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.
Friday, October 31, 2008
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.
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.
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 >
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Upcoming Tickets.com Email Marketing Best Practices Training Seminar
Tickets.com is happy to announce that we have scheduled the following webinar:
Email Marketing – Practicalities, Pitfalls, and Potential
Topic: Client Product Knowledge Seminar: Campaign Email Best Practices
Date: Thursday, October 30
Time: 10:00 am, Pacific Standard Time/1:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time
Learn about industry best practices and helpful tips and tricks to get great results from your email marketing campaigns. Explore creative ways to grow your list of email subscribers and to maximize your reach in your area. Evaluate key campaign elements (design, body copy, subject lines and more) to determine what messaging and visuals appeal to your customer base. Find out what motivates your subscribers to not only open your emails, but also purchase tickets to your events!
• Email marketing best practices
• Attracting opt-in subscribers for your email database
• Using key learnings to improve email performance
These training sessions are free of charge and are offered to Tickets.com clients as an added service.
Register now for the Tickets.com Email Marketing Training Session >
Email Marketing – Practicalities, Pitfalls, and Potential
Topic: Client Product Knowledge Seminar: Campaign Email Best Practices
Date: Thursday, October 30
Time: 10:00 am, Pacific Standard Time/1:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time
Learn about industry best practices and helpful tips and tricks to get great results from your email marketing campaigns. Explore creative ways to grow your list of email subscribers and to maximize your reach in your area. Evaluate key campaign elements (design, body copy, subject lines and more) to determine what messaging and visuals appeal to your customer base. Find out what motivates your subscribers to not only open your emails, but also purchase tickets to your events!
• Email marketing best practices
• Attracting opt-in subscribers for your email database
• Using key learnings to improve email performance
These training sessions are free of charge and are offered to Tickets.com clients as an added service.
Register now for the Tickets.com Email Marketing Training Session >
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Chicago Cubs
Cubs Convention tickets go on sale Nov. 6
Weekend passes for the 24th annual Cubs Convention will go on sale Thursday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m., the Chicago Cubs announced today.
Passes will be available for purchase by visiting www.cubs.com or by calling tickets.com at 1-800-THE-CUBS.
The 24th annual Cubs Convention will be held at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. , Jan. 16-18, 2009. Each fan can purchase up to four weekend passes while they last.
The convention pass, valid for entry during the entire weekend, costs $60 plus convenience fees. The hours of the convention are as follows: Friday 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included with each pass is access to all autograph/photo sessions, question and answer sessions as well as the memorabilia and vendor booths.
Rooms at the Hilton are currently sold out for Convention weekend, but fans can check back for cancellations or availability by calling 312-922-4400.
Weekend passes for the 24th annual Cubs Convention will go on sale Thursday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m., the Chicago Cubs announced today.
Passes will be available for purchase by visiting www.cubs.com or by calling tickets.com at 1-800-THE-CUBS.
The 24th annual Cubs Convention will be held at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. , Jan. 16-18, 2009. Each fan can purchase up to four weekend passes while they last.
The convention pass, valid for entry during the entire weekend, costs $60 plus convenience fees. The hours of the convention are as follows: Friday 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included with each pass is access to all autograph/photo sessions, question and answer sessions as well as the memorabilia and vendor booths.
Rooms at the Hilton are currently sold out for Convention weekend, but fans can check back for cancellations or availability by calling 312-922-4400.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Wellmont Theatre
Tickets.com client Wellmont Theatre is using podcasts to promote their upcoming shows. Podcasts are a great way to have another touchpoint with your patrons and get the word out about upcoming events.
Listen to the Bowery Presents Podcasts >
Listen to the Bowery Presents Podcasts >
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: University at Buffalo
Bulls Battle Back To Beat Army in Overtime Thriller
BUFFALO, NY – In a season full of incredible endings, the University at Buffalo football team added another one for the ages on Homecoming weekend in a dramatic comeback victory over Army, 27-24, in overtime on Saturday, October 18.
The Buffalo Bulls experienced a season high attendance of 21,719; the fifth largest crowd in UB Stadium history. The UB Single game attendance record was set Aug 31, 2006 vs. Temple with an attendance of 29,975. The average attendance for 2008 is 17,900.
This is the 12th year UB and Tickets.com have been ticketing partners. The next University at Buffalo Bills home game is a nationally televised broadcast on ESPN2, Tue Nov 4 vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks.
BUFFALO, NY – In a season full of incredible endings, the University at Buffalo football team added another one for the ages on Homecoming weekend in a dramatic comeback victory over Army, 27-24, in overtime on Saturday, October 18. The Buffalo Bulls experienced a season high attendance of 21,719; the fifth largest crowd in UB Stadium history. The UB Single game attendance record was set Aug 31, 2006 vs. Temple with an attendance of 29,975. The average attendance for 2008 is 17,900.
This is the 12th year UB and Tickets.com have been ticketing partners. The next University at Buffalo Bills home game is a nationally televised broadcast on ESPN2, Tue Nov 4 vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Larry Witherspoon Nominated for the 2008 Venues Today Hall of Headlines
Larry Witherspoon and his Tickets.com team have been nominated for wholly developing and launching ProVenue®, a web-based enterprise ticketing solution using Oracle database architecture, while still successfully providing service to its extensive client portfolio.
