Seattle Sounders FC announced late last week that it would be shifting ticketing providers to Ticketmaster, replacing SeatGeek after three years. Ticketmaster previously served as the primary and resale ticketing partner for the MLS franchise since its debut in 2009 through the 2017 season.
“We are thrilled to return to Ticketmaster as Sounders FC’s official ticketing platform,” said Sounders FC EVP & Chief Global Officer Bart Wiley. “Our longstanding relationship over the course of nearly a decade saw Sounders FC become one of the most well-attended clubs in world football, and they understand our culture deeply. We know from experience how strong of a partner Ticketmaster is, and alongside our colleagues at the Seahawks, we believe this gives our fans the most seamless event experience from an operational perspective. This will be particularly important as we prepare to welcome the public back to Lumen Field in 2021 as the fight against COVID-19 continues and improves.”
Access to fan data appears to be a key driver of the shift back to the Live Nation-owned behemoth, as the use of Ticketmaster’s Presence and SafeTix systems are touted in the release announcing the deal. SafeTix and Presence are digital-locked tickets that require access to troves of data from users mobile devices, which are then used for marketing purposes for both the ticketing giant, the team partner, and potentially third parties allowed by their wide-ranging data permissions required upon use of the systems. Originally developed to curb consumer rights regarding resale of tickets on platforms that aren’t owned by Ticketmaster, SafeTix is in the process of an attempted re-brand as part of the company’s COVID safety tools.
The full press release announcing the deal is available below.
Seattle Sounders FC today announced that the club is partnering with Ticketmaster, making the company the club’s official ticketing partner beginning in 2021. Ticketmaster replaces SeatGeek as Seattle’s official primary and resale ticketing platform, resuming a relationship between the Rave Green and the world’s largest ticketing platform. Sounders FC and Ticketmaster were partners from the club’s MLS expansion launch in 2009 through the 2017 season.
“We are thrilled to return to Ticketmaster as Sounders FC’s official ticketing platform,” said Sounders FC EVP & Chief Global Officer Bart Wiley. “Our longstanding relationship over the course of nearly a decade saw Sounders FC become one of the most well-attended clubs in world football, and they understand our culture deeply. We know from experience how strong of a partner Ticketmaster is, and alongside our colleagues at the Seahawks, we believe this gives our fans the most seamless event experience from an operational perspective. This will be particularly important as we prepare to welcome the public back to Lumen Field in 2021 as the fight against COVID-19 continues and improves.”
“At Ticketmaster we’re constantly innovating our ticketing solutions and are glad to once again be partnering with Sounders FC so we can provide their fans with the most seamless experience possible, as they return to games in 2021 and beyond,” said Clay Luter EVP, Sports, Ticketmaster.
Through this partnership, Sounders FC is able to further develop unique relationships with its fans as the club provides an elevated venue experience. Ticketmaster’s Presence and SafeTix technologies will facilitate the move to all-digital tickets so fans can conveniently access tickets on their mobile device, download to a digital wallet, receive personalized event information, and enjoy a streamlined venue entry experience. SafeTix also provides improved security, shutting down fraud to protect fans. Moving forward, games will also feature contactless entry and payment solutions to both assist with the safe return to matches, and streamline the in-venue experience for fans into the future.
Prioritizing health and safety, Sounders FC is working closely with its partners at the Seattle Seahawks and First & Goal Inc., ensuring a continuous ticketing and operational experience inside Lumen Field for MLS matches, NFL games and other concert and entertainment experiences. Both organizations eagerly await the return of fans to SoDo, and are looking forward to having Ticketmaster assist in that journey.
“We would also like to thank SeatGeek for their time with our organization as our official ticketing partner over the past three seasons,” said Wiley. “SeatGeek worked diligently to provide our fans with a first-class matchday ticketing experience, and our club is appreciative of their efforts.”
Sounders FC recently completed its 2020 campaign, a season that saw the club qualify for its fourth MLS Cup appearance in five seasons. The Rave Green join D.C. United as the only clubs to make four finals in a five-season span, while Sounders FC currently owns the MLS record for consecutive appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs (12 and counting). Seattle raised the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy as league champion in 2016 and 2019.
ABOUT TICKETMASTER
Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket marketplace and the global market leader in live event ticketing products and services. Through official partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports teams, festivals, performing arts centers and theatres, Ticketmaster typically processes over 500 million tickets per year across 32 different countries.
ABOUT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Winner of the 2019 and 2016 MLS Cup, 2014 MLS Supporters’ Shield and four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014), Sounders FC is Seattle’s Major League Soccer franchise. The club received an MLS charter on November 13, 2007 and has set a league record by qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs in every year of its existence. Sounders FC reached a milestone in 2016 as the franchise claimed its first MLS Cup championship, before earning its second title in 2019, hoisting the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy in front of a home crowd of 69,274 fans. Since the club’s debut MLS season in 2009, Sounders FC has set the standard for soccer support in North America, leading the league in attendance for eight consecutive seasons (2009-2016) and routinely ranking in the top 30 in attendance among all professional teams internationally. Prior to joining MLS, the Seattle Sounders organization has been a part of the greater Seattle community and U.S. Soccer professional scene since 1974.
