Win tickets and a meet and greet with Umphrey's McGee!

by Laura Zarro, Royal Oak Music Theatre Examiner

The Royal Oak Music Theatre is giving you a chance to win tickets and a meet and greet with Umphrey’s McGee on March 12. Go to our myspace page and click on our blog to find out how you can win.

Umphrey's McGee’s brings the progressive instrumental chops of Zappa and the stylistic savvy of Steely Dan to every live show. Though the band's approach to their live performances have much in common with Phish and the Grateful Dead (ever-changing set lists, constant improvisation, two sets per night, open-taping policy), they are also influenced musically by progressive rock bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, and Genesis, as well as heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden. The band identifies The Police, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin as primary influences. Umphrey’s McGee has been known to shuttle between styles with precision, from straight-up pop and rock to jazz, progressive-metal, and classical. If you can name it, chances are Umphrey’s can play it. It is innovative without being indulgent, exhilarating without losing control. As David Fricke notes in his four-star review of their album "Live at the Murat" in Rolling Stone, Umphrey’s McGee “always have destination on their minds, even when they fly free.”

For more information on Umphrey’s McGee, visit their website.

Umphrey's McGee will arrive at The Royal Oak Music Theatre on March 12th, 2009. Tickets are on sale now! Tickets are $22 and can be purchased at the Royal Oak Music Theatre Box Office, all Tickets.com outlets, tickets.com, ROMTLIVE.com or charge by phone at 800.919.6272.

2009 Mavericks Surf Contest: Watch LIVE at AT&T Park

Don’t miss Mavericks - The World’s Most Dangerous Wave – as it meets Baseball’s Perfect Address - AT&T Park

The 2008/2009 Mavericks Surf Contest® is once again presented LIVE at AT&T Park on the HD big screen.

Called on just 24 hours notice, 24 of the world’s best big wave surfers will descend upon Half Moon Bay to challenge the wave, Mother Nature, and themselves.

For the second year in a row, the Mavericks Surf Contest® will be viewable at AT&T Park LIVE via satellite. Last year over 1000 people spent the day at AT&T Park watching the 7-8 hour satellite feed on plasma screens throughout the park, as well as on the HD big screen scoreboard. Tickets include in and out privileges (in case you have to go back to work), but more importantly, a percentage of ticket sales will go to help protect the natural environment in Half Moon Bay.

The Contest date is determined on 24 hours’ notice upon Mother Nature’s production of a Contest-worthy winter swell - sometime during the as yet TBD Waiting Period between December ’08 and March ‘09. Festivities at AT&T Park begin promptly at 8:00 am on Contest Day.

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Wolf Pack Pep Rally Scheduled for This Sunday in Sparks

From the University of Nevada:

Wolf Pack head basketball coaches Mark Fox and Jane Albright as well as Nevada's cheerleaders, dance team, mascot Alphie and pep band will be on hand for a Western Athletic Conference Tournament pep rally Sunday, March 1 at 11 a.m. in front of Best Buy at the Legends at Sparks Marina.

The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority and the University of Nevada will host the pep rally, which is being sponsored by Best Buy and Scheel's.

Entertainment will include Wolf Pack tattoos for kids, music from the Wolf Pack Pep Band, cheers from the Wolf Pack cheerleaders and the University of Nevada dance team and pep talks from Coach Fox and Coach Albright.

The pep rally also gives fans their first opportunity to purchase single-game tickets and secure the best remaining seats for the WAC Tournament. Fans in attendance at the pep rally can purchase tickets on Sunday at a ticket station at Scheel's that day or receive a priority code to purchase single-session tickets early at www.tickets.com.

Single-session tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 2 at the Lawlor Events Center ticket office or online at www.tickets.com.

The WAC Tournament is set for March 10-14 at Nevada's Lawlor Events Center. The winners of the men's and women's tournament earn the WAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

REO Speedwagon, Styx and 38 Special Team Up for Vh1 Tour

Antimusic.com

(Vh1) VH1 Classic and Rock Band are proud to bring the Can't Stop Rockin' 2009 Tour to America, featuring REO Speedwagon, Styx and 38 Special, three of the hardest working bands in rock n roll.

Can't Stop Rockin' kicks off on May 13th in Albuquerque, New Mexico and will feature hit-packed sets spanning the course of these three unparalleled rock legacies. The tour is geared to give the ultimate classic rock experience at a fan friendly ticket price. Confirmed tour dates are listed below, with additional concerts to be announced shortly.

To celebrate their upcoming trek together, Styx and REO Speedwagon teamed up to record a new single, "Can't Stop Rockin'," co-written by REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin and Styx's Tommy Shaw. "Can't Stop Rockin'" makes its radio debut in March and will be available for download.

"Both bands have always tried to keep our ticket prices low so that none of our fans get left out. It's our own personal Rock 'n' Roll Stimulus package," says Tommy Shaw. ""It's been nine years since the Arch Allies tour and it just seemed like the right time to team up with our friends in REO and hit the road again."

Kevin Cronin adds, "The world is going through a weird phase, and everybody needs music now more than ever. We all need to join our friends, pool our resources, combine our energies, because there is power in people coming together. That spirit has brought REO and Styx together to write, record and tour together, and celebrate it all with the greatest fans in America."

Tickets for the May 23rd Kelseyville concert go on sale Sunday, March 1 at 10 A.M. by calling 800-660-LAKE or via www.tickets.com.

Tickets.com is on Twitter!

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Dan Zanes Plays For Montclair Community Pre-K

BaristaNet

Montclair Community Pre-K is hoping for a huge turnout to support a big fundraiser. Dan Zanes and Friends are coming to Montclair to play "A Benefit for The Montclair Community Pre-K" on Sunday, March 1st at 3 p.m. at The Wellmont Theatre. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased for $25 each at tickets.com or 877-WELLMNT (935-5668.) For further information contact WellmontTheatre.com or BoweryPresents.com. For information regarding the MCPK or to make a donation, contact 973-509-4500.

