Ticket sales fell by a greater average percentage than revenue for 15 major arts and cultural organisations across the United States over the course of the 2021-22 season, according to a new study by non-profit consultancy JCA. ‘Trends in Audience Behavior: Reopening Season Trends’ gathered data from six regional theatres, four music organisations, two opera …
Ticketmaster taps Flow for ticket NFTs
Ticketmaster will allow event organisers to issue non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to tickets on the Flow blockchain, giving attendees the chance to access digital collectibles. The NFTs – which certify a digital asset to be unique – can be used to represent photos, videos, audio and other types of digital files, and are often bundled …
Ars Nova unveils ‘name your price’ initiative
Ars Nova, the non-profit theatre and production company based in New York, has announced that it will introduce a ‘name your price’ initiative for ticketing at its events. To coincide with the theatre’s 20th anniversary season, attendees will pay at least $5 per ticket, but will then decide how much they would like to pay …
‘Serena Effect’ lifts US Open prices as international visitors return
The US Tennis Association has revealed unprecedented interest in tickets for the 2022 US Open tennis Grand Slam, which got underway this week, with the proportion of ticket-holders from abroad having rocketed in comparison with last year. According to Fox Business, the USTA said that international fans are accounting for between 14% and 15% of …
Book Festival chief reveals changing behaviours
Edinburgh International Book Festival director Nick Barley has outlined a major shift in the behaviour of ticket-buyers after this year’s event attracted 100,000 attendees. Barley revealed that a greater proportion of people had booked tickets on the same day, while an outdoor screen and “pay-what-you-can” ticket prices had opened up the festival to newcomers. Of …
PCB to donate gate receipts to flood relief fund
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that gate receipts from the Twenty20 international cricket match against England on September 20 will be donated to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022. The clash will take place at the National Stadium in Karachi, with tickets set to go on sale next week. The PCB said …
SeatGeek raises $238m in funding round
Ticketing platform SeatGeek has announced a $238m (£205m/€238m) Series E private financing round, with Ryan Smith, the owner of the Utah Jazz NBA basketball franchise, among the investors. Other organisations to have participated in the funding round include long-time investor Accel, as well as Arctos Sports Fund and Wellington Management. Smith is the founder and …
People on the move: AEG Presents, SXSW Sydney and more…
Neil Jones has officially joined AEG Presents as a senior ticketing manager after moving on from the Royal Opera House, where he had served as head of ticketing since 2018. Jones will work on ticketing for AEG Presents European Festivals such as British Summer Time, All Points East and Forward Festival. SXSW Sydney is set …
Tech Stack: Mobile ordering, AI analytics, concessions tech and more…
Our weekly tech round-up from the world of ticketing and associated industries… MyVenue’s mobile ordering at Ravinia Festival The fully integrated MyVenue point-of-sale mobile ordering and restaurant solution has gone live at Ravinia Festival near Chicago, US. The 36-acre venue in Chicago attracts 600,000 guests to more than 100 events annually. The installation included over …
Industry leaders call on UK Government to intervene in energy crisis
Live entertainment industry organisations have called on the UK Government to take urgent action to support businesses that are set to be stung by rocketing energy bills this winter. A survey by the Music Venue Trust found that about 30% of its 941 venues are facing the threat of permanent closure without a solution to …