Dallas Stars’ top line stays sharp
Star-Telegram.com
Steve Ott, Mike Ribeiro and Jere Lehtinen have been feeling pretty good together lately, and they were key in the Stars’ victory over Florida before the All-Star break.
They were at it again after the break.
Ott had a goal and an assist, and Lehtinen tallied the game-winner in the Stars’ 2-0 win over the Atlanta Thrashers at American Airlines Center on Tuesday. Marty Turco stopped 24 shots for his second shutout this season.
The Stars continue to stay strong at home, where they haven’t lost in regulation since Dec. 29 (3-1 against San Jose).
The Stars’ top-line wings scored early in the first and second periods, and generated plenty of opportunities against the Thrashers.
Both teams were well-rested, thanks to the All-Star break, but the Stars were definitely the sharper of the two. The Thrashers’ exception was Kari Lehtonen, whose goaltending work kept this game from being a lot worse.
Find Dallas Stars tickets >
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tickets.com Mobile - Buy Tickets from Your Mobile Phone
Now Available:
Buy tickets directly from your mobile phone!
At http://mobile.tickets.com, you can search for and purchase tickets to your favorite events...all on your mobile device! Be the first of your friends to take advantage of this advanced technology (and then brag about it on Facebook!)
Mobile Ticket Purchase
The Tickets.com mobile site is compatible with all makes and models of Internet-enabled mobile phone devices... from your old school Treo to the new iPhone... from AT&T to T-Mobile...we've got you covered. This green, paperless technology will help you save time by enabling you to conveniently buy your tickets on your mobile device anywhere, anytime. Now, when tickets go on sale, you can be out and about with your phone and still get great seats - while your pals are waiting in line at the box office or planted in front of their desktop computers all morning...
Mobile Ticket Delivery
The Tickets.com mobile website meshes perfectly with our Tickets@Phone mobile ticket delivery option. You can both purchase and digitally receive tickets entirely on your mobile device from any Tickets.com venue enabled with Tickets@Phone functionality. The day of the event, simply present the ticket on your mobile phone for quick and efficient scanned entry into the venue.
It doesn't get any better than this, folks - seamless ticket purchase and delivery, all on your mobile device. Get in on the action today, and experience how easy it is to get great seats on the go!
Buy tickets directly from your mobile phone!
At http://mobile.tickets.com, you can search for and purchase tickets to your favorite events...all on your mobile device! Be the first of your friends to take advantage of this advanced technology (and then brag about it on Facebook!)
Mobile Ticket Purchase
The Tickets.com mobile site is compatible with all makes and models of Internet-enabled mobile phone devices... from your old school Treo to the new iPhone... from AT&T to T-Mobile...we've got you covered. This green, paperless technology will help you save time by enabling you to conveniently buy your tickets on your mobile device anywhere, anytime. Now, when tickets go on sale, you can be out and about with your phone and still get great seats - while your pals are waiting in line at the box office or planted in front of their desktop computers all morning...
Mobile Ticket Delivery
The Tickets.com mobile website meshes perfectly with our Tickets@Phone mobile ticket delivery option. You can both purchase and digitally receive tickets entirely on your mobile device from any Tickets.com venue enabled with Tickets@Phone functionality. The day of the event, simply present the ticket on your mobile phone for quick and efficient scanned entry into the venue.
It doesn't get any better than this, folks - seamless ticket purchase and delivery, all on your mobile device. Get in on the action today, and experience how easy it is to get great seats on the go!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tickets.com Brings Super Diamond to INTIX in Salt Lake City
Tuesday, February 3rd at 9:00 pm
The Depot, Salt Lake City
If you have not already RSVP'd for this event, do so TODAY!
Complimentary tickets will also be available at Tickets.com's booth (#505) at INTIX.
Transportation will be provided.
Shuttles will run from the Hilton and Marriott Downtown hotels beginning at 8:30 p.m.
RSVP Now!
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers sweeten ticket deals to attract more fans
By ANTHONY ANDRO
Star-Telegram/Stewart F. House
ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers are going to offer fans more reasons to come to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Individual ticket prices this year will remain the same in all sections except for the lower infield seats (up from $60 to $65).
But a number of incentives are planned to boost attendance. Postgame fireworks will be featured 13 times, up from five last year. All-you-can-eat seats will be available every home game and include seats in the upper home run porch. Two more concerts are on the calendar. A family pack will offer savings of up to 50 percent.
The Rangers have added four premier games, up to 16 from 12. That was necessitated by the Rangers having an additional home series with Boston and a July 4 game.
Individual game tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. on March 7.
Senior vice president Jim Sundberg said that season ticket sales are down slightly because of the economy. Last season’s attendance was the lowest ever at the ballpark.
Beefed-up Brandon
Rangers right-hander Brandon McCarthy showed up at the Rangers’ pitching camp looking big and healthy.
The 6-foot-7 McCarthy weighs 220 pounds, up from 195. That’s due in large part to his 7,000-calorie a day diet. More important, McCarthy is healthy after being limited to five starts with the Rangers last year because of forearm and finger injuries.
"It’s sort of starting over again," McCarthy said. "It’s been two years since I’ve done anything of note. It’s time to sort of prove myself again. I look at as a make-or-break year in terms of where I want to be personally."
Wilson signs
The Rangers avoided arbitration with reliever C.J. Wilson by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal. The left-hander signed for $1.85 million and additional performance incentives.
Wilson was 2-2 last year with 24 saves and a 6.02 ERA. His season ended in August when he had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.
Washington on Obama
Rangers manager Ron Washington didn’t have a chance to watch Tuesday’s presidential inauguration because of a pitching camp, but he still felt a sense of pride.
"I never thought this day would come," Washington said. "Just like anything else in life, there are changes. This is one change I think will help a lot of young kids in life understand they can be anything they want to be."
Saltalamacchia ready
Jarrod Saltalamacchia lost the starting catching job in spring training last year to Gerald Laird, who was traded to the Detroit Tigers in December. Saltalamacchia heads to camp this year competing with Taylor Teagarden for time.
"I’m ready to take the job and that’s what I’ve got to do," he said. "I’m here to play ball. Last year my mind-set was a little different. Going into spring training, I don’t want to say I was lackadaisical, but I had different things going through my head. I learned a lot last year and I’m going to go in there and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played."
By ANTHONY ANDRO
Star-Telegram/Stewart F. House
ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers are going to offer fans more reasons to come to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Individual ticket prices this year will remain the same in all sections except for the lower infield seats (up from $60 to $65).
But a number of incentives are planned to boost attendance. Postgame fireworks will be featured 13 times, up from five last year. All-you-can-eat seats will be available every home game and include seats in the upper home run porch. Two more concerts are on the calendar. A family pack will offer savings of up to 50 percent.
The Rangers have added four premier games, up to 16 from 12. That was necessitated by the Rangers having an additional home series with Boston and a July 4 game.
Individual game tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. on March 7.
Senior vice president Jim Sundberg said that season ticket sales are down slightly because of the economy. Last season’s attendance was the lowest ever at the ballpark.
Beefed-up Brandon
Rangers right-hander Brandon McCarthy showed up at the Rangers’ pitching camp looking big and healthy.
The 6-foot-7 McCarthy weighs 220 pounds, up from 195. That’s due in large part to his 7,000-calorie a day diet. More important, McCarthy is healthy after being limited to five starts with the Rangers last year because of forearm and finger injuries.
"It’s sort of starting over again," McCarthy said. "It’s been two years since I’ve done anything of note. It’s time to sort of prove myself again. I look at as a make-or-break year in terms of where I want to be personally."
Wilson signs
The Rangers avoided arbitration with reliever C.J. Wilson by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal. The left-hander signed for $1.85 million and additional performance incentives.
Wilson was 2-2 last year with 24 saves and a 6.02 ERA. His season ended in August when he had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.
Washington on Obama
Rangers manager Ron Washington didn’t have a chance to watch Tuesday’s presidential inauguration because of a pitching camp, but he still felt a sense of pride.
