Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Kentucky Speedway

Wildlife Expert Maynard Named Meijer Indy 300 Grand Marshal

Cincinnati Zoo Executive Director to Deliver the Command for IndyCar Series Drivers to Start Engines at Kentucky Speedway

Motorsport.com

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens Executive Director Thane Maynard will deliver the command for an international field of IndyCar Series stars to ignite their engines when he serves as grand marshal of the "Meijer Indy 300 Presented by Red Baron and Edy's" on Aug. 1 at Kentucky Speedway.

The nationally-known wildlife expert has been associated with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens for more than 25 years. He is best known as a writer and host of numerous wildlife programs such as the "90-Second Naturalist," which airs on radio stations across North America. He has additionally been featured as regular guest with popular NBC Television late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien as well as on ABC Television's "Good Morning America," NBC Television's "Today" show and "CBS This Morning."

Maynard has previously worked as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) U.S. project coordinator and continues to partner with advocacy organizations such as Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy. He is author of 13 books and explores a variety of wildlife-related careers in his most recent work, "Working with Wildlife."

"Cheetahs are the fastest runners on Earth, so it's a perfect fit to have our 'Race For The Record' at Kentucky Speedway and to partner with record holder Sarah Fisher. Besides, our motto at the Cincinnati Zoo is 'More Animals. More Fun.' What could be more fun than to come down to Kentucky Speedway to join their great fans? It'll be a blast."

Maynard is expected to attend the "Meijer Indy 300 Presented by Red Baron and Edy's" with Sarah, an eight-year-old female cheetah which will attempt to become the "World's Fastest Land Mammal" at the track Sept. 9 when she challenges a record time to be established by the South African cheetah Zaza on Aug. 15.

"Our association with the Cincinnati Zoo and its cheetahs dates back to our inaugural 2000 season when we were proud to play host to Moya. Under Thane's leadership and dedication, the Cincinnati Zoo has grown to be one of the very best in the world and we're honored he will be joining us for the 10th IndyCar Series event in our history," Kentucky Speedway Director of Communications Tim Bray said.

Kentucky Speedway stages its fourth and final 2009 race weekend featuring IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights action July 31-Aug. 1. Both series open the weekend with Friday practice sessions and qualifying before a Saturday doubleheader featuring the IndyCar Series "Meijer Indy 300 Presented by Red Baron and Edy's" and Firestone Indy Lights "Kentucky Indy Lights 100" along with modern rock group Carolina Liar in concert.

Weekend tickets, new infield camping and Big Deals can be reserved by visiting the tickets pages of www.kentuckyspeedway.com, by phone at 888-652-RACE (7223) or through the Kentucky Speedway ticket offices at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100, in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., or the Sparta, Ky., Fan Center off of Interstate 71 Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 North. Fans also can reserve tickets at Meijer stores and Tickets.com outlets including Meijer stores.

Derby County teams up with Tickets.com

EUFootball.Biz

English Derby County have revolutionized their ticketing system for the new campaign by teaming up with one of the world’s leading experts – Tickets.com.

The company, who are owned by Major League Baseball, will introduce a range of improvements which will benefit Rams season ticket holders and those who purchase special packages and ‘match by match’ tickets.

Derby County CEO Tom Glick has described the new system as a “giant leap forward” for the club and its fans.

The biggest change Rams fans will notice for 2009/10 is the introduction of a state of the art season ticket holder smart cards to scan at the turnstiles instead of the traditional tear-out books.

They are credit card sized and will allow quick and efficient entry to Pride Park Stadium on matchdays, reducing queues and hold-ups and provide added security benefits to fans.

Rams CEO and President Tom Glick said this is an exciting development: "This exciting new partnership with a market-leading organization in Tickets.com will bring about all the positive changes that fans want.

"We are always engaging our supporters through extensive consultation and an improved ticketing service is a subject that has come up on many occasions: both in terms of a better service for season ticket holders and match by match ticket purchases.

"The changes and improvements that are being implemented will bring the club in line with the most up-to-date technology, all of which leads to a more efficient and convenient system for fans.

"These enhancements have all been made with the supporters at the forefront of our thinking and I’m sure it will prove popular as the new system and benefits bed in."

Aside from the new state of the art season ticket card, supporters will see a range of new benefits with the switch to Tickets com.

The online aspect will see an improved, more reliable and faster ticket sales solution through the Derby County’s official club website, dcfc co.uk.

