Ticketing is an increasingly strategic part of the sports business mix, and Sport for Business member TicketCo is looking to push that conversation forward with the launch next week of the Don’t Forget Your Tickets Academy.
The free ten-week online programme begins on Thursday, September 10th, bringing together senior practitioners from across sport, venues, major events and commercial strategy.
The ticket is often the first direct commercial relationship with a supporter. Pricing, data, attendance, communication, match day experience and repeat purchase all flow from it.
The Academy will explore those areas through ten specialist sessions covering fan data, segmentation, pricing, attendance, crowd management, major events and commercial strategy.
Among the contributors is Daniel Cook, Head of Ticketing at the Welsh Rugby Union and Principality Stadium, while David Tavares Pansbo of Playmakers will focus on fan data, segmentation and the supporter journey in the first session.
Professor Dominik Schreyer of WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management will examine the economics of empty seats and why some supporters fail to attend even when they already hold a ticket.
That is a particularly interesting issue for sport, and was something that the FAI experienced when selling out Tallaght Stadium for Women’s internationals but then finding that people did not come.
Empty seats impact atmosphere, food and beverage sales, merchandise, sponsor visibility and the overall presentation of an event.
Paul Williamson of Two Circles, who led ticketing for London 2012, will look at how major events balance pricing, demand, accessibility and full venues.
Former Arsenal and FA executive Phil Carling, now with Octagon, will explore the role of ticketing within the wider commercial structure of a sports organisation.
TicketCo says registrations already include representatives from football and rugby clubs, governing bodies, venues, agencies, technology businesses and academic institutions.
Sessions will be available live and on demand, with formal certification available on completion.
The Academy builds on TicketCo’s Don’t Forget Your Tickets podcast and wider work around ticketing and fan engagement.
TicketCo are full members of Sport for Business.
If you would like to be part of the Sport for Business community and see your organisation in our content, on our stages, and in the conversation happening every day around the commercial world of Irish Sport, email us today and let’s see what is possible.
Image Credit: TicketCo
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