"I never thought this day would come," Washington said. "Just like anything else in life, there are changes. This is one change I think will help a lot of young kids in life understand they can be anything they want to be."
Saltalamacchia ready
Jarrod Saltalamacchia lost the starting catching job in spring training last year to Gerald Laird, who was traded to the Detroit Tigers in December. Saltalamacchia heads to camp this year competing with Taylor Teagarden for time.
"I’m ready to take the job and that’s what I’ve got to do," he said. "I’m here to play ball. Last year my mind-set was a little different. Going into spring training, I don’t want to say I was lackadaisical, but I had different things going through my head. I learned a lot last year and I’m going to go in there and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played."
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tickets.com to Launch ProVenueMobile™ At INTIX 2009
New Product Offering for Clients, Enabling Full-Circle Client-Branded Ticket Transactions from a Mobile Phone
Costa Mesa, CA—January 20, 2009: Tickets.com, a leading global provider of integrated ticketing solutions, announces plans to introduce ProVenueMobile™, a client product offering that will allow patrons to purchase tickets from their mobilized website. The offering will launch during the 30th Annual INTIX (International Ticketing Association) Conference & Exhibition in Salt Lake City, UT, taking place February 3-6, 2009.
ProVenueMobile—which is compatible with all makes and models of Internet-enabled mobile devices—sets a new standard in the ticketing industry to activate individual mobile websites that allow ticket buyers to 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 seamless, full-circle mobile ticket-buying experience.
Tickets.com clients mobilizing their websites 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
e-commerce site into a mobile experience, and is completely seamless to site visitors. On the consumer side, buyers have the ultimate flexibility of purchasing tickets anytime, from anywhere. They can conveniently access a venue, organization or team’s branded mobilized site and online ticket inventory 24/7, never again having to miss an on-sale date or navigate box office lines.
“The mobile web market is undergoing explosive growth and coming into the mainstream rapidly,” said Larry Witherspoon, chief executive officer, Tickets.com. “Offering website mobilization to our clients is an essential factor in continuing to be at the forefront of technological innovation in the ticketing industry. We are proud to have the first mobile ticketing site that allows our clients the opportunity for brand differentiation and growth.”
For the technology powering ProVenueMobile, Tickets.com partnered with Usablenet, a recognized leader in providing companies with the means to translate all existing website functionality to a full-featured mobile interface. The ProVenueMobile platform works in perfect synergy with Tickets@Phone®, a feature launched by Tickets.com in 2006 that delivers bar-coded tickets directly to mobile phones. This combination of breakthrough technologies allows for an entirely mobile, green and secure ticket transaction.
For more information on ProVenueMobile, visit http://www.ProVenueMobile.com.
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Costa Mesa, CA—January 20, 2009: Tickets.com, a leading global provider of integrated ticketing solutions, announces plans to introduce ProVenueMobile™, a client product offering that will allow patrons to purchase tickets from their mobilized website. The offering will launch during the 30th Annual INTIX (International Ticketing Association) Conference & Exhibition in Salt Lake City, UT, taking place February 3-6, 2009.
ProVenueMobile—which is compatible with all makes and models of Internet-enabled mobile devices—sets a new standard in the ticketing industry to activate individual mobile websites that allow ticket buyers to 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 seamless, full-circle mobile ticket-buying experience.
Tickets.com clients mobilizing their websites 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
e-commerce site into a mobile experience, and is completely seamless to site visitors. On the consumer side, buyers have the ultimate flexibility of purchasing tickets anytime, from anywhere. They can conveniently access a venue, organization or team’s branded mobilized site and online ticket inventory 24/7, never again having to miss an on-sale date or navigate box office lines.
“The mobile web market is undergoing explosive growth and coming into the mainstream rapidly,” said Larry Witherspoon, chief executive officer, Tickets.com. “Offering website mobilization to our clients is an essential factor in continuing to be at the forefront of technological innovation in the ticketing industry. We are proud to have the first mobile ticketing site that allows our clients the opportunity for brand differentiation and growth.”
For the technology powering ProVenueMobile, Tickets.com partnered with Usablenet, a recognized leader in providing companies with the means to translate all existing website functionality to a full-featured mobile interface. The ProVenueMobile platform works in perfect synergy with Tickets@Phone®, a feature launched by Tickets.com in 2006 that delivers bar-coded tickets directly to mobile phones. This combination of breakthrough technologies allows for an entirely mobile, green and secure ticket transaction.
For more information on ProVenueMobile, visit http://www.ProVenueMobile.com.
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Monday, January 26, 2009
Tickets.com On The Road: Event and Arena Marketing Conference
2009 Event and Arena Marketing Conference in Colorado Springs June 10-13Crowne Plaza Colorado Springs
2886 South Circle Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Keynote Speaker: Darryl Seibel, Chief Communication Officer for the US Olympic Committee
EAMC was founded to educate, provide networking opportunities and facilitate a process of information sharing. The Arena Marketing Conference held its first meeting over 25 years ago in 1980 at the Met Center in Minneapolis. Three conferences in St. Louis followed that initial conference in Minneapolis. In 1985, the conference began its own tour and moved to Houston. Each year since, a different arena has served as its host. Unlike other professional organizations, this conference has been planned entirely by volunteers. Each year, Tickets.com provides exciting prizes for the "swag swap" and the silent auction.
The conference will take place June 10 – 13, 2009 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Hosting this year’s conference is the Colorado Springs World Arena, the premier sports and entertainment venue in the Pikes Peak region. Locally owned and managed, the non-profit CSWA and the attached ice hall regularly host sporting events, concerts, family shows, banquets, trade shows, graduations, religious rallies and civic events. With 8,000 seats, the CSWA is large enough to host world-class events in an intimate setting. The Arena will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Visit the Event and Arena Marketing Conference website >
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Royals, Indians will join MLB clubs selling stored-value tickets
Sports Business Journal
By DON MURET
Staff writer
The Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians will introduce stored-value tickets at their ballparks this season, bringing to eight the number of clubs that will have the technology in place on Opening Day.
Loaded tickets are a ballpark admission with credit to buy food, drink and merchandise loaded into the bar code and folded into the price of a ticket.
The Royals are benching their all-you-can-eat program in favor of loaded tickets in several parts of renovated Kauffman Stadium, including 190 seats in the Diamond Club boxes behind home plate.
Those $70 seats, available only as full-season tickets, include a $20 concessions credit, and were 75 percent sold as of last week, said Mark Tilson, the Royals’ vice president of marketing and ticket sales.
The Indians will roll out their program at Progressive Field to a small number of season-ticket holders, said spokesman Curtis Danburg. The team will expand the program to include groups and single-game tickets later in the season.In addition, the New York Mets plan to offer a combination of stored-value tickets and loyalty cards later in the season after making sure all systems work smoothly at Citi Field, their new billion-dollar ballpark, said Dave Howard, executive vice president of business operations.
The St. Louis Cardinals hope to sell loaded tickets at Busch Stadium, but nothing was firm as of last week, said Joe Strohm, vice president of ticket sales. The Arizona Diamondbacks will make a decision in February whether to offer stored-value tickets in 2009, spokesman Shaun Rachau said.
IMS, the software vendor supplying equipment to six MLB teams, has data dating to 2004, when the Philadelphia Phillies opened Citizens Bank Park and became the first club to use the concept. The information shows that fans holding loaded tickets spend 40 percent to 60 percent more on concessions than those without stored-value tickets, said Jeff Harvey, IMS’ vice president of sales.
The firm’s data also show that “breakage,” the industry term used to describe unused value on loaded tickets, can generate significant returns, averaging 36 percent, Harvey said. The Phillies’ breakage numbers are much smaller, according to John Weber, the team’s vice president of sales and ticket operations. The Phillies sold 90,000 “Power Tickets” containing a $10 credit, and breakage averaged 10 percent to 15 percent, Weber said.