Get tickets now >

Elton John, Billy Joel to play inaugural concert at Nationals Park

John, Joel to play Nationals Park
Pop legends will perform at ballpark's inaugural concert

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

VIERA, Fla. -- Elton John and Billy Joel, two of the most popular performers in pop history, are returning to Washington, D.C.

In what will be the first concert in Nationals Park history, the dynamic piano-playing duo will perform on July 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets will go on sale on Saturday at 10 a.m., exclusively through Tickets.com.

As the inaugural concert at Nationals Park, John and Joel will open the concert together with a series of duets, playing twin pianos and trading vocals. Each artist will then perform a set with his own band. The grand finale reunites the two at center stage with their supporting musicians for a closing encore.

The two superstars are excited about the joint performance.

"I love touring with Billy," John said. "I have the greatest respect for him, and we're such good friends."

Joel is looking forward to the competition.

"The great thing about performing with Elton is that he is such a good piano player and that makes me have to dig deep to keep up with him," Joel said. "Not to mention I've got the best seat in the house -- only one piano away from Elton John!"

John and Joel launched their first tour in Philadelphia at the former Veterans Stadium with three sold-out shows in July 1994. Their first venture to Washington came in 2002, when John and Joel performed during three sold-out engagements at the former MCI Center.

John and Joel returned to the District as a part of the 2004 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. After John received an award for "exemplary lifetime achievements in the performing arts," Joel took to the stage to perform a rendition of John's classic "Benny and the Jets." The ceremony was filmed and broadcast to television audiences nationwide.

"The Nationals are thrilled to host the 'Face to Face' tour with Elton John and Billy Joel for the first-ever concert at Nationals Park," said Nationals president Stan Kasten. "Elton and Billy are beloved throughout Washington, D.C., and have a rich history performing in our city. Undoubtedly, this will be an remarkable inaugural evening of music out under the stars, showcasing the ballpark's capabilities as a premier summer concert venue."

Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Get Tickets at Tickets.com >

Dynamic Thinking

Stanley changes ticket prices on the fly - and doesn't look back

Venues Today 2009 Box Office Stars
February 2009
By Linda Deckard

The San Francisco Giants will be the first team in Major League Baseball to try dynamic pricing on select tickets thanks to the leadership of Russ Stanley, managing vice president, Ticket Services/Client Relations, San Francisco Giants.

He was also the first to allow season ticketholders to navigate the secondary market on their own - 10 years ago. That's why Pat Gallagher, president of the Giants, said Stanley "represents the best of the new breed of people who understand this business."

Those were all top-of-mind concerns when Stanley agreed to have the Giants partner with Qcue to offer a limited number of tickets on the dynamic pricing platform for the 2009 season.

"It keeps us busy and it keeps the staff motivated because they're not bored," Stanley said of his latest innovation. "We have a great group of people here. I come back from meetings and say, 'okay, this is what we're going to do. We're going to change prices on 2,000 tickets on a daily basis.'"

Since then they've been figuring it out with their ticketing provider, Tickets.com. The first concern was to protect their best customers, the season ticketholders and the group buyers, so they know they will get the best price in their areas, Stanley said. So the chose four sections in the view level and three sections in the bleachers for the pilot program. Since the Giants had introduced variable pricing in 2001 in those sections, Stanley said the "normal" price would be anywhere from $8-$32. Variable pricing was based on day of week and opponent and was set in September with no adjustment as the season progressed.

This season, with dynamic pricing, the price will reflect all the true variables, from league standings to who's pitching to San Francisco weather that day.

Stanley recalled when he embraced the secondary market, then variable pricing, it was because "we saw what tickets were going for on the big games and the weekends. If that's what's happening, we ought to be following the market. And people said, 'What' are you guys crazy? You're going to charge more for the Dodgers on Saturday than the Padres on a Monday?' It increased our revenue over the course of the season by $1 million with no negative feedback."

His ah-ha moment with dynamic pricing came "when I look back at the night that Barry Bonds hit 756 [home runs] and it was probably the most demand we've ever had for a game. When he hit 755 and you knew 756 was coming, we were playing the Nationals on a Wednesday night. Not a great team, not a great night of the week. We were charging $10 for our view level ticket. That would have been a great opportunity to say, 'okay, those tickets are now $40,' which is what they should have been priced."

The Giants drew 2.85 million attendance in 2008, averaging 35,000 a game in the 42,000 capacity, 10-year-old AT&T Park. They sold out 20 games. Stanley would like to sell out 40-80 games...like the old days.

In truth, Stanley said it took him about nine months to understand what Barry Kahn of Qcue was asking the Giants to do. "He's a great partner, very smart. This guy's genious," Stanley said. Qcue, based in Texas, takes all of the information from the secondary market and the primary market, factors in sales history, game stats, opponent stats, current streaks and pitchers and star players and builds an algorithm that basically suggests the ticket was $10 yesterday, today it should be $11, or whatever. "We're able to make our pricing decision all the way up until the day of the game rather than the September before," Stanley said.

Stanley points out that the model is no different from what a broker does every morning when they come into work.

Nick Fanelli, Tickets.com, who is working with the Giants on dynamic pricing and another new initiativ, stored value, is constantly impressed by the job said Stanley and his crew are "pushing us and bringing us to new levels to where we can evolve technology."

Stanley and the Giants truly understand their audience, Fanelli said, and it is a marketplace that will support new technology.

"The buzz-word in ticketing has been secondary versus primary market: who controls it, is there opportunity for teams or venues to blend the two? We are going to allow the marketplace to price itself."

The other new venture, stored-value tickets, is being done elsewhere. Stanley said the Giants have introduced it in a limited fashion on 2,500-3,000 season tickets that were a tough renewal. They have kept the price at $18 and added $5 in stored value good at Centerplate concession stands. The Giants had to buy scanners for 350 Centerplate points of sale.

This is just a limited rollout, but Stanley already has his eye on the future. "We want to make sure we deliver this year, that it goes smoothly," he said, but Phase II will be adding stored value to group tickets. And eventually, now that Tickets.com is partnered with Givex, they can start offering promotional giveaways redeemable with a barcoded ticket, the same ticket that holds the stored value.