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.
About ProVenue:
ProVenue is a powerful, full-featured ticketing platform specifically developed with open architecture design, unsurpassed flexibility, innovative data management tools, and an easy to use graphical interface to meet the expectations of today’s dynamic marketplace.
About Larry Witherspoon:
Chief executive officer of Tickets.com, Larry Witherspoon is responsible for the execution of the company's overall direction and strategic plan, including global technology development, sales and marketing, and the operation of the business. He joined Tickets.com in 2005 as chief information officer, overseeing information technology, product development, architecture, and operations. Mr. Witherspoon has more than a decade of sports entertainment experience, along with an extensive engineering background. Prior to joining Tickets.com, Mr. Witherspoon served as vice president of technology services for the Seattle Mariners, where he was responsible for all aspects of the Mariners' technology services department, including information services, audio/video, ticketing operations and concession services.
Learn more about Tickets.com >
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.
About ProVenue:
ProVenue is a powerful, full-featured ticketing platform specifically developed with open architecture design, unsurpassed flexibility, innovative data management tools, and an easy to use graphical interface to meet the expectations of today’s dynamic marketplace.
About Larry Witherspoon:
Chief executive officer of Tickets.com, Larry Witherspoon is responsible for the execution of the company's overall direction and strategic plan, including global technology development, sales and marketing, and the operation of the business. He joined Tickets.com in 2005 as chief information officer, overseeing information technology, product development, architecture, and operations. Mr. Witherspoon has more than a decade of sports entertainment experience, along with an extensive engineering background. Prior to joining Tickets.com, Mr. Witherspoon served as vice president of technology services for the Seattle Mariners, where he was responsible for all aspects of the Mariners' technology services department, including information services, audio/video, ticketing operations and concession services.
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Biltmore Estate
An Autumn Escape to Biltmore
For leaf color seekers, there’s no better place to soak in autumn than on the 8,000-acre Biltmore estate in scenic Asheville, North Carolina, where guests can find all of fall’s beauty in one unbelievable setting. Ultimate scenic views abound and fall gardens are bursting with thousands of colorful mums, vibrant forests and rolling countryside. By foot, by horse or by Segway are just some of the ways guests can enjoy the colors. At the Outdoor Center, activities can be reserved including carriage rides, horseback riding, Segway tours and Land Rover Experience Driving School. River Bend Farm welcomes curiosities with demonstrations of what it was like to live and work on the estate in the 1890s, including a barnyard full of farm animals to visit.
In addition to the great outdoors, Biltmore House, America’s largest home, offers an array of indoor beauty, complete with the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, art and antiques. Festive menus can be savored at one of the estate’s five restaurants, which celebrate a legacy of sustainable agriculture, serving fresh produce grown in the gardens right on the estate. Biltmore’s award-winning winery offers tastings, tours, culinary demonstrations and seminars. And, for those looking to capture the romance of fall overnight, the Inn on Biltmore Estate offers year-round packages. Visit www.biltmore.com for more information.
For leaf color seekers, there’s no better place to soak in autumn than on the 8,000-acre Biltmore estate in scenic Asheville, North Carolina, where guests can find all of fall’s beauty in one unbelievable setting. Ultimate scenic views abound and fall gardens are bursting with thousands of colorful mums, vibrant forests and rolling countryside. By foot, by horse or by Segway are just some of the ways guests can enjoy the colors. At the Outdoor Center, activities can be reserved including carriage rides, horseback riding, Segway tours and Land Rover Experience Driving School. River Bend Farm welcomes curiosities with demonstrations of what it was like to live and work on the estate in the 1890s, including a barnyard full of farm animals to visit. In addition to the great outdoors, Biltmore House, America’s largest home, offers an array of indoor beauty, complete with the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, art and antiques. Festive menus can be savored at one of the estate’s five restaurants, which celebrate a legacy of sustainable agriculture, serving fresh produce grown in the gardens right on the estate. Biltmore’s award-winning winery offers tastings, tours, culinary demonstrations and seminars. And, for those looking to capture the romance of fall overnight, the Inn on Biltmore Estate offers year-round packages. Visit www.biltmore.com for more information.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Mobile Tickets: An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Traditional Paper Tickets
Did you know that you can have entertainment and sports tickets delivered directly to your mobile phone?
Tickets@Phone™ by Tickets.com enables consumers to receive their purchased tickets on their mobile devices. Perfect for environmentally conscious consumers, mobile phone tickets are increasing in popularity. Mobile tickets are convenient, enabling consumers to purchase their tickets at the last minute (not requiring time for mail delivery or waiting in box office lines to pick up tickets).
Learn more about Tickets.com Mobile Ticketing Solutions >
Tickets@Phone™ by Tickets.com enables consumers to receive their purchased tickets on their mobile devices. Perfect for environmentally conscious consumers, mobile phone tickets are increasing in popularity. Mobile tickets are convenient, enabling consumers to purchase their tickets at the last minute (not requiring time for mail delivery or waiting in box office lines to pick up tickets).