In that case, breakage produced $90,000 to $135,000 in revenue, not including the park’s 350 Diamond Club seats with $30 in value. Still, it’s an element that weighed heavily in the Royals’ decision to use loaded tickets.“It’s a compelling part of the technology,” Tilson said. “The fact that it could pay for itself and ultimately lead to a legitimate revenue stream helped us make the decision to invest in the technology.”
In this recession, some teams don’t have the six-figure sum to pay for installing the software and hardware and back-of-house support. That’s the case at Minute Maid Park in Houston, said Bill Goren, the Astros’ director of ticket sales. “We would have to spend a lot of money [and] it’s not in the budget for this year,” Goren said.
The Royals spent $150,000 for their IMS system. In conjunction with Aramark, their new concessionaire, officials thought it made perfect sense to start promoting loaded tickets now that Kauffman Stadium’s two-year, $250 million renovation nears completion and they can make a fresh start with a redesigned seating bowl.
Stored-value tickets are also available in Kansas City for group sales, family four-pack promotions on Fridays and Sundays and single-game sales, available in increments as low as $5. There is no set limit on the number of tickets that can have value added, Tilson said.
The Royals sold a little more than 17,000 all-you-can-eat tickets in 2008, generating $455,000 in gross revenue. The common complaint among fans buying those tickets was a limited menu; loaded tickets now provide the opportunity for them to buy whatever they want, Tilson said.
“We are waiting to see the reaction of not having all-you-can-seat seats,” he said.
By DON MURET
Staff writer
The Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians will introduce stored-value tickets at their ballparks this season, bringing to eight the number of clubs that will have the technology in place on Opening Day.
Loaded tickets are a ballpark admission with credit to buy food, drink and merchandise loaded into the bar code and folded into the price of a ticket.
The Royals are benching their all-you-can-eat program in favor of loaded tickets in several parts of renovated Kauffman Stadium, including 190 seats in the Diamond Club boxes behind home plate.
Those $70 seats, available only as full-season tickets, include a $20 concessions credit, and were 75 percent sold as of last week, said Mark Tilson, the Royals’ vice president of marketing and ticket sales.
The Indians will roll out their program at Progressive Field to a small number of season-ticket holders, said spokesman Curtis Danburg. The team will expand the program to include groups and single-game tickets later in the season.In addition, the New York Mets plan to offer a combination of stored-value tickets and loyalty cards later in the season after making sure all systems work smoothly at Citi Field, their new billion-dollar ballpark, said Dave Howard, executive vice president of business operations.
The St. Louis Cardinals hope to sell loaded tickets at Busch Stadium, but nothing was firm as of last week, said Joe Strohm, vice president of ticket sales. The Arizona Diamondbacks will make a decision in February whether to offer stored-value tickets in 2009, spokesman Shaun Rachau said.
IMS, the software vendor supplying equipment to six MLB teams, has data dating to 2004, when the Philadelphia Phillies opened Citizens Bank Park and became the first club to use the concept. The information shows that fans holding loaded tickets spend 40 percent to 60 percent more on concessions than those without stored-value tickets, said Jeff Harvey, IMS’ vice president of sales.
The firm’s data also show that “breakage,” the industry term used to describe unused value on loaded tickets, can generate significant returns, averaging 36 percent, Harvey said. The Phillies’ breakage numbers are much smaller, according to John Weber, the team’s vice president of sales and ticket operations. The Phillies sold 90,000 “Power Tickets” containing a $10 credit, and breakage averaged 10 percent to 15 percent, Weber said.
In that case, breakage produced $90,000 to $135,000 in revenue, not including the park’s 350 Diamond Club seats with $30 in value. Still, it’s an element that weighed heavily in the Royals’ decision to use loaded tickets.“It’s a compelling part of the technology,” Tilson said. “The fact that it could pay for itself and ultimately lead to a legitimate revenue stream helped us make the decision to invest in the technology.”
In this recession, some teams don’t have the six-figure sum to pay for installing the software and hardware and back-of-house support. That’s the case at Minute Maid Park in Houston, said Bill Goren, the Astros’ director of ticket sales. “We would have to spend a lot of money [and] it’s not in the budget for this year,” Goren said.
The Royals spent $150,000 for their IMS system. In conjunction with Aramark, their new concessionaire, officials thought it made perfect sense to start promoting loaded tickets now that Kauffman Stadium’s two-year, $250 million renovation nears completion and they can make a fresh start with a redesigned seating bowl.
Stored-value tickets are also available in Kansas City for group sales, family four-pack promotions on Fridays and Sundays and single-game sales, available in increments as low as $5. There is no set limit on the number of tickets that can have value added, Tilson said.
The Royals sold a little more than 17,000 all-you-can-eat tickets in 2008, generating $455,000 in gross revenue. The common complaint among fans buying those tickets was a limited menu; loaded tickets now provide the opportunity for them to buy whatever they want, Tilson said.
“We are waiting to see the reaction of not having all-you-can-seat seats,” he said.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Pittsburgh Pirates
Spring Training tickets on sale Saturday, January 24 at 10:00 a.m. ET
The Pirates will open their 2009 Grapefruit League season against the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies at McKechnie Field on Wednesday, February 25, at 1:05 p.m. The 2009 Spring Training schedule consists of 19 home games, plus the annual Manatee Community College exhibition charity game. The Bucs will also host the Netherlands on Tuesday, March 3, as part of the World Baseball Classic.
View the Pirates Spring Training Schedule >
Purchase your 2009 Pirates Spring Training tickets >
The Pirates will open their 2009 Grapefruit League season against the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies at McKechnie Field on Wednesday, February 25, at 1:05 p.m. The 2009 Spring Training schedule consists of 19 home games, plus the annual Manatee Community College exhibition charity game. The Bucs will also host the Netherlands on Tuesday, March 3, as part of the World Baseball Classic.
View the Pirates Spring Training Schedule >
Purchase your 2009 Pirates Spring Training tickets >
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Venues Today Technology Update - January 2009
Witherspoon talks about mobile ticketing today
Venues Today
By Dave Brooks
Tickets.com CEO Larry Witherspoon is quick to point out that his company isn’t just a ticketing company — it’s a technology company operating in the ticketing space. Exclusivity issues can be settled through revenue sharing, but superior technology can’t be negotiated.
2008 saw Tickets.com launch its ProVenue ticketing software suite and the first mobile website to enable customers to purchase and receive tickets entirely through their phones. Venues Today caught up with Witherspoon to discuss how technology was changing the ticketing business.
Venues Today: How does the new mobile website technology work?
Larry Witherspoon: A year-and-a-half ago we launched Tickets@Phone for various teams. Now we’ve decided to mobilize the website and not just mobilize it for one device, but mobilize it for all devices that are web-enabled. You can go online and buy a ticket from your phone, have it delivered to your phone, will call or print at home. We’re attempting to bring the technology full circle.
VT: Do consumers need a login to purchase tickets?
LW: No, anybody can instantly buy tickets. It’s enabled with a virtual waiting room for high demand on sales.
VT: Will you tie in this system to a mobile-marketing strategy?
LW: Long term that’s obviously the plan. Our next big focus is to expand the private labeling of our client sites.
VT: Are you seeing evidence that users are moving toward a mobile purchasing experience?
LW: Not so much here, but I do travel the world and if you go into Japan or look at some of the stuff that’s occurring in Europe, you’ll see that the U.S. is a little behind on the adoption rate. If you look at the U.K., there’s some great stuff the O2 Arena has done with mobile marketing that hasn’t been done before.
VT: How many facilities are currently enabled on a mobile platform?
LW: We currently have four arenas enabled — Royal Oak Music Theatre (Royal Oak, Mich.), K-Rock Centre (Kingston, Ontario), The BOK Center (Tulsa, Okla.) and the Times Union Center (Albany, N.Y.). We’ve also got five or six baseball clubs turned on.
VT: Will mobile compete with paperless tickets?
LW: I would argue that mobile is a paperless ticket. It’s not going to be long before a venue only offers tickets that are bought online and delivered by phone. We’ll offer the full suite where you can get a text message, go to a mobile website, buy a ticket on your phone, have it delivered and show up at the venue. It’s not a new world, but it’s something that no one in this market has really hit hard yet.
