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.