Learn more about Tickets.com Mobile Ticketing Solutions >
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Industry News: StubHub Scores a Hat Trick: Partners With Buffalo Sabres, HSBC Arena and Tickets.com to Give Fans Total Access
Deal Represents New Extension of Integrated eTicketing Beyond MLB SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--StubHub, the world’s largest ticket marketplace, is proud to announce a new partnership with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League and its home venue, HSBC Arena. StubHub will also broaden its relationship with Tickets.com, a leading primary ticket provider, to enable an integrated ticketing solution for ticket resale for one of the NHL's premier teams and venues. This partnership marks the first time outside of the MLB Advanced Media relationship struck in 2007 that StubHub has partnered with a primary ticketing provider to offer this type of integrated service.
Coinciding with the start of the NHL’s regular season, StubHub will be recognized as the “Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace” of the Buffalo Sabres. The agreement will further enhance the visibility and adoption of StubHub’s industry leading ticket marketplace among one of the most rabid fan bases in all of hockey. The Sabres join the Phoenix Coyotes as an NHL team partner making StubHub proudly aligned with more than 60 teams across professional sports leagues and the NCAA ranks.
Sabres season ticket holders will now have the ability to list tickets directly through their season ticket holder account on the team’s website and to easily have those tickets appear on the StubHub marketplace. The ticket information (including the barcode) is passed directly to StubHub, and when purchased, the tickets are delivered instantly via our Instant eDelivery fulfillment method. This functionality dramatically increases the potential sales for season ticket holder listings. Buyers simply print tickets off at home and head straight to the arena, making last minute purchases even that much more convenient.
“Along with the great service and primary ticketing solution that Tickets.com provides, an integrated platform between them and the number one secondary marketplace StubHub was another key benefit we were seeking to provide our fans. This partnership offers an unparalleled user experience and return on investment for our season ticket holders,” said Daniel J. DiPofi, Chief Operating Officer of Hockey Western New York, LLC.
Supporting the Sabres team partnership is a complementary relationship with HSBC Arena, the first comprehensive venue deal of its kind for StubHub. StubHub will also be recognized as the Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace of HSBC arena, Western New York's premier sports and entertainment facility. Electronic integration for resale will become available for all HSBC events in the coming months. Located on Buffalo's waterfront, the state-of-the-art venue hosts the best concerts, ice shows, sporting events and family shows entertaining audiences of all ages. Since opening on September 21, 1996, more than 11 million people have attended the wide variety of events held at HSBC Arena.
“Expanding our relationship with StubHub to the Sabres, and potentially beyond, gives Tickets.com a world class offering for other teams who would like to integrate their primary ticketing solution with the leading online ticket marketplace,” said Steve DeMots, SVP Business Development, Tickets.com. “Tickets.com and StubHub working together provides a unique, comprehensive solution that is unmatched in the industry.”
StubHub will receive valuable marketing assets, including permanent signage at HSBC Arena, prominent online presence on the Sabres website, and email marketing to Sabres season ticket holders.
“It’s a landmark for StubHub to align with an entire arena, in addition to one of hockey’s most successful franchises,” said Danielle Maged, Head of Partnerships for StubHub. “Leveraging a more extensive relationship with Tickets.com enables both companies to provide the strongest packaged primary and secondary solution in the market. With this MLB-proven integration, and our new relationship with the Sabres and HSBC Arena, we are able to best serve Buffalo-area fans with the utmost in convenience and choice for tickets.”
About StubHub
StubHub is the world's largest ticket marketplace, enabling fans to buy and sell tickets to tens of thousands of sports, concert, theater and other live entertainment events. StubHub reinvented the ticket resale market in 2000 and continues to lead it through innovation. The company's unique online marketplace, dedicated solely to tickets, provides all fans the choice to buy or sell their tickets in a safe, convenient, and highly reliable environment. All transactions are processed and delivered by StubHub and backed by the company’s FanProtect Guarantee. Company partners include the New York Yankees, Chicago Bears and the University of Southern California along with nearly 60 teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA complemented with music artists like Madonna and companies such as ESPN and American Express.
StubHub is an eBay company (NASDAQ:EBAY). For more information on StubHub, visit www.stubhub.com.
About Tickets.com
Tickets.com is a leading business-to-business ticketing solutions provider for live events. Our corporate offices are located in Costa Mesa, California. Tickets.com is a full service provider of integrated ticketing solutions designed to enable entertainment and sports organizations to sell tickets to consumers under the clients’ brand. These integrated solutions include the Internet, retail outlets, kiosks, call centers, and interactive voice response systems (IVRS).
The company enables its clients to capture, access and own consumer data through ticket sales, providing them with a 360 degree view of the buying habits and preferences of their fans and patrons to enhance their marketing efforts.
The company also sells tickets directly to consumers at www.tickets.com.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Tickets.com Marketing Team at the Direct Marketing Association Conference
In an effort to provide the most cutting-edge marketing solutions for our ticketing clients, the Tickets.com Marketing Team is at the annual DMA conference this week. The DMA conference is the annual global marketing event for integrated marketing and hosts over 575 leading marketing solution companies covering all aspects of marketing and advertising.
Some marketing aspects covered that will benefit Tickets.com clients include:
- Online marketing / interactive media
- Customer acquisition and retention
- Emerging marketing channels
- Multichannel marketing integration
Tickets.com looks forward to continually enhancing our marketing services to benefit our clients and their brands.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Promote. Sell. Repeat.
Promoting shows and selling tickets just got easier.