Interviewed for this story: Larry Witherspoon, (714) 327-5400
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Venues Today
By Dave Brooks
Tickets.com CEO Larry Witherspoon is quick to point out that his company isn’t just a ticketing company — it’s a technology company operating in the ticketing space. Exclusivity issues can be settled through revenue sharing, but superior technology can’t be negotiated.
2008 saw Tickets.com launch its ProVenue ticketing software suite and the first mobile website to enable customers to purchase and receive tickets entirely through their phones. Venues Today caught up with Witherspoon to discuss how technology was changing the ticketing business.
Venues Today: How does the new mobile website technology work?
Larry Witherspoon: A year-and-a-half ago we launched Tickets@Phone for various teams. Now we’ve decided to mobilize the website and not just mobilize it for one device, but mobilize it for all devices that are web-enabled. You can go online and buy a ticket from your phone, have it delivered to your phone, will call or print at home. We’re attempting to bring the technology full circle.
VT: Do consumers need a login to purchase tickets?
LW: No, anybody can instantly buy tickets. It’s enabled with a virtual waiting room for high demand on sales.
VT: Will you tie in this system to a mobile-marketing strategy?
LW: Long term that’s obviously the plan. Our next big focus is to expand the private labeling of our client sites.
VT: Are you seeing evidence that users are moving toward a mobile purchasing experience?
LW: Not so much here, but I do travel the world and if you go into Japan or look at some of the stuff that’s occurring in Europe, you’ll see that the U.S. is a little behind on the adoption rate. If you look at the U.K., there’s some great stuff the O2 Arena has done with mobile marketing that hasn’t been done before.
VT: How many facilities are currently enabled on a mobile platform?
LW: We currently have four arenas enabled — Royal Oak Music Theatre (Royal Oak, Mich.), K-Rock Centre (Kingston, Ontario), The BOK Center (Tulsa, Okla.) and the Times Union Center (Albany, N.Y.). We’ve also got five or six baseball clubs turned on.
VT: Will mobile compete with paperless tickets?
LW: I would argue that mobile is a paperless ticket. It’s not going to be long before a venue only offers tickets that are bought online and delivered by phone. We’ll offer the full suite where you can get a text message, go to a mobile website, buy a ticket on your phone, have it delivered and show up at the venue. It’s not a new world, but it’s something that no one in this market has really hit hard yet.
Interviewed for this story: Larry Witherspoon, (714) 327-5400
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Now Showing...the Latest in Ticketing Technology
At Tickets.com we believe technology is the key to your success. We offer the latest in ticketing solutions to meet your organization's needs.
ProVenue® - The next generation ticketing system
ProVenueInsight™ - Provides seamless, unprecedented reporting power
ProVenueMobile™ - Enables ticket purchases and delivery on your mobile website
Campaign Creator™ - A comprehensive e-Communication platform
Uptix™ - Drives incremental revenue by utilizing stored value tickets
Visit INTIX booth #404 and ENTER TO WIN a "Tour of the Stars" getaway to Hollywood, CA.
For more information visit provenue.tickets.com or call toll-free 1.888.397.3400.
ProVenue® - The next generation ticketing system
ProVenueInsight™ - Provides seamless, unprecedented reporting power
ProVenueMobile™ - Enables ticket purchases and delivery on your mobile website
Campaign Creator™ - A comprehensive e-Communication platform
Uptix™ - Drives incremental revenue by utilizing stored value tickets
Visit INTIX booth #404 and ENTER TO WIN a "Tour of the Stars" getaway to Hollywood, CA.
For more information visit provenue.tickets.com or call toll-free 1.888.397.3400.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Venues Today - Talking Points: Tickets.com Employee Profile
Chaeli Walker
Marketing Manager, Communications
TICKETS.COM
HOMETOWN: Huntington Beach, Calif.
FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: Associate Marketing Manager at Tickets.com
FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB: I love all the different people I get to meet and no two days are ever the same.
HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB: Deadlines. It seems there's always a deadline.
FAVORITE VENUE: The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles
FIRST EVENT EVER ATTENDED: Depeche Mode during the Black Celebration Tour at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, Calif.
FAVORITE FOOD AT CONCESSION STAND: I always go for the frosty beer, but I'm not sure if that is food.
WHO WOULD PLAY AT YOUR DREAM CONCERT: Led Zeppelin and Frank Sinatra. The two would make a very unrealistic ticket.
BEST ADVICE: Accept whatever situation you're in and do your best to deal with it.
THINGS PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU: When I'm on the basketball court, I can shoot a mean three-pointer.
Marketing Manager, Communications
TICKETS.COM
HOMETOWN: Huntington Beach, Calif.
FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: Associate Marketing Manager at Tickets.com
FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB: I love all the different people I get to meet and no two days are ever the same.
HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB: Deadlines. It seems there's always a deadline.
FAVORITE VENUE: The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles
FIRST EVENT EVER ATTENDED: Depeche Mode during the Black Celebration Tour at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, Calif.
FAVORITE FOOD AT CONCESSION STAND: I always go for the frosty beer, but I'm not sure if that is food.
WHO WOULD PLAY AT YOUR DREAM CONCERT: Led Zeppelin and Frank Sinatra. The two would make a very unrealistic ticket.
BEST ADVICE: Accept whatever situation you're in and do your best to deal with it.
THINGS PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU: When I'm on the basketball court, I can shoot a mean three-pointer.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Tickets.com Launches China B2B Website
Tickets.com launches new business-to-business website for China to enable clients, media, partners, and potential clients in China 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 China B2B website features a user-friendly interface that allows users to view the site content in Chinese and provides convenient access to information about Tickets.com products and services.
Visit the Tickets.com China B2B site >
Tickets.com is a growing global company with thousands of entertainment, sports, and arts clients worldwide. The new China B2B website features a user-friendly interface that allows users to view the site content in Chinese and provides convenient access to information about Tickets.com products and services.
Visit the Tickets.com China B2B site >
Friday, January 16, 2009
Tickets.com Blog Now Available on Mobile Devices
The Tickets.com Blog is now available on mobile devices. To view the blog on your mobile phone, simply go to http://ticketsdotcom.mofuse.mobi/.
Preview the Tickets.com Blog on the iPhone.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Check out Tickets.com at INTIX 2009
Salt Lake City, UT
February 3-6, 2009
Check out our Red Carpet Event!
See you in Salt Lake City!
For more information on Tickets.com® and ProVenue® visit http://provenue.tickets.com
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
SF Giants to test info-storing ticket program
DM News - Lauren Bell
Tickets.com and closed loop card technologies company Givex have launched Uptix — a program that stores additional value and information on event tickets. The San Francisco Giants will be testing the program at their 16th annual FanFest in February.
With Uptix, cash value, select merchandise and other data can be stored on individual tickets, which eventgoers can then redeem at points of purchase. Uptix also can be used for points-based loyalty programs that track what consumers buy with their tickets and for promotions during events. Consumers will be able to manage Uptix accounts through an online portal.
“Uptix helps us enhance our overall fan experience,” said Russ Stanley, managing vice president of ticket services and client relations for the San Francisco Giants, in a statement. “Its built-in flexibility allows us to exercise tremendous creativity in conducting a wide variety of special offers and in-game promotions for our fans, even down to the section and seat levels.”
Steve DeMots, Tickets.com's SVP of business development, credited the Philadelphia Phillies as the inspiration behind Uptix. The Phillies developed and launched a similar program for the opening of Citizens Bank Ballpark in 2004.
“[That program] was popular enough and caused enough interest that we wanted to get ahead of the curve — offering it to all "new">Tickets.com clients,” DeMots said, adding that “growing demand to find additional revenue streams for the sports and entertainment industry,” also pushed the company to develop Uptix.
The large season ticket holder numbers for MLB, NHL and NBA make all of these leagues potential clients for Uptix, DeMots said.
“It gives us a key differentiator in the ticketing industry, as what we will be able to offer by going with a partner like GiveX is much more than the other vendors who might try to build this functionality themselves,” DeMots concluded.