"We're sitting in meetings with them [Tickets.com] and the only thing stopping what they can deliver is our imaginations. We can say in a particular inning, if someone hits a homerun this inning, everyone in section 302 is going to get a hot dog, or everyone in this row gets $50 stored value for the dugout store. It's all bar code driven."

So far, their stored value offers are team generated, not bought, and have to be used that night. "I'd like the season ticketholder to be able, at the beginning of the year, to say, add $1,000 to this account and start moving money around ticket by ticket, but we still have to figure out what the laws are in California. I don't envision that until next year.

Bottom line, he wants it to be a benefit to the season ticketholder, "our best customers. We're not going to do something that is not right for them," Stanley said.

Some day, when dynamic pricing is more universal, that may not be the case. "I'm trying to figure that out," Stanley said.

"Some season ticketholders and other fans say it's about time you price your product based on supply and demand. You don't know six months out what the right price is. But is the world ready for a ticket to change prices on the primary market on a daily basis? I don't know. I'm hoping they are; I think they are."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tickets.com congratulates Russ Stanley!
"Box Office Super-Star Award Winner"

Wishing you continued success,
your friends at Tickets.com

Innovation, with Mustard and Relish

By Jim McCarthy
Live 2.0

Ok, ok, it’s a press release and not a true news story, but read this anyway. Here’s the key tidbit:

“Tickets.com and closed loop card technologies provider Givex conducted a successful pilot of their stored value technology, Uptix(TM), at the Giants 16th Annual FanFest at AT&T Park in San Francisco.”

Translating that out of Press Release-ian, it means that the San Francisco Giants tested a program whereby you can use the ticket you bought to get into an event to then get stuff once you go in.

For example, you might buy a $25 seat and have a hot dog and a beer as “stored value.” The sticker price for all that could be $35, for example, but you pay just $30.

Another example is that you might get your ticket through a certain promotion at the regular face value, but if you take it to the souvenir stand, you get a pennant or a t-shirt. All of that would be encoded on your ticket.

Actually, Russ Stanley of the Giants mentioned this briefly in his article in the Inaugural Edition, but it’s interesting to see this unfolding in real life.

(Do I even have to do the full disclosure thing that we (Goldstar) work with both the Giants and Tickets.com? Ok, we do. Generally assume we work with everyone, and you’ll have to put up with this disclosures less often.)

Again, in Press Release-ian, Tickets.com says this feature “provides myriad promotional and sponsorship opportunities including rewards tied to on-field events.”

Translating that into English, it means you could do a lot of different things with it.

Baseball has been pioneering this area, but it’s not by any means limited. Why couldn’t an opera “store” intermission drinks on the ticket? Or maybe Cirque Du Soleil could “store” a DVD of the performance on the ticket.

These ideas are good and possibly very useful, but mildly boring (plus the Giants beat us to it), and surely, we can do better than that. How about “storing” access to an after-party or an online downloadable?

Here’s a crazy idea: how about “storing” the possibility of being involved in the show? In other words, if your bar code is the one identified as the winner, at some point during the performance, the performers will actually involve you in the show. They’ll just be told in advance where the person will be who is to be included.

Ok, let’s try this. Any other uses for ’stored’ value? I’ll give a couple tickets on Goldstar to the one I like best. (Goldstar employees, you can give ideas too, but you can’t win the tickets. Sorry about that.) If I don’t get any suggestions, I will award the tickets to myself, which would be sad.

Submit Ideas >

Billy Joel, Sir Elton John Add Second Show at Wrigley Field

Windy City Media Group

Billy Joel and gay icon Sir Elton John, the most successful and longest- running concert pairing in pop history, will reunite for their Face 2 Face tour Tuesday, July 21, at Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs.

The singers open each concert on the tour with a series of duets, playing twin pianos and trading vocals. Each artist then performs a set with his own band. A grand finale brings the two superstars and their supporting musicians back together for a closing encore.

Tickets are $55-$175, excluding applicable fees and service charges, and went on sale Saturday, Feb. 14. Visit www.tickets.com or call 800-THE-CUBS. Tickets will not be sold at the Wrigley Field box office. There is a six-ticket limit per customer.

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Billy, Elton add 2nd Wrigley show
By: Meghan Streit

(Crain’s) — Billy Joel and Elton John added a second Wrigley Field show after selling out their first date.

Tickets for the July 21 sold out within minutes, prompting the Chicago Cubs and local elected officials to ask the two music legends to add a second show.

The duo will also play July 16 at Wrigley Field.

People who purchased tickets to the July 21 show may swap them for seats at the July 16 show, the Cubs said in a statement. Tickets may be exchanged for seats in comparable locations, but may not be upgraded. The deadline to swap tickets is Feb. 21.

Ticket sales for the July 16 show will begin at noon on Feb. 23. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-THE-CUBS or by visiting www.tickets.com. Prices range from $55 to $175.

The Wrigley Field concerts are part of Messrs. Joel and John’s “Face 2 Face” tour, which they started together in 1994.

Tickets.com Selects Accertify

Interceptas is Established as the Ticketing Industry's Fraud Prevention Platform of Choice

CHICAGO, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Accertify(R) www.accertify.com, a provider of leading-edge credit card fraud prevention solutions to online merchants, today announced that its Interceptas(R) platform has been chosen by Tickets.com, a leading provider of fully integrated event ticketing solutions and services for thousands of top arts, entertainment, and sports organizations worldwide.

"Tickets.com chose to work with Accertify because of its proven track record in fraud prevention," said Danielle Nagao, Director of Financial Operations at Tickets.com. "They are the experts in combating online fraud in the event ticketing industry, providing a comprehensive and flexible platform that is best-in-class."

Accertify has significantly reduced the total cost of fraud for the web's leading ticketing merchants. Its advanced, front-end screening features help merchants identify more suspicious orders and spend less time validating legitimate orders. Its unmatched features and functionality reduce manual reviews and make the review process faster and more efficient. Merchants become less dependent on internal IT resources and gain control over their fraud prevention efforts so they can quickly modify and implement new rules, strategies and tools.