At Tickets.com venues, all the data you need is at your fingertips, enabling you to learn more about consumer preferences and to sell more tickets in any given market.
Maximize your marketing dollars using analytics tools such as ProVenueInsight™ advanced reporting software and the Campaign Creator™ e-Communications platform.
Boost revenues with enhanced ticket delivery options such as Tickets@Phone™ mobile ticketing, Tickets@Home® print at home ticketing and more!
For more information on Tickets.com venues and products, visit provenue.tickets.com or contact sales@tickets.com.
At Tickets.com venues, all the data you need is at your fingertips, enabling you to learn more about consumer preferences and to sell more tickets in any given market.
Maximize your marketing dollars using analytics tools such as ProVenueInsight™ advanced reporting software and the Campaign Creator™ e-Communications platform.
Boost revenues with enhanced ticket delivery options such as Tickets@Phone™ mobile ticketing, Tickets@Home® print at home ticketing and more!
For more information on Tickets.com venues and products, visit provenue.tickets.com or contact sales@tickets.com.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tickets.com Successfully Launches ProVenue®, the Industry’s Most Advanced Ticketing Solutions Platform
COSTA MESA, CA – October 8, 2008 – Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has launched ProVenue®, its new, innovative full-service ticketing platform. Developed and rigorously tested by Tickets.com, ProVenue is a turnkey solution and the industry’s most technologically advanced and sophisticated ticketing services product. It officially went live on September 13, 2008, flawlessly enabling the inaugural on-sale day for fifteen major shows comprising the opening season of the newly renovated Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ.
Designed to enhance and simplify how venues sell tickets – as well as how consumers perceive their ticket transaction and gate entry experiences – ProVenue heralds the future of hassle-free, secure ticketing and venue access. The platform employs a flexible, web-based open systems architecture and browser-based interface that seamlessly integrates a comprehensive suite of Tickets.com technologies including Tickets@Home®, Tickets@Phone™ and the e-communication marketing platform Campaign Creator™. ProVenue’s standardized and versatile open architecture also allows the platform to support a wide variety of third party applications.
“The development and launch of Provenue is a milestone that’s the result of the concerted efforts of our entire company over the last three years,” said Larry Witherspoon, Chief Executive Officer, Tickets.com. “I thank and congratulate everyone for their contributions and achievements. We couldn’t be more pleased than we are with the out-of-the-gate success ProVenue has had with the initial on-sales. Going forward, Tickets.com is committed to the ongoing development of ProVenue® with the best emergent and breakthrough technologies, and to expanding the platform’s presence with venues and organizations worldwide.”
Tickets.com unveiled ProVenue in January 2008 at INTIX, the International Ticketing Association’s annual conference. A full-service enterprise ticketing software platform, ProVenue delivers flexible and robust data management tools that enable venues to establish and maintain long-term relationships with their patrons. The ProVenue platform’s web-based open architecture enables expansion and upgrades with minimal impact on systems, simplifies data sharing and allows many different applications to interact without requiring complex custom business development solutions.
Tickets.com is known for its mission to be at the vanguard of ticketing technology. Other company milestones include being the first ticketing services provider to: introduce automated ticketing kiosks; integrate a secondary market product (Replay Ticket Exchange); and the first in North America to implement Tickets@Phone, digitally delivering tickets to mobile phones.
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Designed to enhance and simplify how venues sell tickets – as well as how consumers perceive their ticket transaction and gate entry experiences – ProVenue heralds the future of hassle-free, secure ticketing and venue access. The platform employs a flexible, web-based open systems architecture and browser-based interface that seamlessly integrates a comprehensive suite of Tickets.com technologies including Tickets@Home®, Tickets@Phone™ and the e-communication marketing platform Campaign Creator™. ProVenue’s standardized and versatile open architecture also allows the platform to support a wide variety of third party applications.
“The development and launch of Provenue is a milestone that’s the result of the concerted efforts of our entire company over the last three years,” said Larry Witherspoon, Chief Executive Officer, Tickets.com. “I thank and congratulate everyone for their contributions and achievements. We couldn’t be more pleased than we are with the out-of-the-gate success ProVenue has had with the initial on-sales. Going forward, Tickets.com is committed to the ongoing development of ProVenue® with the best emergent and breakthrough technologies, and to expanding the platform’s presence with venues and organizations worldwide.”
Tickets.com unveiled ProVenue in January 2008 at INTIX, the International Ticketing Association’s annual conference. A full-service enterprise ticketing software platform, ProVenue delivers flexible and robust data management tools that enable venues to establish and maintain long-term relationships with their patrons. The ProVenue platform’s web-based open architecture enables expansion and upgrades with minimal impact on systems, simplifies data sharing and allows many different applications to interact without requiring complex custom business development solutions.
Tickets.com is known for its mission to be at the vanguard of ticketing technology. Other company milestones include being the first ticketing services provider to: introduce automated ticketing kiosks; integrate a secondary market product (Replay Ticket Exchange); and the first in North America to implement Tickets@Phone, digitally delivering tickets to mobile phones.
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: University of California, Davis
Fall Festival Celebrates 100 Years of UC Davis
One hundred years after the first students took up residence at the University of California, Davis, yet another class has arrived: the Centennial Class.