Tickets.com will be selling Uptix technology as a license.
Tickets.com and closed loop card technologies company Givex have launched Uptix — a program that stores additional value and information on event tickets. The San Francisco Giants will be testing the program at their 16th annual FanFest in February.
With Uptix, cash value, select merchandise and other data can be stored on individual tickets, which eventgoers can then redeem at points of purchase. Uptix also can be used for points-based loyalty programs that track what consumers buy with their tickets and for promotions during events. Consumers will be able to manage Uptix accounts through an online portal.
“Uptix helps us enhance our overall fan experience,” said Russ Stanley, managing vice president of ticket services and client relations for the San Francisco Giants, in a statement. “Its built-in flexibility allows us to exercise tremendous creativity in conducting a wide variety of special offers and in-game promotions for our fans, even down to the section and seat levels.”
Steve DeMots, Tickets.com's SVP of business development, credited the Philadelphia Phillies as the inspiration behind Uptix. The Phillies developed and launched a similar program for the opening of Citizens Bank Ballpark in 2004.
“[That program] was popular enough and caused enough interest that we wanted to get ahead of the curve — offering it to all "new">Tickets.com clients,” DeMots said, adding that “growing demand to find additional revenue streams for the sports and entertainment industry,” also pushed the company to develop Uptix.
The large season ticket holder numbers for MLB, NHL and NBA make all of these leagues potential clients for Uptix, DeMots said.
“It gives us a key differentiator in the ticketing industry, as what we will be able to offer by going with a partner like GiveX is much more than the other vendors who might try to build this functionality themselves,” DeMots concluded.
Tickets.com will be selling Uptix technology as a license.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tickets.com to Provide Advanced Ticketing Solutions for Acclaimed Seattle Theatre Group
COSTA MESA, CA – January 12, 2009 – Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has signed the prestigious Seattle Theatre Group as a new client. Seattle Theatre Group is a non-profit performing arts organization that operates two historic venues, the Paramount Theatre and Moore Theatre. Under the freshly inked long term agreement, the Seattle-based group will utilize ProVenue®, the newest and most advanced ticketing system from Tickets.com, for its ticketing operations at both locations.
“Seattle Theatre Group is a respected organization that maintains its commitment to preserving both of its theatres with extraordinary programming as well as outstanding community and educational outreach,” said Larry Witherspoon, chief executive officer, Tickets.com. “We’re honored to have the opportunity to provide them with leading-edge ticketing solutions, so that patrons of these legendary venues can have the best possible experience, from point of purchase through curtain call.”
Built with funds from pioneering Hollywood film studio Paramount Pictures and opened as the Seattle Theatre in 1928, the 2,807-seat Paramount adopted its new name in 1930, operating as a golden-era movie palace and home to theatrical stage shows. The 1,419-seat Moore Theatre opened its doors in 1907 as a premier vaudeville showplace, and is the oldest operating theatre in Seattle. Today, both venues, which continue to rank in Pollstar’s Top 100 Worldwide Theatre Venues, present a mix of concerts, live entertainment, Broadway touring engagements, theater productions, speakers’ series, and more. With the new ticketing services contract, Tickets.com continues to expand its high profile performing arts client list.
In addition to the advanced ProVenue® ticketing solution that maximizes transaction speed, efficiency and flexibility, the Seattle Theatre Group will employ innovative Tickets.com technologies such as the latest in mobile ticket delivery functionality, Tickets@Phone™. Other software products and features include: Access Control, Tickets@Home®, and local area kiosks to provide patrons with on-demand ticket printing, delivery, and management. Tickets are also available at STGpresents.org or by calling 1-877-STG-4TIX.
“Given Tickets.com’s reputation for innovation in the marketplace, we are confident that we’ll be able to continuously offer the best and most advanced ticketing solutions available,” said Seattle Theatre Group executive director Josh LaBelle. “We were especially impressed with the company’s ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive client services and breakthrough technologies. We believe this will contribute to our ability to give patrons an exceptional event-going experience to remember.”
Learn more about Tickets.com >
“Seattle Theatre Group is a respected organization that maintains its commitment to preserving both of its theatres with extraordinary programming as well as outstanding community and educational outreach,” said Larry Witherspoon, chief executive officer, Tickets.com. “We’re honored to have the opportunity to provide them with leading-edge ticketing solutions, so that patrons of these legendary venues can have the best possible experience, from point of purchase through curtain call.”
Built with funds from pioneering Hollywood film studio Paramount Pictures and opened as the Seattle Theatre in 1928, the 2,807-seat Paramount adopted its new name in 1930, operating as a golden-era movie palace and home to theatrical stage shows. The 1,419-seat Moore Theatre opened its doors in 1907 as a premier vaudeville showplace, and is the oldest operating theatre in Seattle. Today, both venues, which continue to rank in Pollstar’s Top 100 Worldwide Theatre Venues, present a mix of concerts, live entertainment, Broadway touring engagements, theater productions, speakers’ series, and more. With the new ticketing services contract, Tickets.com continues to expand its high profile performing arts client list.
In addition to the advanced ProVenue® ticketing solution that maximizes transaction speed, efficiency and flexibility, the Seattle Theatre Group will employ innovative Tickets.com technologies such as the latest in mobile ticket delivery functionality, Tickets@Phone™. Other software products and features include: Access Control, Tickets@Home®, and local area kiosks to provide patrons with on-demand ticket printing, delivery, and management. Tickets are also available at STGpresents.org or by calling 1-877-STG-4TIX.
“Given Tickets.com’s reputation for innovation in the marketplace, we are confident that we’ll be able to continuously offer the best and most advanced ticketing solutions available,” said Seattle Theatre Group executive director Josh LaBelle. “We were especially impressed with the company’s ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive client services and breakthrough technologies. We believe this will contribute to our ability to give patrons an exceptional event-going experience to remember.”
Learn more about Tickets.com >
Monday, January 12, 2009
Tickets.com In The News
Hot New Technologies That Will Change Everything
– Christopher Null, PC World
Cell Phones Are the New Paper
Next Year, you can drop paper boarding passes and event tickets and just flash your phone at the gate. Images courtesy of TSA (left); courtesy of Tickets.com (right)
Log in to your airline's Web site. Check in. Print out your boarding pass. Hope you don't lose it. Hand the crumpled pass to a TSA security agent and pray you don't get pulled aside for a pat-down search. When you're ready to fly home, wait in line at the airport because you lacked access to a printer in your hotel room. Can't we come up with a better way?
What is it? The idea of the paperless office has been with us since Bill Gates was in short pants, but no matter how sophisticated your OS or your use of digital files in lieu of printouts might be, they're of no help once you leave your desk. People need printouts of maps, receipts, and instructions when a computer just isn't convenient. PDAs failed to fill that need, so coming to the rescue are their replacements: cell phones.
Applications to eliminate the need for a printout in nearly any situation are flooding the market. Cellfire offers mobile coupons you can pull up on your phone and show to a clerk; Tickets.com now makes digital concert passes available via cell phone through its Tickets@Phone service. The final frontier, though, remains the airline boarding pass, which has resisted this next paperless step since the advent of Web-based check-in.
When is it coming? Some cell-phone apps that replace paper are here now (just look at the ones for the iPhone), and even paperless boarding passes are creeping forward. Continental has been experimenting with a cell-phone check-in system that lets you show an encrypted, 2D bar code on your phone to a TSA agent in lieu of a paper boarding pass. The agent scans the bar code with an ordinary scanner, and you're on your way. Introduced at the Houston Intercontinental Airport, the pilot project became permanent earlier this year, and Continental rolled it out in three other airports in 2008. The company promises more airports to come. (Quantas will be doing something similar early next year.)
– Christopher Null, PC World
Cell Phones Are the New Paper
Next Year, you can drop paper boarding passes and event tickets and just flash your phone at the gate. Images courtesy of TSA (left); courtesy of Tickets.com (right)Log in to your airline's Web site. Check in. Print out your boarding pass. Hope you don't lose it. Hand the crumpled pass to a TSA security agent and pray you don't get pulled aside for a pat-down search. When you're ready to fly home, wait in line at the airport because you lacked access to a printer in your hotel room. Can't we come up with a better way?