"Our success in the ticketing industry reflects the depth and breadth of our solution," said Jeff Liesendahl, CEO of Accertify. "We're excited about working with Tickets.com. Both of our companies share a commitment to advanced technology and exceptional customer service."

Learn more about Tickets.com >

Tickets.com Product Highlight: ProVenue

ProVenue®

ProVenue, the newest and most advanced ticketing system from Tickets.com, puts you in control of your ticketing operation, from box office to phone sales to Internet transactions. With unsurpassed flexibility, open architecture, robust data management tools, and transaction speed, ProVenue delivers industry leading technology to ticketing.

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Tickets.com Red Carpet Event Photos

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Tickets.com’s Stored Value Ticket Program Makes a Big Splash at San Francisco Giants FanFest

COSTA MESA, CA – February 12, 2009 – Tickets.com and closed loop card technologies provider Givex conducted a successful pilot of their stored value technology, Uptix™, at the Giants 16th Annual FanFest at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Uptix enables cash value, select merchandise and other data to be stored on individual tickets, which event-goers can then redeem at any point of purchase location. The Giants are calling the program Splash Tix and will roll out the first phase of the implementation to select season ticket holders and groups.

John Rizzi, director of product strategy and marketing, Tickets.com, attended FanFest and was impressed by the positive response to the Splash Tix program. “From day one, the Giants will have the highest volume and most ambitious stored value program in baseball. Tickets.com is proud to partner with the Giants and Givex to make it happen.”

The successful test proved to the Giants that their Splash Tix program is ready for the first phase of the implementation. “We are very happy with the results from Fanfest; this is a great way for groups to add concessions and improve their game-day experience”, said Devin Lutes director of ticket services for the San Francisco Giants. The Giants are also using the program to help retain season ticket holders in their View Level Reserved section by adding $5 of cash value to each game. “We think Splash Tix is a great way to give our season ticket holders additional value for their continued loyalty”, concluded Lutes.

“I’m very pleased! This test confirmed our confidence in this innovative program, and now we’re ready for Opening Day”, said Dan DeMato, president of FutureTix, who also attended FanFest and is consulting on the Uptix product.

Other MLB teams are in discussions with Tickets.com to implement Uptix for the upcoming season. Those teams can take advantage of other Uptix functionality such as adding value to any ticket in the ball park during the game. This feature provides myriad promotional and sponsorship opportunities including rewards tied to on-field events. Uptix can also be configured to allow single-game ticket buyers to add value to their tickets during the purchase process.

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Tickets.com Client Spotlight: RiverCenter

Tickets go on sale for the March 14 Mega Music Fest at 10 a.m. Saturday

By SANDRA OKAMOTO
Ledger Enquirer

CD Entertainment brings the Mega Music Fest at 7 p.m. March 14 in the Bill Heard Theatre, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway.

The event includes Slim, Tank, Silk, Ken ford and Kevon Edmonds of After 7, with emcee Tight Mike.

Tickets are $29.50, $36.50 and $39.50, and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Tickets are available in the RiverCenter Box Office or by going to www.tickets.com, www.rivercenter.org or www.cdentertainment.net or call 706-256-3612.

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Wrigley Field

Elton John, Billy Joel to play Wrigley
Concert to be held July 21; tickets go on sale Saturday

By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- Imagine the Rocket Man, Piano Man and Sweet Lou together at Wrigley Field. On July 21, Elton John and Billy Joel will make a stop on their Face 2 Face tour at the Cubs' home park.

It will be the third summer concert to be staged at Wrigley Field since Jimmy Buffett performed in 2006. Sting followed with a concert in 2007.

John and Joel will open each concert with a series of duets, playing twin pianos and trading vocals. Each will then perform a set with his own band. The grand finale will have both on stage together for the encore.

The concert will include some of their greatest hits as well as an unpredictable selection of rock and roll classics.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday, Feb. 14, at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are $175, $95 and $55 plus fees and service charges, and will be available at tickets.com or calling 1-800-THE-CUBS. Tickets will not be sold at the Wrigley Field box office. There is a six-ticket limit per customer.

"Wrigley Field is to baseball what Billy Joel and Elton John are to music -- institutions that transcend time and bring inspiration to their fans around the globe," said Cubs chairman Crane Kenney. "In addition to its status as a baseball cathedral, Wrigley Field has shown its grandeur as a football gridiron, an outdoor hockey palace and a majestic concert hall that next July will host two of the all-time musical greats. The Cubs are honored to have Billy Joel and Elton John grace Wrigley Field's stage next summer."

Joel and John played the first date of their Face 2 Face tour on July 8, 1994, at the 62,000-capacity Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. That began a run of 21 sold-out performances in 13 cities. The duo last toured together in 2003.

Chicago manager Lou Piniella and the team will miss hearing John sing "Rocket Man" or Joel belt out "The Piano Man" because they will be in Philadelphia, part of the Cubs' six-game, post-All-Star break road trip that begins in Washington on July 16.

Get tickets online at Tickets.com >

Tickets.com Launches Germany B2B Site

Tickets.com launches new business-to-business website for Germany to enable clients, media, partners, and potential clients in Germany to find the information they need about Tickets.com ticketing solutions.

Tickets.com is a growing global company with thousands of entertainment, sports, and arts clients worldwide. The new Germany B2B website features a user-friendly interface that allows users to view the site content in German and provides convenient access to information about Tickets.com products and services.

Visit the Tickets.com Germany B2B site >

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Roanoke Civic Center

Keith Urban to play Roanoke concert May 29th

Roanoke City news release
Published: February 6, 2009

As if a night together with Grammy Award winner Keith Urban, one of the industry’s most explosive and critically hailed live acts isn’t enough, now comes word that Urban’s “Escape Together World Tour” together with KC Masterpiece® and Kingsford® will feature Dierks Bentley as its opening act for its Roanoke Civic Center tour stop. Ticket prices for the concert event start at $20 and are set to go on-sale for the show at Roanoke Civic Center on Friday, February 13 at 10am. They can be purchased at the Roanoke Civic Center ticket office, charge by phone at 888-397-3100 or http://www.tickets.com.