That calls for a celebration, one the university is calling the Centennial Fall Festival. It starts this Friday (Oct. 10) and includes an Academic Showcase, college and school open houses, Pajamarino and homecoming football, and a downtown street fair before concluding next Wednesday (Oct. 15) with the unveiling of the Centennial Walk on the Quad.
Full details of events on- and off-campus are available at http://centennial.ucdavis.edu/fall_festival.html.
A ticketed event at 8 p.m. Friday features an address by Supreme Court scholar and CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, appearing in the Mondavi Center's Distinguished Speakers Series. His topic: "One Hundred Years -- A Look Inside the Supreme Court," including mention of events linked to UC Davis history. Tickets: (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787, or http://www.mondaviarts.org.
For Homecoming football, UC Davis takes on Southern Utah at 6 p.m. Saturday in Aggie Stadium. Tickets are available at tickets.com.
Centennial festivities move off-campus Sunday afternoon for the Celebrate UC Davis! street fair, scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. along Third Street in downtown Davis. Admission is free.
The festival's last day (Oct. 15) is called Centennial Day on the Quad, featuring two annual events, Chamber Day on the Quad and the Activities Faire, plus the dedication of the new Centennial Walk, a spruced-up and widened path in the same place where students walked almost 100 years ago.
About the University of California, Davis
For 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 31,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $500 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science -- and advanced degrees from five professional schools -- Education, Law, Management, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.
One hundred years after the first students took up residence at the University of California, Davis, yet another class has arrived: the Centennial Class.
That calls for a celebration, one the university is calling the Centennial Fall Festival. It starts this Friday (Oct. 10) and includes an Academic Showcase, college and school open houses, Pajamarino and homecoming football, and a downtown street fair before concluding next Wednesday (Oct. 15) with the unveiling of the Centennial Walk on the Quad.
Full details of events on- and off-campus are available at http://centennial.ucdavis.edu/fall_festival.html.
A ticketed event at 8 p.m. Friday features an address by Supreme Court scholar and CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, appearing in the Mondavi Center's Distinguished Speakers Series. His topic: "One Hundred Years -- A Look Inside the Supreme Court," including mention of events linked to UC Davis history. Tickets: (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787, or http://www.mondaviarts.org.
For Homecoming football, UC Davis takes on Southern Utah at 6 p.m. Saturday in Aggie Stadium. Tickets are available at tickets.com.
Centennial festivities move off-campus Sunday afternoon for the Celebrate UC Davis! street fair, scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. along Third Street in downtown Davis. Admission is free.
The festival's last day (Oct. 15) is called Centennial Day on the Quad, featuring two annual events, Chamber Day on the Quad and the Activities Faire, plus the dedication of the new Centennial Walk, a spruced-up and widened path in the same place where students walked almost 100 years ago.
About the University of California, Davis
For 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 31,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $500 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science -- and advanced degrees from five professional schools -- Education, Law, Management, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Goldman Sachs, Live Nation and Tickets.com to Address Ticket Industry at Ticket Summit 2009 in New York City
Industry's Must-Attend Event Targets Global Ticket Professionals, Theater/Concert/Venue/Sports Teams Promoters and Investors
VERNON, CT -- (Marketwire) -- 10/03/08 -- TicketNetwork.com, the leading source for the ticket industry's most comprehensive inventory, today announced that the industry's most influential experts will address Ticket Summit 2009 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, January 6-8th. The three-day event will include a list of marquis speakers as well as dynamic panel sessions and many vendor exhibits. High-profile attendees include representatives from Google, the NHL and the NCAA, in addition to companies representing the hospitality, ticket, entertainment and technology industries.
Mark Wienkes, financial analyst from The Goldman Sachs Group, Greg Bettinelli, executive vice president, business development and strategy at Live Nation, and Derek Palmer, chief commercial officer of Tickets.com, will address the overlap between the primary and secondary ticket markets in a panel titled "The New Paradigm." This session is scheduled for Wednesdsay, January 7th, and is designed to educate Ticket Summit 2009 attendees on how the blurring line separating two ticket markets will affect a range of professionals in both sectors.
At Live Nation, Bettinelli is responsible for the strategic direction and partnerships for Live Nation's ticket business. Prior to Live Nation, Bettinelli was Sr. Director of Business Development at StubHub where he spearheaded the company's partnership with Major League Baseball. Before transitioning to StubHub, he led eBay.com's Event Tickets and Media businesses and was a catalyst in eBay's acquisition of StubHub in 2007.
Derek Palmer is the fueling force behind Tickets.com's operational and sales organizations. Over the course of his 15-year tenure with Tickets.com, Palmer has launched clients such as Times Union Center, formerly known as Pepsi Arena, 9:30 Club, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Additionally, he has major event experience working as ticketing manager for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA. Palmer holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from George Mason University.
"Ticket Summit 2009 provides a unique platform for leading professionals whose business involves ticket sales to come together and share the latest developments and advancements in the secondary market," said Don Vaccaro, CEO of TicketNetwork. "The evolving nature of the secondary ticket business and the high demand for a forum addressing current industry issues compelled us to launch a New York conference targeting theater, sports and entertainment professionals based on the east coast and Europe. We are pleased to host an elite gathering of key ticket industry decision makers at Ticket Summit 2009," said Vaccaro.