What is it? The idea of the paperless office has been with us since Bill Gates was in short pants, but no matter how sophisticated your OS or your use of digital files in lieu of printouts might be, they're of no help once you leave your desk. People need printouts of maps, receipts, and instructions when a computer just isn't convenient. PDAs failed to fill that need, so coming to the rescue are their replacements: cell phones.
Applications to eliminate the need for a printout in nearly any situation are flooding the market. Cellfire offers mobile coupons you can pull up on your phone and show to a clerk; Tickets.com now makes digital concert passes available via cell phone through its Tickets@Phone service. The final frontier, though, remains the airline boarding pass, which has resisted this next paperless step since the advent of Web-based check-in.
When is it coming? Some cell-phone apps that replace paper are here now (just look at the ones for the iPhone), and even paperless boarding passes are creeping forward. Continental has been experimenting with a cell-phone check-in system that lets you show an encrypted, 2D bar code on your phone to a TSA agent in lieu of a paper boarding pass. The agent scans the bar code with an ordinary scanner, and you're on your way. Introduced at the Houston Intercontinental Airport, the pilot project became permanent earlier this year, and Continental rolled it out in three other airports in 2008. The company promises more airports to come. (Quantas will be doing something similar early next year.)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Detroit Tigers Spring Training
Tickets To Go On Sale For 2009 Detroit Tigers Spring Training Home Games
LAKELAND, FL - Individual tickets for Detroit Tigers Spring Training home games will go on sale Saturday, January 10th at 10:00 a.m. at the Joker Marchant Stadium box office. The box office is located at 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd. Tickets may also be purchased at 10:00 a.m. through the Tigers website, www.DetroitTigers.com, through Tickets.com by logging on to www.Tickets.com, or via telephone by calling toll free 1-866-66-TIGER (84437).
Fans will receive free popcorn and coffee at the concession stands. The Tigers will also be holding a 50% off merchandise sale at the souvenir shop.
The Tigers will begin the exhibition schedule on Wednesday, February 25 as the club welcomes the Atlanta Braves to Joker Marchant Stadium, the first of 19 exhibition games played in Lakeland during the upcoming spring. Detroit will host two exhibition games in advance of the World Baseball Classic with Venezuela and Panama on Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4, respectively.
Tickets for the 2009 spring exhibition season will be priced at two separate levels, with all prices remaining the same as 2008. The first set is for premium games, which include all games against the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, New York Yankees and all Friday, Saturday and Sunday games. The second price level is for the remainder of the schedule. Premium game ticket prices range from $10-21, while the ticket prices for the remainder of games range from $8-19.
Spring Training season tickets are currently on sale, for further information, please call the Tigers at (863) 686-8075.
LAKELAND, FL - Individual tickets for Detroit Tigers Spring Training home games will go on sale Saturday, January 10th at 10:00 a.m. at the Joker Marchant Stadium box office. The box office is located at 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd. Tickets may also be purchased at 10:00 a.m. through the Tigers website, www.DetroitTigers.com, through Tickets.com by logging on to www.Tickets.com, or via telephone by calling toll free 1-866-66-TIGER (84437).
Fans will receive free popcorn and coffee at the concession stands. The Tigers will also be holding a 50% off merchandise sale at the souvenir shop.
The Tigers will begin the exhibition schedule on Wednesday, February 25 as the club welcomes the Atlanta Braves to Joker Marchant Stadium, the first of 19 exhibition games played in Lakeland during the upcoming spring. Detroit will host two exhibition games in advance of the World Baseball Classic with Venezuela and Panama on Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4, respectively.
Tickets for the 2009 spring exhibition season will be priced at two separate levels, with all prices remaining the same as 2008. The first set is for premium games, which include all games against the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, New York Yankees and all Friday, Saturday and Sunday games. The second price level is for the remainder of the schedule. Premium game ticket prices range from $10-21, while the ticket prices for the remainder of games range from $8-19.
Spring Training season tickets are currently on sale, for further information, please call the Tigers at (863) 686-8075.
Tickets.com In the News: Nov. E-Commerce Update: Sites With Highest Conversion Rates
January 5th, 2009 Posted in Consumer, Nielsen News, Online And Mobile
In November, almost one-third (30.6%) of all visitors to ProFlowers.com made a purchase — the highest conversion percentage among all retail websites, according to Nielsen.
Metrostyle (23.6% conversion rate), QVC (21.6% conversion rate), Office Depot (21.6% conversion rate), L.L. Bean (21.5% conversion rate), Tickets.com (20.1% conversion rate), Blair.com (18.9% conversion rate), Lands End (18.4% conversion rate), 1800flowers.com (17.8% conversion rate), and The Sportsman’s Guide (16.8% conversion rate) rounded out the top ten.
Read full article >
In November, almost one-third (30.6%) of all visitors to ProFlowers.com made a purchase — the highest conversion percentage among all retail websites, according to Nielsen.
Metrostyle (23.6% conversion rate), QVC (21.6% conversion rate), Office Depot (21.6% conversion rate), L.L. Bean (21.5% conversion rate), Tickets.com (20.1% conversion rate), Blair.com (18.9% conversion rate), Lands End (18.4% conversion rate), 1800flowers.com (17.8% conversion rate), and The Sportsman’s Guide (16.8% conversion rate) rounded out the top ten.
Read full article >
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
Silverman to share stage with pair of funnymen
Comedians Todd Barry and Harris Wittels will join Sarah Silverman for her performance at 8 p.m. on Jan. 10 at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Barry is a New York City native who has appeared on “The Late Show with Dave Letterman” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” according to a press release. Wittels is a writer and actor on “The Sarah Silverman Program.”
Tickets are still on sale at $49, $69, and $79. Purchase tickets at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Box Office, by calling 342-5000 or visit www.tickets.com.
Comedians Todd Barry and Harris Wittels will join Sarah Silverman for her performance at 8 p.m. on Jan. 10 at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Barry is a New York City native who has appeared on “The Late Show with Dave Letterman” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” according to a press release. Wittels is a writer and actor on “The Sarah Silverman Program.”
Tickets are still on sale at $49, $69, and $79. Purchase tickets at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Box Office, by calling 342-5000 or visit www.tickets.com.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Givex and Tickets.com Launch New Uptix™ Stored Value Ticket Program
7 Jan 2009 (Atlanta, GA) – Givex, a global provider of closed loop card technologies including gift, loyalty, and other stored value programs, and Tickets.com, a leading ticketing solutions provider for live events, today announced the launch of Uptix™, a jointly developed program for storing additional value on event tickets. Integrating Givex technology with Tickets.com’s ticketing solutions; the Uptix™ program allows individual tickets to have the ability to store data such as cash value and select merchandise. These tickets can then be used for redemption at various points of purchase such as concessions and retail stands. The program augments the role of a ticket beyond that of event access, and even allows single ticket buyers and season ticket holders to manage the program themselves on the Internet.
“This will be the must have feature in the ticketing industry,” says Dan DeMato, President of FutureTix Inc., a ticketing solutions and development consulting firm enlisted by Givex to help with the launch of Uptix™. “Organizations will now be able to offer a complete entertainment experience utilizing a single event ticket.”
Enabled tickets may also serve as a catalyst for in-game promotions, eventually including a point-based loyalty program where customers can accumulate and redeem points for rewards.
Russ Stanley, Managing Vice President, Ticket Services and Client Relations, San Francisco Giants, states “Uptix™ helps us enhance our overall fan experience. Its built-in flexibility allows us to exercise tremendous creativity in conducting a wide variety of special offers and in-game promotions for our fans, even down to the section and seat levels.”
The Giants will begin testing the Uptix™ program for their upcoming 16th annual FanFest in early February of this year. Uptix™ will also be available for viewing at this year’s National Sports Forum being held in Phoenix, AZ, January 26-28.