“Dierks will be a great addition to the show and I know that we are going to give our fans in Roanoke a night to remember,” said Urban. “A night where they’ll be able to leave their cares at the door and just let loose for a few hours.”

2009 is already shaping up to be a busy one for Urban. Not only will May mark the launch of a North American concert tour that will visit fifty-eight cities, March 31st will see the release of a new album, Defying Gravity. The CD’s first single “Sweet Thing,” has already become his 18th Top 5 Country single.

February 3rd marks the release of Dierks Bentley’s 4th studio album Feel That Fire. Bentley invested nearly two years of writing and recording into this album and the title track “Feel That Fire” is the fastest rising single of his career. In 2008, Bentley found himself at home playing multiple shows outside the United States. Whether headlining sold-out shows in England, Ireland, Norway and France, playing Country Gold Festival in Japan or making a second trip to Norway within a year to perform on the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, he has won over crowds across the globe.

Due to the anticipated demand for tickets for this concert, the civic center will utilize a lottery system for the initial on sale.

Wristbands will be drawn from 8:30 AM until 9:30 am on Friday Feb. 13. At 9:30 am, patrons are asked to be back at the Civic Center to line up according to number. If a wristband is not received in advance, those ticket buyers will line up on a first come first serve basis after those with wristbands. A wristband does not guarantee tickets. Tickets will be on sale at 10 AM.

To order tickets online, please visit tickets.com or roanokeciviccenter.com. To charge tickets by phone please call tickets.com at 888-397-3100, a toll free number for your convenience. The Roanoke Civic Center Ticket Office, charge by phone and Internet accept MC, Visa, Discover and Amex. All tickets purchased by phone, at the outlets and via the Internet are subject to convenience charges.

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Ticketing Industry News: Room for More?

Room For More?

AudienceView makes a case to end exclusive deals

Venues Today
By Dave Brooks

Is neutrality an option in 2009?

Live Nation is close to launching its new ticketing platform, a much-anticipated move that has it severing ties with Ticketmaster. Using a system powered by German-based CTS Eventim, the new platform is being rolled out this month and has already gained headlines following a major deal with venue operator SMG.

The Live Nation ticketing formula seems simple. The world’s largest concert promoter can now tie its ticketing system to its concert series, giving it leverage over buildings in highly competitive markets which rely on Live Nation content. Want a concert for your building? Then agree to use the ticketing platform, at least for individual Live Nation concerts seems to be the theory.

It’s a proposition that is both simple and terrifying to primary ticketing giant Ticketmaster, which has staked its decades old business model on signing long-term exclusive contracts with venues. Well aware that Ticketmaster is entrenching itself to fight against per-event Live Nation ticketing contracts, one Canadian company is touting its long-established policy to not require contract exclusivity. Kevin Kimsa, CEO of Toronto-based AudienceView, said his venues are free to use whatever ticketing system they like when they sign an AudienceView contract.

“It’s become attractive because Live Nation and Ticketmaster are no longer working in partnership,” said Kimsa, whose six-year-old company represents 120 venues and 80 clients including the Toronto Blue Jays and Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky.

“Venues are asking themselves, ‘If I go with Ticketmaster, am I limiting myself with regards to what Live Nation content exists for me in my future?’” Kimsa said. “We’re just taking advantage of the fact that we don’t hurt anybody in the middle. We’re a neutral play for organizations.”

Is this the death of the exclusive ticketing contract? Not likely. Ticketmaster’s Mike McGee said non-exclusive contracts are akin to “telling your girlfriend that you want to take someone else on a date,” during a panel at the Sport, Entertainment and Venues Tomorrow Conference in Columbia, S.C. Fred Maglione of the New Era Tickets told an audience at the Arena Managers Conference in Kansas City that “ticketing companies need to stand up against these type of contracts because they threaten the millions of dollars we invest to enable a venue.”

Not to be outdone, Ticketmaster has its own ace in the hole — Irving Azoff. The artist management megastar recently sold a $123-million stake in his Front Line Management firm to Ticketmaster prompting a name change to Ticketmaster Entertainment and the installation of Azoff as CEO. Now both Ticketmaster and Live Nation have tickets, software and performers. Is AudienceView’s strategy going to be essential for smaller ticketing firms hoping compete?

“You wonder if building managers are going to come together and say, “We have a promoter who wants to do our tickets. They have all the functionality that you currently have and there’s nothing you can do they can’t do, so we’re going to have them handle the tickets for this current event,” said Jack Lucas of Spokane, Wash.-based TicketsWest, powered by Ticketmaster. “Or, are the building managers going to come to me and say, “You know Jack, we don’t want to lose the show; you’re going have to work with these guys.”

So while Kimsa’s business model allows for non-exclusivity for new ticketing contracts, many are wondering how building managers are going to make exceptions for Live Nation concerts using existing Ticketmaster contracts.

“It really depends on what position you’re into to negotiate,” said John Fuhrmann of the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. Top buildings in must-play markets will be less susceptible to pressure from Live Nation or Ticketmaster, “but if you’re in the situation to fight hard for a concert — which the majority of buildings are — then there’s a good chance you’ll be calling your ticketing company and trying to find a way to make the two work together.”

And when venues’ ticketing contracts do come up for renewal, will they be rushing to sign non-exclusive deals with companies like AudienceView?

“I think many are going to resist going in that direction because they all know that, in the case of TicketsWest, we bring some stability and fiduciary responsibility,” said Lucas. “That’s especially important to municipally-owned facilities.”

Lucas said cancelled shows are a major concern for publicly-owned facilities. If a 10,000-ticket concert gets cancelled, it’s the fiduciary duty of the contracted ticketing company to have the available capital on hand to issue refunds.

“When you have non-exclusive deals, typically a lot of that fiduciary responsibility flies out the door and there’s real potential to get people in a lot of trouble,” Lucas said.

And without an exclusive ticketing agreement, facilities should not expect a lot of upfront cash or investment, said Derek Palmer, chief commercial officer at Tickets.com

“It’s very contrary to what traditional ticketing relationships are right now. Ticketing companies pay a lot of money for that exclusivity, whether it’s signing bonuses, hardware or investing in suites and tickets,” Palmer said. “An organization would have to be interested in walking away from a lot of upfront capital from a ticketing company to be able to do that.”