Ticket Summit 2009 is the premier conference in the secondary ticket industry. A must-attend event, it presents a tremendous opportunity for an enhanced education on the ticket industry, and provides numerous networking opportunities for professionals aiming to expand or meet partners for the expansion of their ticket operations.
VERNON, CT -- (Marketwire) -- 10/03/08 -- TicketNetwork.com, the leading source for the ticket industry's most comprehensive inventory, today announced that the industry's most influential experts will address Ticket Summit 2009 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, January 6-8th. The three-day event will include a list of marquis speakers as well as dynamic panel sessions and many vendor exhibits. High-profile attendees include representatives from Google, the NHL and the NCAA, in addition to companies representing the hospitality, ticket, entertainment and technology industries.
Mark Wienkes, financial analyst from The Goldman Sachs Group, Greg Bettinelli, executive vice president, business development and strategy at Live Nation, and Derek Palmer, chief commercial officer of Tickets.com, will address the overlap between the primary and secondary ticket markets in a panel titled "The New Paradigm." This session is scheduled for Wednesdsay, January 7th, and is designed to educate Ticket Summit 2009 attendees on how the blurring line separating two ticket markets will affect a range of professionals in both sectors.
At Live Nation, Bettinelli is responsible for the strategic direction and partnerships for Live Nation's ticket business. Prior to Live Nation, Bettinelli was Sr. Director of Business Development at StubHub where he spearheaded the company's partnership with Major League Baseball. Before transitioning to StubHub, he led eBay.com's Event Tickets and Media businesses and was a catalyst in eBay's acquisition of StubHub in 2007.
Derek Palmer is the fueling force behind Tickets.com's operational and sales organizations. Over the course of his 15-year tenure with Tickets.com, Palmer has launched clients such as Times Union Center, formerly known as Pepsi Arena, 9:30 Club, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Additionally, he has major event experience working as ticketing manager for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA. Palmer holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from George Mason University.
"Ticket Summit 2009 provides a unique platform for leading professionals whose business involves ticket sales to come together and share the latest developments and advancements in the secondary market," said Don Vaccaro, CEO of TicketNetwork. "The evolving nature of the secondary ticket business and the high demand for a forum addressing current industry issues compelled us to launch a New York conference targeting theater, sports and entertainment professionals based on the east coast and Europe. We are pleased to host an elite gathering of key ticket industry decision makers at Ticket Summit 2009," said Vaccaro.
Ticket Summit 2009 is the premier conference in the secondary ticket industry. A must-attend event, it presents a tremendous opportunity for an enhanced education on the ticket industry, and provides numerous networking opportunities for professionals aiming to expand or meet partners for the expansion of their ticket operations.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: BOK Center
Tickets on sale for Tulsa Janet Jackson show
Tickets will go on sale at today at 10:00 a.m. for Janet Jackson’s upcoming show at Tulsa’s BOK Center.
The sale date is set to go on as planned despite news that Jackson was hospitalized Monday night in Montreal, said Casey Sparks, sales and marketing director for the BOK Center, in an e-mail.
Sparks said to their knowledge, Jackson’s illness will not affect her Oct. 26 concert at the BOK Center.
The Associated Press is reporting that the pop star was hospitalized Monday after she became ill shortly before a concert.
The AP cites a statement from W&W Public Relations stating that Jackson canceled Monday’s show after she “got suddenly ill during” her sound check. She was rushed to a hospital just before show time.
The statement says that Jackson hopes to reschedule the show but gives no other information on her sickness, according to the AP, which also noted that attempts to contact her representatives for more information were unsuccessful.
Jackson, 42, launched her “Rock Witchu Tour” Sept. 10 in Vancouver, B.C.
Her Oct. 26 show will be her first Oklahoma performance in 18 years, according to the BOK Center.
Saturday will be the third sale date the venue has set for the Tulsa show; the previous two were canceled before tickets went on sale.
According to a release from the BOK Center, the previous promoter for Jackson, Ja-Tail Enterprises LLC, was unable to come to an agreement with the artist management. SMG, the company that manages the BOK Center, and promoter Live Nation worked together to save the show and bring it to Tulsa, according to the release.
“Live Nation is the No. 1 concert provider in the world and is a true partner to the BOK Center. This date would not be happening if they (Live Nation) did not come to the table and save the show,” Jerry Goldman, the BOK Center’s assistant general manager, said in the release.
Ticket prices are $125, $75, $55 and $35 for reserved seats. A reserved four-pack of tickets will be $99, and special VIP packages are set at $250.
Tickets will be available starting Saturday by phone at (866) 726-5287; online at www.bokcenter.com, www.tickets.com and www.livenation.com; and in person at area Reasor’s and Homeland stores and the Arby’s Box Office.
Find Janet Jackson Tickets >
Tickets will go on sale at today at 10:00 a.m. for Janet Jackson’s upcoming show at Tulsa’s BOK Center.
The sale date is set to go on as planned despite news that Jackson was hospitalized Monday night in Montreal, said Casey Sparks, sales and marketing director for the BOK Center, in an e-mail.
Sparks said to their knowledge, Jackson’s illness will not affect her Oct. 26 concert at the BOK Center.
The Associated Press is reporting that the pop star was hospitalized Monday after she became ill shortly before a concert.
