We spoke to SECUTIX chief executive Frédéric Longatte, on the successes of this year and looking forward to what’s in store for the ticketing technology provider in 2023.
TheTicketingBusiness: In 2022, SECUTIX’s mobile ticketing technology was used for a number of high-profile events, including the UEFA Women’s European Championships, Wimbledon and concerts from artist Ed Sheeran in Paris. What benefits are your clients seeing from secure mobile ticketing?
Frédéric Longatte: “It’s been quite the year, with many major events back after COVID-19. Thankfully, our clients have seen a real appetite from the public to return to stadiums, theatres and concert venues and enjoy the unique buzz of being in a crowd.
“For us, it’s been a year that’s seen our TIXNGO secure mobile ticket wallet used at the highest level of sporting and live entertainment events. From a ticketing standpoint, many of these were incredibly complex, but I’m pleased to say that our digital ticket solution rose to the challenge. I’d even go as far as to say that thanks to it being tested at this level, it’s now unrivalled in its ability to deliver at scale.
“One of the main benefits our clients are seeing from the switch to digital ticketing is in fighting fraud. Take Ed Sheeran and his management team, who have long campaigned for action to protect fans from the black market. At Sheeran’s Paris gigs this summer, our client Stade de France worked with us to provide a 100% digital ticket solution. A total of 176,000 mobile tickets were issued via the Stade de France app, powered by TIXNGO, across the two nights. Entrance to the stadium went smoothly, fans found the mobile tickets easy to use and the solution successfully addressed the counterfeit tickets that Ed Sheeran’s French tours had suffered from in the past.
“With ticket fraud costing the events industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually, this advanced security is vital to any successful event.”
TTB: Looking forward to 2023, what opportunities and challenges will the live event industry face and how will you support your clients in the coming 12 months?
FL: “The cost-of-living crisis is undoubtedly going to have a huge impact. As discretionary spending falls, pressures on ticket sales rise. And we’re already seeing the increased costs of putting on an event being passed onto customers through higher ticket prices. It’s tough.
“Our focus will be on helping clients to really know their audience and engage with them using CRM and BI tools. We saw, post-COVID, that clients who were close to their audiences came out stronger. It will be the same again with this crisis. Having a single customer view allows clients to target their products better, build loyal fans and find new audiences. Ownership of rich data will continue to be one of the most powerful assets to help business growth.”
TTB: We’ve seen a lot of hype about NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and the metaverse. What advice would you give to the live event industry about these new technological advances?
FL: “I’d say look past the hype and speculation and find the right partners that can help you focus on building a real digital-asset ecosystem. The blockchain, NFTs, Web3, metaverse, are all opportunities for a hybrid ‘meta-live’ ecosystem.
“The metaverse will not replace live concerts, but it’s down to the live entertainment industry to rise to the challenge that advances in technology throw at us. It might be out of your comfort zone, but for many GenZ and future fans, this ‘meta-live’ hybrid will be very appealing.
“In 2023, we’re working with the French artist Matt Pakora who will be playing a digital show in the presence of his avatar ‘MP7’. His next tour will combine physical concerts and virtual shows, the ‘MP7 transition’ to the metaverse. I’m really looking forward to being part of this reinvention of the artist and fan experience.”
SECUTIX was a sponsor of TheTicketingBusiness Forum, the world’s No.1 B2B ticketing business meeting, earlier this year. You can register your interest in attending next year’s event, which will take place April 19-20 in Manchester, here.