But Kimsa questions how much infrastructure investment is really required to get a ticketing system running.

“To be honest with you, the cost of infrastructure isn’t that much,” Kimsa said. “Ticketmaster may lead you to believe that’s the case because it is opportunistic. An exclusive five-or-seven year term deal was necessary back in the 80s or early 90s when it did require a lot of hardware, a lot of infrastructure, and a lot of call center technology but, in today’s world, the need for infrastructure isn’t really that great.”

It’s an assertion that is not agreed upon by a majority of Kimsa’s ticketing contemporaries, many of whom contend that the high cost of infrastructure, upfront capital and implementation make ticketing a very low-margin business. At the end of the day, Palmer said few ticketing companies will allow their ticketing contracts to be ignored but there is always one incentive that will get any businessperson’s attention — cold hard cash.

“If an organization came to us wanting to use another ticketing system and we could work out a deal where we could still make a fair margin, then they could have the freedom to sell tickets to whomever they want,” Palmer said. “Ultimately it is about the money.”

Kimsa said his firm wouldn’t require a quid pro quo — in fact part of his formula is tied to a trend nearly all other ticketing companies have tackled: Venue-branded ticketing services. As Tickets.com, New Era and other ticketing companies allow their venue clients to sell tickets on private label platforms, venues will be hesitant to exercise their non-exclusive options for Live Nation shows as they invest more and more marketing capital into their own ticketing platforms.

“And if they choose not to use their AudienceView-based system, they’ll also forgo control over their marketing, service fees and data collection,” Kimsa said. “So even if we offer our clients the option to use the Live Nation platform, many will want to keep as many events as possible on their own ticketing brand.”

Interviewed for this article: Kevin Kimsa, (416) 356-4121; Jack Lucas, (509) 459-6100; Derek Palmer, (714) 327-5400

Check out the ProVenueMobile Microsite!

ProVenueMobile is a fast, secure and cutting-edge solution that mobilizes your existing website to enable your tickets to be purchased using mobile devices.

Key benefits include:

• Increase ticket sales


• Gain a competitive advantage


• Give customers the ultimate convenience

Mobilizing your website – including event listings, venue information, and purchase process – offers your customers the ultimate convenience: the ability to buy your tickets anytime, anywhere!

Learn more about ProVenueMobile >

Venues Today Q&A with Steve DeMots

Venues Today Q&A
STEVE DEMOTS, TICKETS.COM
Dave Brooks

Tickets.com is continuing to expand the capabilities of its new ProVenue software suite and has signed a deal with gift card maker Givex to create Uptix, a stored value system for event tickets. The San Francisco Giants will premier the system this season.

Has the dream of combining concessions and tickets into a single purchasing experience finally come to the Big Leagues? Venues Today caught up with Tickets.com’s Sr. V.P. of Business Development Steve DeMots to learn more.

Venues Today: We’ve heard about this concept for a few years now. What is Tickets.com doing with stored value?
Steve DeMots: Our overall strategy right now is to focus on the core ticketing technology. All our additional functionality is being developed through strategic partnerships, so instead of building stored value ourselves, we partnered with one of the largest gift card companies in the world — Givex out of Toronto. We created a product with them called Uptix; our stored value offering.

VT: How does it work?
SD: In a nutshell, it means having a separate database that keeps track of value tied into the barcode on the ticket. What the Phillies have done with their own stored value system is take one of their $60 seats and make it into a $90 seat with $30 worth of stored value. Through the barcode, you can go to any POS station and redeem the remaining value on the ticket. The other way it is used is to add stored value on an existing ticket. A corporate season ticket holder can use the system to load concessions money onto the barcode of the ticket. This allows the corporate ticket holder to give his client four tickets and $40 each (or whatever amount they choose) to spend on concessions.

VT: How does the season ticket-holder manage his stored value account?
SD: The system has a customer portal for online management of stored value accounts. Imagine that a season ticket holder has a $1,000 of stored value that floats over their season package. This system allows them to assign different dollar amounts to different tickets.

VT: What kind of promotional opportunities can the teams build into the stored value system?
SD: Tons. Let’s use a hypothetical example. Imagine you’re an Angels fan and Coke sponsors a promotion that if Vladimir Guerrero hits a homerun in the 7th inning, everyone in section 330 gets $15 worth of Coke products, valid for that day. If he did hit a homerun, you could do a mass upload onto everyone’s ticket in that particular section, and that value could only be used to purchase Coke products. The promotional opportunities are endless.

VT: What happens with any left over money on the ticket?
SD: It can be used anywhere else in the park. It’s almost the same as a gift card, but instead of a magnetic strip you’re using the barcode on the ticket.

VT: Can you get a refund of your remaining balance?
SD: It’s all business rules of the individual client. Some clients have a “use-it-or-lose-it” mentality.

VT: Aren’t there federal laws mandating that vendors can’t take left over gift card balances?
SD: Yes there are. But, many teams are calling stored value a “coupon” because it's no longer a $60 seat with a $30 gift certificate. It’s now a $90 seat with a $30 coupon. If, however, someone buys additional value on their ticket through a customer portal, then the teams are subject to federal gift card laws.

VT: Which teams are implementing stored value?
SD: The Phillies are using Paciolan software and they’ve developed their own system. The Giants will be using Uptix this season with ProVenue. The competitor is a company called STADIS, which has launched stored value with the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

VT: What is your projected growth for Uptix?
SD: Within the next few years, a majority of the sports and entertainment organizations that have a lot of season tickets will have some type of stored value product. It intrigues everyone. The key is getting your arms around it on a venue-by-venue basis and deciding what you want to accomplish.

Learn more about Tickets.com ticketing technologies >

MLB’s Tickets.com to launch ProVenueMobile

Mobile Marketer
By Dan Butcher
January 30, 2009

MLB's Tickets.com on a BlackBerry

MLB’s Tickets.com, a global provider of integrated ticketing services, is introducing ProVenueMobile, a client product offering that will let patrons buy tickets from their mobilized Web site.

