TICKETMASTER'S TICKET TO REOPENING

Ticketmaster has developed a new collection of technology tools to help live-event organizers adapt protocols to meet evolving needs during the post-pandemic reopening.

Ticketmaster’s SmartEvent allows organizers to make access and seating safer and more efficient, track ticketholders and add to contactless transactions.

“We know that fans around the world are eager to return to live events and SmartEvent gives event organizers an array of solutions to help make that possible,” said Ticketmaster President Mark Yovich. “SmartEvent brings together our advanced technology platform and industry-leading venue and seating insights, putting Ticketmaster in the unique position of facilitating paths back to live.”

The Social Distance Seating Tool uses custom algorithms that consider venue size, distance between seats and other data points to create unique seating strategies for each event. The technology can quickly reconfigure seating arrangements for various logistics and ticket demands, giving organizers the ability to maximize revenue. More than 250 clients have started tapping into this tool either to host or plan for events.

The Timed Entry Tool allows organizers to give fans specific arrival times and entry ways to manage the flow of people into a venue. Additionally, Entry Rate Monitoring Tools can help manage lines and prevent congestion. The Ticketmaster platform can also enable notifications to fans with real-time information—which gate has the shortest line, for example—and Egress Plans established by the venue.

The tools also include contactless box office, scanners and payment, plus mobile ordering for in-seat concessions as well as merchandise pre-order and delivery.

Secure Ticket Transfer gives organizers the capability to know every fan in the building, even if the ticket changed hands a few times after the initial on-sale; this gives organizers the information they need to facilitate contact tracing if desired. Ticketmaster is also working with event organizers and venues as they consider how and when to integrate COVID-19 test results and diagnostics partners as criteria for entry to live events.

“While initially intended to help fans and organizers get back to live, some of these innovations will long outlast COVID-19, streamlining processes and providing endless opportunities to modernize the event experience,” Yovich said. “We have every confidence that the industry will prevail.”