The innovative Uptix™ stored value program aligns with Tickets.com’s philosophy on partnerships and its commitment to providing the latest in ticketing technology to its clients. “Givex has years of proven technology in the gift card industry and an exceptional track record in customer service,” says Steve DeMots, Senior Vice President of Business Development, Tickets.com. “We are pleased to be able to work with Givex to create such a user-friendly product that will help our clients generate incremental sales and marketing opportunities.”
Karen Budahazy, Executive Vice President, Givex, concurs “Uptix™ represents an intense collaborative effort between us and Tickets.com. The company’s focus on technology fits well with our vision to expand into the sports and entertainment industries. In seeing the product’s potential and extensive benefits to both clients and their fans, we cannot be more thrilled about the launch of Uptix™.”
About Givex
Givex is known for innovative stored-value technology that has driven customer acquisition and retention programs for clients in 35 countries since 1999. Givex provides a broad range of profit enhancing processes that seamlessly integrate gift cards, loyalty engines, e-couponing and targeted email campaigns. This innovation is also backed up by years of experience and the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines our technology and client support. Find out more at www.givex.com.
About Tickets.com
Tickets.com is a leading provider of fully integrated event ticketing solutions 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 as 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, January 6, 2009
Tickets.com Facebook Page Launches
Tickets.com is live on Facebook!
Fans will get the latest news about Tickets.com, see event listings, and more. Check it out and become a fan at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ticketscom/43749304172.
Fans will get the latest news about Tickets.com, see event listings, and more. Check it out and become a fan at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ticketscom/43749304172.
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Seattle Theatre Group
Paramount, Moore theaters unveil new services
The Paramount and The Moore Theatre have launched some new features: a new Web site, 24-hour ticket kiosks and a new ticketing system through Tickets.com.
By Marian Liu
Seattle Times staff reporter
Seattle Theatre Group, the parent nonprofit company that runs the Moore, above, and Paramount theaters, has a new Web site and 24-hour ticket kiosks.
Related
Building on their growth over the past year, The Paramount and The Moore theatres are launching a rebranding effort and some novel features: a new Web site, 24-hour ticket kiosks and a new ticketing system.
The Paramount and the Moore are run by a parent nonprofit company called Seattle Theatre Group, which also has started presenting shows at other venues. In 2008, STG hosted Kanye West at KeyArena, David Byrne at Benaroya Hall, and other artists at The Triple Door, Town Hall and The Showbox.
"Over the last year, business went really well. We had five to six performances a month outside of our own venues," said STG executive director Josh LaBelle. "At the same time, it's been a bit confusing, seeing STG outside of the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres."
Now, STGpresents.org will be a "mother site" to the two theaters' Web sites: www.theparamount.com and www.themoore.com.
"We're a nonprofit, but we had a dot-com as an address," said LaBelle. "We have not been as clear about who we are, under theparamount.com, so for us, this really is very important to improve our nonprofit branding."
The site will also include promotional offers; links for easy access to news online; social networks such as Facebook and MySpace; and social messaging services like Twitter, as well as a new blog.
Along with the new Web site launch, STG is transferring the majority of its engagements from Ticketmaster to Tickets.com.
"I've got nothing but respect for Ticketmaster," said LaBelle. "But we're a pretty unique organization, in terms of ticketing needs. In a given season, we sell 500 to 600 thousand tickets. At any time, we sell 3,000 tickets in 4 minutes."
The switch, adds LaBelle, will be cheaper for patrons as well, averaging at 20 percent less.
Currently tickets.com serves more than 2,000 clients and venues worldwide, such as the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, along with 13 Major League Baseball teams.
"Our best differentiator is our technology," said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales of Tickets.com.
The service's most recent innovation is the ability to purchase and deliver tickets via cellphone. A bar code for each ticket is sent to a phone and the code can then be scanned off the phone's display by a ticket taker at the venue.
Tickets.com is owned by MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball. So, LaBelle is hoping STG can utilize some of its features, like the video playback system, so patrons can review performances online. Potentially, customers can order their tickets and concert merchandise at the same time online.
There will also be new 24 hour ticket kiosks near the theaters, so fans can purchase tickets at their own convenience.
"It's like a brand new world for our staff, and eventually for our patrons," said LaBelle.
The Paramount and The Moore Theatre have launched some new features: a new Web site, 24-hour ticket kiosks and a new ticketing system through Tickets.com.
By Marian Liu
Seattle Times staff reporter
Seattle Theatre Group, the parent nonprofit company that runs the Moore, above, and Paramount theaters, has a new Web site and 24-hour ticket kiosks.
Related
Building on their growth over the past year, The Paramount and The Moore theatres are launching a rebranding effort and some novel features: a new Web site, 24-hour ticket kiosks and a new ticketing system.
The Paramount and the Moore are run by a parent nonprofit company called Seattle Theatre Group, which also has started presenting shows at other venues. In 2008, STG hosted Kanye West at KeyArena, David Byrne at Benaroya Hall, and other artists at The Triple Door, Town Hall and The Showbox.
"Over the last year, business went really well. We had five to six performances a month outside of our own venues," said STG executive director Josh LaBelle. "At the same time, it's been a bit confusing, seeing STG outside of the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres."
Now, STGpresents.org will be a "mother site" to the two theaters' Web sites: www.theparamount.com and www.themoore.com.
"We're a nonprofit, but we had a dot-com as an address," said LaBelle. "We have not been as clear about who we are, under theparamount.com, so for us, this really is very important to improve our nonprofit branding."
The site will also include promotional offers; links for easy access to news online; social networks such as Facebook and MySpace; and social messaging services like Twitter, as well as a new blog.
Along with the new Web site launch, STG is transferring the majority of its engagements from Ticketmaster to Tickets.com.
"I've got nothing but respect for Ticketmaster," said LaBelle. "But we're a pretty unique organization, in terms of ticketing needs. In a given season, we sell 500 to 600 thousand tickets. At any time, we sell 3,000 tickets in 4 minutes."
The switch, adds LaBelle, will be cheaper for patrons as well, averaging at 20 percent less.
Currently tickets.com serves more than 2,000 clients and venues worldwide, such as the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, along with 13 Major League Baseball teams.
"Our best differentiator is our technology," said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales of Tickets.com.
The service's most recent innovation is the ability to purchase and deliver tickets via cellphone. A bar code for each ticket is sent to a phone and the code can then be scanned off the phone's display by a ticket taker at the venue.
Tickets.com is owned by MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball. So, LaBelle is hoping STG can utilize some of its features, like the video playback system, so patrons can review performances online. Potentially, customers can order their tickets and concert merchandise at the same time online.
There will also be new 24 hour ticket kiosks near the theaters, so fans can purchase tickets at their own convenience.
"It's like a brand new world for our staff, and eventually for our patrons," said LaBelle.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Tickets.com Signs Contract with the NHL Buffalo Sabres and HSBC Arena
Tickets.com Signs Long-Term Contract with the NHL Buffalo Sabres and HSBC Arena Including A Secondary Market Integration with StubHub via MyTickets™
COSTA MESA, CA – January 5, 2008 – Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has signed a long-term contract extension with the Buffalo Sabres and their home venue, the HSBC Arena. The renewal of the ticketing services agreement includes a partnership with StubHub for secondary ticket market integration. This new added value feature allows season ticket holders the benefit of reselling, transferring or donating tickets, as well as managing their ticket inventory online using the MyTickets™ interface from Tickets.com.
The contract extension between the Buffalo Sabres, HSBC Arena and Tickets.com makes StubHub, “the Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace of the Buffalo Sabres.” For Tickets.com, it marks the first time that one of their non-Major League Baseball clients has partnered with StubHub, the largest secondary seller in the ticketing industry.
“We are excited to be extending and diversifying our longstanding relationship with the Buffalo Sabres and HSBC Arena,” said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales, Tickets.com. “We’re also eager to bring the benefits of the secondary marketplace to Sabres fans and patrons of HSBC.”
