Another group of ticket brokers is proposing to launch a new secondary ticket exchange, following a similar proposal launched last month by the principals of Golden Tickets.
The unnamed Web site, which is discussed in an email sent out recently to several brokers, claims to be preparing to go live some time in the next “few weeks,” though no specific date was announced. Also withheld is the identity of the principals behind the effort.
“We are a group of brokers who seek to be anonymous at this time. To ensure the success of this organization we must be an underground organization for the short term,” the group wrote in the email.
TicketNews sent emails seeking information on the proposal to the address listed, but the messages were not returned. Several brokers who spoke to TicketNews questioned the creditability and veracity of the most recent proposal, due to the anonymous nature of the email.
In the proposal, the group offers a spate of free services for brokers, such as free Web site set up and free point-of-sale software, but provides no information who will provide customer service, create seating maps ensure universal ticket exchange listings and other features.
Also absent from the initiative is how it will be paid for, and what type of fees brokers or customers would be charged.
“Our primary mission is not here to enforce rules or setup standards for brokers. There are many laws and organization that do this already. We are here to ensure the survival of real ticket brokers,” the proposal states, adding that the ticket industry is highly monopolized to the detriment of brokers.
The recent initiative by Ram Silverman and Steve Parry of Golden Tickets arose following a dispute with TicketNetwork, a ticket exchange where Golden Tickets listed inventory, though Silverman said they had been considering the plan for years. The plan seeks contributions of $10,000 or more from hundreds of brokers to fund it.
Golden Tickets also sent out a questionnaire last week to several brokers looking for information about what exchanges the brokers use.
Currently, four exchanges sit atop much of the secondary ticket market, StubHub, TicketNetwork, TicketsNow (owned by Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment), and RazorGator. Both the Golden Tickets and new unnamed initiative seek to add more competition to the marketplace.
“Any type of legitimate board created by knowledgeable people that creates additional competition will only serve in the brokers best interests,” broker Steve Lichtman, owner of Prestige Entertainment, told TicketNews.
“In the current environment the reliance we all have on StubHub and TicketNetwork is uncomfortable to say the least, and I believe we would all welcome reasonable alternatives. Unfortunately, the barrier to entry in this space is much more significant than it was a few years ago and very few people have the understanding and dollars to pull it off. Hopefully one of these upstarts or one of the others I’ve been hearing about will be able to pull it off,” he added.
TicketNetwork is the parent company of TicketNews.
10 Comments
Comments are closed.
Anything that brings an end to Ticket Network – the most inefficient, corrupt and laziest company in the world is a good thing.
Anyone here use Ticket Technology? Pros and cons of TT would be appreciated as well.
I do, and I switched from Ticket Network to go there. Pro’s – a little more user-friendly, SIGNIFICANTLY better people to deal with, the StubHub integration (which later this year is scheduled to go real-time), affordable fees ($ 125 a month for the POS, and 2% commission), no absurd ‘rebate system’, and a better looking website that’s far less generic than the low-quality cookie cutter one you get through TN. They also have a useful auto-export tool that generates your export file automatically for you.
The only real con I would say so far is that, because they deal with more larger brokers than TN, it means they have larger inventories and you won’t get as many broker sales, but the brokers you will deal with are far higher quality than TN’s. No part-timer’s, or guys who don’t run their’s as a professional business. All of the brokers I’ve dealt with on TT are larger and more professional than the ones I dealt with on TN.
I’m definitely glad I switched. TT is a much better product and company than TN.
The reason you sell few broker to broker sales on Ticket Technology is because when the broker makes the sale on their website they fill the order themselves by waiting for the release of you will “spin” your wheel on tt at least Ticket network, does not cut off the sale and fill on their own
The reason you sell few broker to broker sales on Ticket Technology is because when the broker makes the sale on their website they fill the order themselves by waiting for the release of you will “spin” your wheel on tt at least Ticket network, does not cut off the sale and fill on their own
Ticketnetwork has no respect for Brokers. Ticketnetwork treats Broker like Airlines treat passengers. Try to call your sales Rep or send a help ticket and see how long it take them to get back to you. Plus the Fee system it nuts. At one time, Ticketnewtwork was very strong but over the last couple of years they have really went down. That is why we are in the process of changing to Event inventory. We tried the PRO but was not happy with it. EI is a little higher on price then TicketNetwork but after look at the fees and CC Cards Fees, we will save money with Event inventory. They don’t have a dumb fee system. Plus there guys call us back. We are just sick and tried of dealing with TicketNetwork.
why did you choose EI over TT??
Agree fully, ticketnetwork does not respect ANY broker. We dumped them a couple of years back and DON’T MISS Donnie A$$ Vacaro. But get ready to Jack up your prices when you switch over to ei, cause ticketbastard takes out a precentage on every seat they purchase from you. Nothing bothers me more than to see their discount on tickets we sell them. Actually, none these sites are honest and fair to the brokers, they are only out to steal your orders, make money for themselves and could give a rats a$$ about any brokers, except to benefit their wallets. Donnie what is with this site, your captchas in this program are HORRIBLE!!! Guess it bothers you that people want to express their opinions and you hate to hear the truth.
Any company that profits 10-20% off of your inventory and forces you to pay them a fee on top of it can go F*** themselves as far as I am concerned. They have no risk! They are not paying 10% to 20% of your inventory cost, are they?-If they are where do I sign up? They force you to give them a 5% fee and maybe you’ll get a rebate check? Just wait till the stocks are down at Ticketmaster or little Donnie needs a new sports car. The fees will rise! They will. That’s Ticket News!!!
Nontheless, he is smart scum. Otherwise, we would just all pull our tickets and let him and his stupid fees rot. I would just assume support Ticketmaster, as much as I hate them, than support Donnie. Moreover, Ticketnetwork has service that worse than ticketmaster in their heyday.