The AP cites a statement from W&W Public Relations stating that Jackson canceled Monday’s show after she “got suddenly ill during” her sound check. She was rushed to a hospital just before show time.
The statement says that Jackson hopes to reschedule the show but gives no other information on her sickness, according to the AP, which also noted that attempts to contact her representatives for more information were unsuccessful.
Jackson, 42, launched her “Rock Witchu Tour” Sept. 10 in Vancouver, B.C.
Her Oct. 26 show will be her first Oklahoma performance in 18 years, according to the BOK Center.
Saturday will be the third sale date the venue has set for the Tulsa show; the previous two were canceled before tickets went on sale.
According to a release from the BOK Center, the previous promoter for Jackson, Ja-Tail Enterprises LLC, was unable to come to an agreement with the artist management. SMG, the company that manages the BOK Center, and promoter Live Nation worked together to save the show and bring it to Tulsa, according to the release.
“Live Nation is the No. 1 concert provider in the world and is a true partner to the BOK Center. This date would not be happening if they (Live Nation) did not come to the table and save the show,” Jerry Goldman, the BOK Center’s assistant general manager, said in the release.
Ticket prices are $125, $75, $55 and $35 for reserved seats. A reserved four-pack of tickets will be $99, and special VIP packages are set at $250.
Tickets will be available starting Saturday by phone at (866) 726-5287; online at www.bokcenter.com, www.tickets.com and www.livenation.com; and in person at area Reasor’s and Homeland stores and the Arby’s Box Office.
Find Janet Jackson Tickets >
Friday, October 3, 2008
Volume heavy as tickets for 2010 Winter Olympics go on sale
VANCOUVER — Demand for tickets to the 2010 Winter Olympics appeared to be heavy in the first eight hours after tickets went on sale Friday, organizers said.
"We had about 30 times our normal volume when we turned it on first thing this morning," said Caley Denton, the Vancouver Olympic Committee's vice-president of ticketing and consumer marketing.
Demand for the estimated 1.6 million tickets publicly available tickets was steady from all across Canada, he said.
Sales are not on a first-come, first-serve basis. Instead, organizers have established a five-week process designed to give would-be spectators ample time to make choices.
The process was also designed to thwart scalpers trying to snap up tickets to the best events before anyone else had a chance to even whip out a credit card.
"We did a lot of load testing on the site," Denton said of the five years of planning that preceded the launch at midnight Pacific time.
"We knew we would get high volume but at the same time we did a lot of testing to make sure we could handle it, and it is going as planned."
The organizing committee will accept applications until Nov. 7. Tickets will be allocated after that.
If there is more demand for an event than there are seats, a lottery will be held and winners will be notified late next month or early in December.
Requests can be submitted either online or through a paper application. Purchasers must register an account at Vancouver2010.com.
"We had about 30 times our normal volume when we turned it on first thing this morning," said Caley Denton, the Vancouver Olympic Committee's vice-president of ticketing and consumer marketing.
Demand for the estimated 1.6 million tickets publicly available tickets was steady from all across Canada, he said.
Sales are not on a first-come, first-serve basis. Instead, organizers have established a five-week process designed to give would-be spectators ample time to make choices.
The process was also designed to thwart scalpers trying to snap up tickets to the best events before anyone else had a chance to even whip out a credit card.
"We did a lot of load testing on the site," Denton said of the five years of planning that preceded the launch at midnight Pacific time.
"We knew we would get high volume but at the same time we did a lot of testing to make sure we could handle it, and it is going as planned."
The organizing committee will accept applications until Nov. 7. Tickets will be allocated after that.
If there is more demand for an event than there are seats, a lottery will be held and winners will be notified late next month or early in December.
Requests can be submitted either online or through a paper application. Purchasers must register an account at Vancouver2010.com.
Tickets.com Launches Canadian B2B Website
Tickets.com has launched a Canadian business-to-business website to enable our Canadian clients, media, partners, and potential clients to find the information they need. The website is available in both French Canadian and English.
View the Tickets.com Canadian B2B website >
View the Tickets.com Canadian B2B website >
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Tickets@Phone Mobile Ticket Delivery Launches at the BOK Center Arena
Tickets@Phone™ Digital Ticket Delivery Technology from Tickets.com to be Offered for all Events at the New BOK Center Arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Costa Mesa, CA - September 30, 2008 - Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, announced that their digital delivery system Tickets@Phone™ is now a ticket transaction option for all events at the newly opened BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Earlier this year, Tickets.com signed an exclusive, multi-year ticketing services agreement with the venue, which is owned by the City of Tulsa and managed by SMG. The 19,199-seat arena officially opened on September 6th. In addition to premiere entertainment engagements, the state-of-the-art facility will host major sports events and is the new home of the Arena Football League 2 Tulsa Talons and the Central Hockey League Tulsa Oilers.
Tickets@Phone™ is an innovative feature launched by Tickets.com in 2006 that is increasingly in demand given the explosive growth in the mobile marketplace. Under the partnership between Tickets.com and the BOK Center, Tickets@Phone™ will deliver barcoded tickets directly to customers’ mobile phones when they purchase admission online through the arena’s Web site (www.bokcenter.com) or directly through Tickets.com (the technology is not available for transactions at the box office, kiosks or other physical locations). The day of the event, customers simply present their phones for quick and efficient scanned entry into the venue. Digital ticketing via Tickets@Phone enhances security, reduces operational costs and is a completely paperless, green technology.
