TicketSmarter has entered a multi-year deal with media giant iHeartMedia, which will bring exposure of the ticket resale marketplace to millions of listeners across multiple platforms. The agreement includes national marketing campaigns, prominent website placement features, and sponsorship of contests that will allow iHeartRadio listeners to enter to win trips and experiences powered by the Kansas company.
“We are thrilled to kick off this agreement with iHeartRadio and their innovative marketing team,” TicketSmarter CEO Jeff Goodman said. “We look forward to building once-in-a-lifetime experiences for their listeners.”
iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the dominant radio player in the United States, with 860 live broadcast stations across 250 platforms, augmented by 150 million registered users for its streaming channels. It claims a quarter of a billion monthly listeners, amounting to nine out of every 10 Americans every month. Until it sold its entire holdings in October of 2021, Live Nation Entertainment owner Liberty Media held a formidable share of iHeartMedia, having just received approval for the purchase of larger stake from the Department of Justice a year earlier over the objection of anti-monopoly consumer advocates.
“We are thrilled to enter into this marketing agreement with TicketSmarter,” Chris Soechtig, Area President of iHeartMedia said. “The combination of display and audio media coupled with on-air and on-line contesting will highlight TicketSmarter’s extensive platform and will offer unique opportunities for listeners to win exciting experiences.”
TicketSmarter has been arguably the most active deal-making ticket resale platform in recent years, aggressively pursuing partnerships as it grows its market share. Its previous major media deal was a December 2021 link-up with Gannett and USA Today, but the Digital Ally-owned company also has deals with multiple leagues (Big Ten, Ivy League, and Pac-12 among them), Rose Bowl Stadium, and the New Orleans Pelicans, among others. It is the title sponsor of the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl, and claims seats for over 125,000 events available through its marketplace.