The offering will launch during the International Ticketing Association’s 30th-annual INTIX Conference & Exhibition in Salt Lake City, UT, taking place Feb. 3-6. The ProVenueMobile platform works in synergy with Tickets@Phone, a feature launched by Tickets.com in 2006 that delivers bar-coded tickets directly to mobile phones.

“The strategy behind Tickets.com’s launch of ProVenueMobile is to provide our clients a complete range of technology products, allowing them to sell from all channels, including mobile, with no restrictions,” said Larry Witherspoon, CEO of Tickets.com, Costa Mesa, CA.

“Being the first to market with not only mobile delivery, but the ability to provide our clients private label mobile sites is a continuation of our strategy to provide the best, most technologically advanced ticketing platform,” he said.

For the technology powering ProVenueMobile, Tickets.com partnered with Usablenet, which specializes in providing companies with the means to translate all existing Web site functionality to a full-featured mobile interface.

Mobile bar code ticketing

“Buying a ticket on a mobile device was previously a negative user experience, forcing consumers to click-to-call,” Mr. Witherspoon said. “Tickets.com partnered with Usablenet, a leader in bringing ecommerce technology to mobile devices, to fully mobilize the ticket purchasing experience."

Usablenet's other clients include US Airways, NWA, American Airlines, Pfizer, Amtrak, Marriott, 1-800-Flowers, Nissan, Travelocity, CTIA, McGraw-Hill, Campbell's Soup, conEdison, Virgin, Hilton, The Waldorf-Astoria, Four Seasons, New York's Metropolitan Transport Authority and Hertz.

MLB's Tickets.com on an iPhone

Tickets.com claims that ProVenueMobile’s combination of technologies allows for an entirely mobile, green and secure ticket transaction.

ProVenueMobile is compatible with all makes and models of Internet-enabled mobile devices.

Tickets.com can activate individual mobile Web sites that let ticket buyers search listings and make real-time purchases from a mobile phone without the need to click-to-call to complete the transaction.

Following a purchase, customers can then digitally receive unique bar-coded tickets using the proprietary Tickets@Phone technology from Tickets.com, enabling a full-circle mobile ticket-buying experience.

Tickets.com claims that clients mobilizing their Web sites through the ProVenueMobile suite of services will reap the benefits of the booming mobile sales channel, including expanded reach and increased revenue through the proliferation of mobile devices worldwide.

ProVenueMobile extends a client's existing ecommerce site into a mobile experience.

“Our new platform allows us to rapidly offer new, advanced ticketing solutions to the market and our clients,” Mr. Witherspoon said. “We have the ability to develop in-house solutions or to partner with best-of-breed companies.

“Tickets.com partners with other companies to bring additional value to our clients and consumers,” he said. “To mention a few: Thumbplay, Givex, Turnkey, Mondial Assistance (SM) and StubHub.”

On the consumer side, buyers can access a venue, organization or team's branded mobilized site and online ticket inventory using their handset, getting rid of the need to navigate box office lines.

Tickets.com is a provider of integrated event ticketing solutions for thousands of arts, entertainment and sports organizations worldwide.

Tickets.com has been a privately held subsidiary of MLB Advanced Media LP since 2005.

The company also sells tickets directly to consumers at http://www.tickets.com.

“Mobile ticketing is still relatively new to North America, so by launching the ProVenueMobile product, we continue to be innovators in the ticketing industry,” Mr. Witherspoon said.

“Consumer adoption is continuing to grow as advances in technology such as Tickets@Phone and ProVenueMobile become available and consumers become more comfortable conducting transactions on their mobile phones,” he said. “The market potential is huge as consumers demand the convenience and flexibility to buy tickets anytime, anywhere.

“Venues that offer these technologies will be able to expand their customer base and satisfy demand.”

Learn more about ProVenueMobile >

Join Tickets.com and Super Diamond at a Red Carpet Event - TONIGHT!

Tickets.com Presents...
Super Diamond

Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Join us at 9pm following the Opening Tradeshow Reception as we kick off INTIX 2009!

Special V.I.P. early access for all Tickets.com clients at 8:30pm

Transportation will be provided from the Hilton and Marriott Downtown.

Come to Tickets.com booth #505 at INTIX for your complimentary ticket!

See you tonight at The Depot!

Tickets.com at INTIX 2009

Tickets.com is at the 30th Annual International Ticketing Association Conference & Exhibition this week in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The INTIX annual conference is designed for anyone involved in ticketing in the arts, theatre, professional sports, college athletics, arenas, distribution, and entertainment management. Over 1,000 conference attendees represent the broadest range of those working in single ticket sales, subscription and group sales, marketing, ticketing operations and technology, finance and revenue management, development and patron services.

This four-day event includes a comprehensive program of issue-driven workshops, professional presentations by industry leaders, and the INTIX Exhibition -- the industry's source for ticketing products and services.

Tickets.com will debut the latest advanced ticketing solution, ProVenueMobile, at INTIX today. Learn more about Tickets.com ticketing solutions >

Tickets.com, StubHub and Ballena Technologies score a Triple Play for the San Francisco Giants

COSTA MESA, CA – February 2, 2009 – Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, StubHub, the world’s largest ticket marketplace and Ballena Technologies, the premier producer of high-resolution 3-D maps of sports and entertainment venues, announce the formation of a strategic partnership to deliver enhanced seat map functionality. For the first time, venues will be able to combine real-time ticket inventory from both the primary and secondary ticket markets into one seat map view. As part of the online ticket purchase, patrons will easily be able to determine if seats are available in their desired section. Additional functionality will allow fans to buy tickets directly from the panoramic Ballena map view.

The San Francisco Giants will be the first to implement Tickets.com’s Ballena-enabled ProVenue ticketing system. “The Giants organization prides itself on being a leader in the adoption of technology to improve the fan experience. The combination of primary and secondary ticket inventory on a Ballena map continues that tradition,” said Russ Stanley, managing vice president of ticket services and client relations for the Giants. “Fans love to see what the view will be from different sections in the ballpark; when they find seats they like, we want them to be able to buy.”

