrates its 10th Kentucky Speedway anniversary. Scott Dixon visited Victory Lane at the track for the first time in 2008. The reigning series champion nipped Helio Castroneves at the finish line by 0.5532 of a second in the fourth-closest series finish in track history. Sure-to-be exciting Firestone Indy Lights Series action will open the action with a twilight 100-mile tilt. Last season, Dillion Battistini aced out James Davison by an ultra-thin 0.0814 of a second margin at the finish line. The dramatic finish marked the sixth time a series race was decided by fractions of a second on the speedway 1.5-mile tri-oval.

Aerial View of Kentucky Speedway

The Kentucky Speedway sits on 1,000 acres of land 97 acres inside the tri-oval track and has been a Tickets.com client for over five years.