“It’s a thrill to be working with the BOK team on the launch of their outstanding venue,” said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales, Tickets.com. “Having the opportunity to integrate leading edge technologies such as Tickets@Phone™ into the suite of services we provide meets our goal of helping them to have optimal control over their ticketing operations and to offer their patrons the best experience possible. This type of collaboration is also an ideal fit with our company’s overall mission of being at the technological forefront of the ticketing industry.”
In addition to Tickets@Phone™, the BOK Center will utilize additional Tickets.com technologies including Access Control and Tickets@Home® to further provide patrons with convenient online ticket printing, delivery, management, faster gate entry and other customer service benefits. Among the upcoming highlights from the venue’s opening season are concerts by Neil Diamond, Eagles, Metallica and Carrie Underwood, as well as sports events including the Oklahoma debut of the new NBA team Oklahoma City Thunder at their October 13 pre-season game against The Houston Rockets.
“Breakthrough technologies like Tickets@Phone™ are just one reason we chose Tickets.com as our ticketing services provider,” said John Bolton, general manager of the BOK Center. “Their commitment to technological innovation and customer service is totally compatible with ours. We’re confident that ticketing operations will run smoothly, thereby allowing us maximum time to concentrate on creating the ultimate consumer experience.”
Costa Mesa, CA - September 30, 2008 - Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, announced that their digital delivery system Tickets@Phone™ is now a ticket transaction option for all events at the newly opened BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Earlier this year, Tickets.com signed an exclusive, multi-year ticketing services agreement with the venue, which is owned by the City of Tulsa and managed by SMG. The 19,199-seat arena officially opened on September 6th. In addition to premiere entertainment engagements, the state-of-the-art facility will host major sports events and is the new home of the Arena Football League 2 Tulsa Talons and the Central Hockey League Tulsa Oilers. Tickets@Phone™ is an innovative feature launched by Tickets.com in 2006 that is increasingly in demand given the explosive growth in the mobile marketplace. Under the partnership between Tickets.com and the BOK Center, Tickets@Phone™ will deliver barcoded tickets directly to customers’ mobile phones when they purchase admission online through the arena’s Web site (www.bokcenter.com) or directly through Tickets.com (the technology is not available for transactions at the box office, kiosks or other physical locations). The day of the event, customers simply present their phones for quick and efficient scanned entry into the venue. Digital ticketing via Tickets@Phone enhances security, reduces operational costs and is a completely paperless, green technology.
“It’s a thrill to be working with the BOK team on the launch of their outstanding venue,” said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales, Tickets.com. “Having the opportunity to integrate leading edge technologies such as Tickets@Phone™ into the suite of services we provide meets our goal of helping them to have optimal control over their ticketing operations and to offer their patrons the best experience possible. This type of collaboration is also an ideal fit with our company’s overall mission of being at the technological forefront of the ticketing industry.”
In addition to Tickets@Phone™, the BOK Center will utilize additional Tickets.com technologies including Access Control and Tickets@Home® to further provide patrons with convenient online ticket printing, delivery, management, faster gate entry and other customer service benefits. Among the upcoming highlights from the venue’s opening season are concerts by Neil Diamond, Eagles, Metallica and Carrie Underwood, as well as sports events including the Oklahoma debut of the new NBA team Oklahoma City Thunder at their October 13 pre-season game against The Houston Rockets.
“Breakthrough technologies like Tickets@Phone™ are just one reason we chose Tickets.com as our ticketing services provider,” said John Bolton, general manager of the BOK Center. “Their commitment to technological innovation and customer service is totally compatible with ours. We’re confident that ticketing operations will run smoothly, thereby allowing us maximum time to concentrate on creating the ultimate consumer experience.”
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Tickets.com Proudly Sponsors 2008 Arena Managers Conference
Arena Managers Conference
Kansas City, MO
September 13-16, 2008
Tickets.com was proud to sponsor the 2008 annual Arena Managers Conference at the InterContinental Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Networking, professional development, valuable sessions and open forum discussions are all part of the opportunities available at the conference. Tickets.com chose to network on the golf course during the early morning Ed Burch Memorial Golf Tournament, also sponsored by Tickets.com. Our very own Marshall Pred, Regional Director, Midwest, participated as a panelist at the “What’s Going on with Ticketing Now” session. Scott Mullen, Executive Director, I Wireless Center and moderator for the session, asked the obvious question, “Is the future of ticketing on our PDA’s?” After a long three days of socializing and education we say thanks to those that made it out and see you next year!
Kansas City, MO
September 13-16, 2008
Tickets.com was proud to sponsor the 2008 annual Arena Managers Conference at the InterContinental Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Networking, professional development, valuable sessions and open forum discussions are all part of the opportunities available at the conference. Tickets.com chose to network on the golf course during the early morning Ed Burch Memorial Golf Tournament, also sponsored by Tickets.com. Our very own Marshall Pred, Regional Director, Midwest, participated as a panelist at the “What’s Going on with Ticketing Now” session. Scott Mullen, Executive Director, I Wireless Center and moderator for the session, asked the obvious question, “Is the future of ticketing on our PDA’s?” After a long three days of socializing and education we say thanks to those that made it out and see you next year!
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