Integration of secondary market benefits for Sabres fans is facilitated by MyTickets™, an online ticket management system for season ticket holders. Tickets can be transferred, donated and resold in a password-protected, secure online environment. All transactions are completed via an instant e-mail delivery using Tickets@Home functionality. Season ticket holders know they have an easy-to-use means of recovering the cost of unused tickets – and fans have instant access to a wide range of available seats.
“The commitment that Tickets.com has to best-in-class customer service and ongoing technological innovation has been a major benefit for the Sabres and HSBC Arena,” said Dan DiPofi, chief operating officer, Buffalo Sabres. “We are thrilled to now offer secondary market integration to our season ticket holders and fans, and are confident that it will greatly enhance their experiences with our team and venue. We look forward to growing our relationship with Tickets.com.”
The 19,000-seat HSBC Arena is controlled by the Sabres and has been a Tickets.com client since 1996, The state-of-the-art arena, which is owned by Erie County, is also home to the National Lacrosse League’s Buffalo Bandits and is Western New York’s premiere facility for a wide variety of concerts, ice shows, sporting events and family entertainment. Buffalo Sabres tickets are available online through the team’s Web site at www.sabres.com and HSBC Arena events can be purchased online through www.hsbcarena.com. Tickets can also be purchased at TOPS Markets locations throughout Western New York.
COSTA MESA, CA – January 5, 2008 – Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has signed a long-term contract extension with the Buffalo Sabres and their home venue, the HSBC Arena. The renewal of the ticketing services agreement includes a partnership with StubHub for secondary ticket market integration. This new added value feature allows season ticket holders the benefit of reselling, transferring or donating tickets, as well as managing their ticket inventory online using the MyTickets™ interface from Tickets.com.
The contract extension between the Buffalo Sabres, HSBC Arena and Tickets.com makes StubHub, “the Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace of the Buffalo Sabres.” For Tickets.com, it marks the first time that one of their non-Major League Baseball clients has partnered with StubHub, the largest secondary seller in the ticketing industry.
“We are excited to be extending and diversifying our longstanding relationship with the Buffalo Sabres and HSBC Arena,” said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales, Tickets.com. “We’re also eager to bring the benefits of the secondary marketplace to Sabres fans and patrons of HSBC.”
Integration of secondary market benefits for Sabres fans is facilitated by MyTickets™, an online ticket management system for season ticket holders. Tickets can be transferred, donated and resold in a password-protected, secure online environment. All transactions are completed via an instant e-mail delivery using Tickets@Home functionality. Season ticket holders know they have an easy-to-use means of recovering the cost of unused tickets – and fans have instant access to a wide range of available seats.
“The commitment that Tickets.com has to best-in-class customer service and ongoing technological innovation has been a major benefit for the Sabres and HSBC Arena,” said Dan DiPofi, chief operating officer, Buffalo Sabres. “We are thrilled to now offer secondary market integration to our season ticket holders and fans, and are confident that it will greatly enhance their experiences with our team and venue. We look forward to growing our relationship with Tickets.com.”
The 19,000-seat HSBC Arena is controlled by the Sabres and has been a Tickets.com client since 1996, The state-of-the-art arena, which is owned by Erie County, is also home to the National Lacrosse League’s Buffalo Bandits and is Western New York’s premiere facility for a wide variety of concerts, ice shows, sporting events and family entertainment. Buffalo Sabres tickets are available online through the team’s Web site at www.sabres.com and HSBC Arena events can be purchased online through www.hsbcarena.com. Tickets can also be purchased at TOPS Markets locations throughout Western New York.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: University at Buffalo
International Bowl Attracts University at Buffalo
Mid-American Champs will play in Toronto
TORONTO, ONTARIO – The University at Buffalo, the winner of the Mid-American Conference Championship on Friday against previously-unbeaten Ball State, has accepted an invitation to represent the MAC in the International Bowl, January 3, 2009 at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
It will be the first Bowl appearance in the school’s historic football program, which began in 1894, and follows an exciting season in which the Bulls capped off a first-place finish in the MAC East Division with an emphatic 42-24 victory in the MAC Championship game. Buffalo played in four overtime games this season, winning three of them and had six games decided on the final snap.
The UB Bulls have made significant strides under the direction of third-year head coach Turner Gill, a Heisman Trophy finalist in 1983 with the University of Nebraska. Gill guided the Bulls to a first-place finish this year in the MAC East Division with a 7-5 record. It marked the second consecutive season that Gill’s team improved its record from the year before. Gill was named the MAC Coach of the Year in 2007. “It is with great pride, and anticipation, that we accept an invitation to play in the International Bowl on behalf of our administration,” Gill remarked. “Our football program is extremely excited to come to the great city of Toronto, where we know we will be well-represented not only by UB students, alumni and Western New York, but also Southern Ontario. It is another great step forward for our University, and particularly fitting that it occurs 50 years after our 1958 team earned our first bowl bid.”
The ’58 Bulls team rejected an opportunity to play in the Tangerine Bowl that year against Florida State in Orlando, Florida because it had two African-American players and the Orlando High School Athletic Association prohibited blacks and whites from playing together.
International Bowl Executive Director Ken Hoffman praised the Buffalo program for its tremendous season in 2008 and added the team is a great representative for its conference. “Congratulations to Coach Turner Gill and his team for their outstanding season,” Hoffman said. “Buffalo has a long and rich history and brings a unique element to this year’s game because of the school’s proximity to Toronto.”
The 2009 International Bowl will be broadcast in the U.S. on ESPN2 and in Canada on The Score.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL BOWL:
The International Bowl is the only NCAA Division I football game played outside the U.S. The third annual International Bowl will be played on Saturday, January 3, 2009 at Rogers Centre with a noon kick-off.
For further information, including media credential requests, please visit the official International Bowl website at www.internationalbowl.org
Mid-American Champs will play in Toronto
TORONTO, ONTARIO – The University at Buffalo, the winner of the Mid-American Conference Championship on Friday against previously-unbeaten Ball State, has accepted an invitation to represent the MAC in the International Bowl, January 3, 2009 at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
It will be the first Bowl appearance in the school’s historic football program, which began in 1894, and follows an exciting season in which the Bulls capped off a first-place finish in the MAC East Division with an emphatic 42-24 victory in the MAC Championship game. Buffalo played in four overtime games this season, winning three of them and had six games decided on the final snap.
The UB Bulls have made significant strides under the direction of third-year head coach Turner Gill, a Heisman Trophy finalist in 1983 with the University of Nebraska. Gill guided the Bulls to a first-place finish this year in the MAC East Division with a 7-5 record. It marked the second consecutive season that Gill’s team improved its record from the year before. Gill was named the MAC Coach of the Year in 2007. “It is with great pride, and anticipation, that we accept an invitation to play in the International Bowl on behalf of our administration,” Gill remarked. “Our football program is extremely excited to come to the great city of Toronto, where we know we will be well-represented not only by UB students, alumni and Western New York, but also Southern Ontario. It is another great step forward for our University, and particularly fitting that it occurs 50 years after our 1958 team earned our first bowl bid.”
The ’58 Bulls team rejected an opportunity to play in the Tangerine Bowl that year against Florida State in Orlando, Florida because it had two African-American players and the Orlando High School Athletic Association prohibited blacks and whites from playing together.
International Bowl Executive Director Ken Hoffman praised the Buffalo program for its tremendous season in 2008 and added the team is a great representative for its conference. “Congratulations to Coach Turner Gill and his team for their outstanding season,” Hoffman said. “Buffalo has a long and rich history and brings a unique element to this year’s game because of the school’s proximity to Toronto.”
The 2009 International Bowl will be broadcast in the U.S. on ESPN2 and in Canada on The Score.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL BOWL:
The International Bowl is the only NCAA Division I football game played outside the U.S. The third annual International Bowl will be played on Saturday, January 3, 2009 at Rogers Centre with a noon kick-off.
For further information, including media credential requests, please visit the official International Bowl website at www.internationalbowl.org
Thursday, January 1, 2009
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