Fans will be able to buy and renew their memberships and season tickets online and thus have further flexibility to manage their own personal account information.

Plastic, credit card-sized membership cards will also give discounts in shopDCFC on selected products.

Improved online ticket sales opportunities will mean members and season ticket holders can buy their tickets ahead of the general public for selected games.

Supporters will be able to purchase packages of tickets online, and also tickets for friends and family.

Another exciting change is a special offer with new partners McDonalds, who are providing fantastic discounts exclusive to Rams season ticket card holders at participating local restaurants.

On the reverse of the season ticket card supporters will find details of the special offers. The Rams are partnering with 10 participating local McDonalds restaurants: Markeaton, Breadsall, St Peters Street, Wyvern, Ilkeston, Belper, Ripley, Alfereton, Osmaston and Asda.

The new service will be launched on August 1st.

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Wolf Trap

Children Are Special at Wolf Trap
Theatre-in-the-Woods features children’s programming.

Vienna Connection
Donna Manz

Throughout the year, Wolf Trap offers children’s programs through its educational arm. It’s in the summer, though, beneath towering shade trees in a wooded clearing, that Wolf Trap programs for children really shine. The Theatre-in-the-Woods hosts daily twice-morning performances ranging from puppetry and song to ethnic dance, opera and storytelling.

The authentically-outfitted hula dancers who performed the full week of July 6 – 13 had tots and their parents swaying in their seats.

"We like the atmosphere here," said Christine Gabriel of Great Falls, holding the hands of her two-and-a-half-year old daughter, Grace, as they moved to the music. "We’ve come here the past three weeks, but today, we came especially for this show. Grace likes dancing. It’s wonderful."

Not everyone is local at the Theatre-in-the-Woods shows. During the week, campers from throughout the metropolitan area make their way to Wolf Trap on field trips. Parents and grandparents from all over Northern Virginia and Maryland bring young ones for cultural exposure and fun, sometimes, year after year. Saturday shows are frequently packed and sold-out.

Joy Hunter of Hyattsville used to belong to a hula group and brought her three-year-old son, Alex, to hear the music and watch the dancers.

"This is the first time we’ve been to a children’s show here," said Hunter. "I like the Theatre-in-the-Woods. It’s nice, quiet, cool and comfortable. The way the theatre is set up, there’s not a bad seat in the house."

"I like it," said Alex.

The Hawaiian dancers, armed with traditional Hawaiian dance implements, are local, as well. They live in Vienna, Great Falls and Herndon. Their performance, the early show, was followed by "Mr. Steve," a local musician/singer who has appeared on PBS. Parents were buying his CDs.

Vanessa and Robert Redd of Ashburn brought daughter, Sophia, aged four, to the hula show. "It’s a great venue because it’s shaded and the small kids can really see the performance up close," said Vanessa Redd. "The programs are just the right length, too, just long-enough to keep them engaged."

TO GET TO the Theatre-in-the-Woods, patrons take the paved downhill path to the meadow, cross the footbridge, and follow the earthen trails to the theatre’s stage and seating. Strollers line up along the path. In the meadow, families and campers spread out blankets and share snacks and lunches. Several picnic tables, in the shade, are scattered about.

The theatre holds up to 800 paying guests with seating up to 1,000. Saturday shows frequently sell out. Pre-purchased seating is recommended by Wolf Trap for all performances.

Tickets may be purchased at Tickets.com, by calling 1(877)WOLFTRAP, at the Filene Center Box Office, or at the new gazebo. Pre-purchased tickets may be picked up at the footbridge leading to the Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods. Day-of-show tickets, if available, may also be purchased at the footbridge with exact change, check, or credit card. A new wood-clad gazebo, open in mid-July, houses a ticket office and merchandise sales.

Adults and children aged three and up require tickets for all performances. Tickets are $8 each for one show or $10 for both shows on the same day.

For general information, call 703-255-1868. For schedule and performance details, to

http://www.wolftrap.org/Education/Childrens_Theatre-in-the-Woods.aspx

Blondie, Benatar will take to Tachi stage

Mike Osegueda
The Fresno Bee

Kathy Griffin's show at Saroyan Theatre is just one part of a girl-power weekend. Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore is hosting a concert with Blondie and Pat Benatar on Saturday.

The co-headlining "Call Me Invincible" tour promises a night of '80s pop/rock nostalgia.

This-generation girl rockers The Donnas are also playing.

The tour is the first time that female rock icons Benatar and Debbie Harry [Blondie's singer] have joined forces to tour.

