Our weekly tech round-up from the world of ticketing and associated industries…
WNBA teams deploy chat platform
GameOn Technology, the conversational chat platform, is expanding into women’s professional sports for the first time.
The platform will initially provide chat experiences for the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) Las Vegas Aces and the Indiana Fever.
GameOn will help teams streamline processes from front office staff, allowing them to address other areas of the business, while still prioritising engagement and giving fans a quicker avenue to connect with the teams that they love.
The Las Vegas Aces have deployed GameOn’s platform to their website and Facebook Messenger to aid fans in receiving on the spot answers to frequently asked questions. The Indiana Fever experience will live on the team’s app and Facebook Messenger.
“Fan engagement and brand loyalty is always a top priority for the Las Vegas Aces,” said Nikki Fargas, president of the team. “Utilising cutting edge technology for real time information sharing is vital in order to connect with fans both locally and globally. The Las Vegas Aces are excited to be working with GameOn to help strengthen the relationship with fans everywhere.”
LA Galaxy’s secondary deal
Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy has announced a secondary ticketing marketplace partnership with TickPick.
The partnership, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, makes TickPick an official partner of the LA Galaxy and will enable fans to purchase tickets to all 2023 regular season home games on the secondary market without added buyer fees, bringing customers significant savings when compared to the same seats offered by other secondary ticket marketplaces.
“We’re excited to become an official partner of the LA Galaxy and extend our relationship with AEG,” TickPick co-chief executive Brett Goldberg said. “The Galaxy are one of the most iconic MLS teams and have a passionate fan base supporting them. We’re looking forward to providing fans with a convenient way to purchase tickets on our marketplace for the best prices available.
Walton Arts Center’s digital transformation
Walton Arts Center in Arkansas is aiming to revolutionise the ticketing experience for patrons through a new partnership with secure digital ticket delivery service provider True Tickets.
Walton Arts Center, which operates two venues, will integrate the True Tickets service into its digital ticketing platform to provide a user-friendly process for purchasing and managing tickets.
During the past three decades, Walton Arts Center has become Arkansas’ largest and busiest performing arts presenter bringing touring Broadway, live music and dance to the region. The Walmart AMP, a Walton Arts Center venue since February 2011, is Arkansas’ premier outdoor concert venue with headlining artists from all genres.
“We are excited to partner with True Tickets to bring digital ticketing to the Walmart AMP and Walton Arts Center for the new seasons,” said Jeff Mann, chief operating officer of the theatre. “We are constantly looking for ways to improve the ticketing experience for our patrons, and this partnership is a major step in that direction.”
Female artists lead the way on social media
An extensive new survey has found that 90% of the most engaging artists across all social media channels are women.
The latest 2022 Music Festivals & Artists Marketing Partnerships Report from SponsorUnited also found that K-pop generates the highest engagement (41% of the top 10), thanks to BlackPink singers, Rosé and Jisoo, and the girl band TWICE.
“While male artists receive the more endorsements annually, female artists are wielding a significant influence on social media,” said Bob Lynch, founder and chief executive of SponsorUnited. “Brands are becoming increasingly aware of the impactful role female artists are playing within their communities, and we can expect to see a shift towards more balanced partnerships in the future, driven in part by their incredibly high engagement levels.”