By Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner

In a first for venues outside the sports world in the US, the 80-year-old art deco
Royal Oak Music Theatre in Royal Oak, MI, will begin delivering event tickets
to ticket buyers’ mobile phones. Using Tickets.com’s “Tickets@Phone” ticket
delivery method, the theater will begin issuing electronic tickets via cell phones next week with the Oct. 19 Morrissey concert, and continue with upcoming performances by HIM, Gov't Mule, Pat Monahan, and Warren Miller's "Playground."

Ticket buyers opting to use the Tickets@Phone ticket delivery method will receive
tickets on their cell phones via a text message and receive a digital
ticket that includes standard ticket information and a unique barcode that is
scanned from their mobile phone at the theater entrance.

"The majority of our patrons are among the younger demographic who send and
receive text messages several times a day," said Justin Miller, general manager,
Royal Oak Music Theatre, in a statement. "We want to give them the opportunity to use the latest technology.”

Tickets.com, the nation’s second-largest primary ticketer according to TicketNews’ exclusive weekly ranking, has been using the technology with Major League Baseball teams, among others, and Irish company Ticket Text is using similar methods in the UK and Ireland markets.

In addition, each of these mobile tickets comes with VIP entrance privileges with a separate entrance line as well as priority entry for general admission shows.

"We're excited that Royal Oak is pioneering this new technology in the U.S.,”
said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales at Tickets.com. “By doing so, the theater is strengthening its commitment to its audience's overall entertainment experience,"