Benatar, now 56, is best known for hit singles such as "Love is a Battlefield," "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" and "Heartbreaker." Her most recent release is the 2003 CD, "Go."

Blondie's repertoire includes such calling-card songs as "Rapture," "Heart of Glass" and "Call Me." Harry, now 64, released a solo album in 2007, "Necessary Evil."

Tickets cost $25 and $35 and are available online at tickets.com or by calling the Tachi Palace gift shop at (559) 924-7751.

Showtime is 7 p.m.

App stores are not the future, says Google

Financial Times

Google's Vice President of Engineering, Vic Gundotra, forecasts that consumers will prefer using mobile browsers to access news and entertainment, rather than popular applications. He cites economic reasons for the shift, explaining that Google will invest in the mobile browser instead of attempting to support all of the different application platforms available.

Read more >

Local Searchers Go Mobile

Jack Loechner
MediaPost

comScore, Inc. reports that the number of people who sought local information on a mobile device grew 51% from March 2008 to March 2009. The mobile browser is the leading access method, with 20.7 million users seeking local information in March 2009, up 34% versus year ago.

The strongest growth in the category is coming from downloaded applications, followed by SMS at 72%. However, developers, carriers and device OEMs remain the least popular access mode for mobile access of local information. A marginally more often used channel for obtaining local information is SMS, with an impressive 72% growth rate. Overwhelmingly, though, the preferred mode to access local content remains the mobile browser.

Serge Matta, comScore senior vice president, says "...it would not be surprising within the next six months to see the number of people using downloadable applications surpass SMS for the accessing of local information via mobile devices... "

Among the various local content categories, the number of people accessing online directories has seen the greatest increase during the past year, followed by restaurants, maps, and movies.

Across the board, local search-focused Internet brands have been developing mobile content at a feverish pace. AT&T Interactive has made a significant effort to expand its YELLOWPAGES.COM online experience across several mobile platforms.

Local search brands seeking to capitalize on the trend are looking to mobile to extend consumer reach and attract incremental ad dollars. Joining YELLOWPAGES.COM within the past six months, Idearc's Superpages, R.H. Donnelley's DexKnows and Yellowbook's Yellowbook.com have all released iPhone applications.

Deborah Eldred, Director, Mobile and Personalization for R.H. Donnelley concludes that "The mobile medium is an ideal fit for local directories... we have seen a significant increase in queries specific to visiting a local establishment, as people are looking for information about where to eat and what to do when they are out and about... they look to a trusted brand to provide the confidence that consumers need... "

Metropolis Announces Fun Summer Show

METROPOLIS ANNOUNCES BIG, FUN, SUMMER SHOW:
GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT: UNCENSORED

Grab your girlfriends and get ready to laugh! The Second City’s Girls’ Night Out: Uncensored comes to Metropolis Performing Arts Centre August 6 – September 19, 2009.

The theatre that brought you Tina Fey and Bonnie Hunt brings their latest troupe of laughable ladies, with one funnyman in tow, to Metropolis for Girls’ Night Out: Uncensored. You’ll be rolling in the aisles as they tackle everything from shopping sprees and chocoholics to dating woes and intolerable in-laws. You can bet these witty women will really be a scream as they put their side-splitting spin on everything in a woman’s world.

The Second City’s Girls’ Night Out: Uncensored runs at Metropolis from August 6 – September 19, 2009. A complete listing of show dates and times can be found below. Tickets are $28.50, Stage Tables $33.50, and can be purchased online at MetropolisArts.com or by calling the Box Office at 847.577.2121.

The Second City’s Girls’ Night Out: Uncensored is part of the Comedy series at Metropolis, bringing hilarious, biting social satire, silly, surprising, and smart comedies to the northwest suburbs. More comedies in the 2009/10 season include Dinner for Sex Six, Put the Nuns in Charge!, Bikerman and the Jewish Avenger: Love Hurts, Flanagan’s Wake and The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?.

Metropolis is supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. In addition, Metropolis receives generous sponsorship from American Airlines, the Daily Herald, Doubletree Hotel of Arlington Heights, FastSigns of Arlington Heights, and Stella Artois.

Metropolis is located in the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs in downtown Arlington Heights at the intersection of Campbell and Vail Avenue (111 West Campbell Street). Street parking is available. Free parking is available in the public garage behind the theatre. For more information about Metropolis and a complete 2009/2010 performance schedule, visit MetropolisArts.com or call the Box Office at 847.577.2121.