Tickets.com chose to partner with Ballena because of their market-leading position in the sports and entertainment industries. Brett Michalak, chief information officer, Tickets.com, said, “The Ballena integration is another example of our strategy to leverage best-in-class partners to help us release innovative products into the ticketing marketplace.”

For StubHub, this partnership acts as yet another avenue to give fans as many choices as possible. “Giving Giants fans the ability to view both primary and secondary ticket availability from the same map will enhance the fan experience and provide an additional customer acquisition channel for us”, says Jeff Spaulding, director of business development, StubHub. The Ballena integration is one of several collaborative efforts between StubHub and Tickets.com. The two companies have joined forces through the MLB secondary ticketing platform integration and, in September, extended the integration to the HSBC Arena in Buffalo and the Buffalo Sabres NHL franchise.

Richard Sherratt, Ballena’s chief executive officer, added, “We are excited to be part of such a major announcement in the ticketing industry and to showcase our integration with Tickets.com and StubHub.”

Tickets.com, StubHub and Ballena Technologies will demonstrate a proof of concept of their seat map functionality at INTIX’s upcoming 30th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 3-6, 2009.

Learn more about Tickets.com's innovative ticketing technologies >

Turnkey Intelligence Strikes a Deal with Tickets.com

Surveyor Research Platform and Prospector Ticket Sales Automation Platform To Seamlessly Integrate with Tickets.com’s ProVenue®

Haddonfield, NJ February 2, 2009 – Turnkey Intelligence, LLC and Tickets.com have finalized a long-term agreement to exchange data for the benefit of their roster of shared clients. This new deal, effective immediately, enables sports and entertainment companies to be better informed faster about the attitudes, opinions and preferences of their ticket buyers.

“Tickets.com has a great, open systems environment,” says Haynes Hendrickson, Senior Vice President of Turnkey Intelligence. “Tickets.com accounts will get Turnkey’s nightly data feed with consumers’ survey responses, creating a more holistic view of each customer,” said Hendrickson. “Survey data is critical on the micro level in renewing each customer and equally vital on the macro level in seeing ticket buying patterns and emerging trends,” said Hendrickson.

The deal also includes a nightly ticket transaction data feed the opposite way - from Tickets.com to Turnkey. Turnkey’s Prospector system uses ticket transaction history along with 140 other factors in a sophisticated algorithm to score and rank leads for season tickets, premium seats, suite sales and other inventory. “The problem in the digital age isn’t finding leads, everybody’s drowning in them - it’s identifying the good ones.” said Hendrickson. “Nobody can afford enough staff to call every lead. Selling is expensive. Prospector separates and prioritizes the best leads from the waste-of-time leads,” said Hendrickson.

“Our partnership with Turnkey is another example of how we will continue to deploy proven technologies into the ticketing industry,” said John Rizzi, director of product strategy. “We’re pleased that our data feed functionality enables clients to leverage details about their fans through Prospector.”

Turnkey has also just completed two (2) separate, additional data enhancement agreements, one with Acxiom Corporation for consumer data and a separate agreement with InfoUSA, for business data. Turnkey has built a seamless, nightly data exchange module with each company to further feed and inform the Prospector algorithm described above.

Turnkey Intelligence is the sports and entertainment industry’s leader in consumer research. Turnkey's clients span major brands like Chrysler, Clorox, Honda, MasterCard, Greyhound and properties like the NBA, NFL, NHL, IRL and more than two-thirds of all major league teams in North America. Clients utilize Turnkey’s software and services to make better-informed business moves involving sponsorship and ticket sales. Turnkey Intelligence is a subsidiary of Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, the holding company that also owns and operates Turnkey Search, the industry's leading executive search firm. For more information visit www.TurnkeySE.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.

Tickets.com In the News: Pick Best Site to Buy Tickets Online

By GREG HAYMES, Staff writer
TimesUnion.com
First published in print: Thursday, January 29, 2009

ALBANY — What's the difference between Ticketmaster, TicketsNow and Tickets.com? Only one of them sells tickets at face value for events at Times Union Center.

Christine Krauss of Greenville went online Saturday morning to buy a pair of tickets for the April 17 rock concert by the Dead at Times Union Center as a birthday present for her daughter. Not a regular ticket buyer, she assumed that tickets would be sold by Ticketmaster and, sure enough, the Ticketmaster Web site listed the show.

She clicked on it and was redirected to another site, TicketsNow.com, where tickets were $134 each. She bought them, and with the add-on charges — service and handling fees, as well as shipping charges — the cost was $325.

What she didn't realize until a couple of days later is that online tickets for events at Times Union Center are sold on Tickets.com, not Ticketmaster. And the actual sale prices for the Dead tickets are $56 and $96.

Her confusion was fueled, in part, by the market for secondary ticket sales that blossomed after New York state rolled back restrictions on ticket resales in June 2007. The practice is commonly referred to as "ticket scalping," which Krauss assumed was still illegal.

TicketsNow — a Ticketmaster company — is a secondary ticket seller, which means there are no limits on the asking price of tickets. And that's perfectly legal.

A small sentence posted on the TicketsNow site just above the list of prices states: "Note: Tickets may be sold for more than the price listed on the ticket."

And before Ticketmaster redirects buyers to the TicketsNow site, another note briefly pops up that says, "For this event, we are not selling tickets directly to the public on behalf of the event provider. We are redirecting you to our resale partner site, TicketsNow, where you can purchase tickets from resellers safely and conveniently."

On Monday, Krauss logged onto Tickets.com and bought another pair of tickets. She paid $113 less and got better seats. "I don't understand how Ticketmaster can list an event that they don't sell tickets for," she said. "I feel like I got scammed."

Now she's trying to get a refund for the $325 she forked over to TicketsNow. But, she says, a service representative for TicketsNow told her to resell her tickets on the TicketsNow Web site. Her husband then called, but they're still waiting for a resolution to the refund issue.

Meanwhile, the world of rock rolls on. And to avoid confusion in the future — especially with tickets for the May 14 concert by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Times Union Center going on sale Monday — remember that tickets for all Times Union Center events are sold online at http://tickets.com/.