Ticketmaster announced a deal that will make it the exclusive ticketing provider for events at TD Place stadium and arena complex in Lansdowne, Ontario. The deal includes ticketing the Ottawa REDBLACKS (Canadian Football League) and Ottawa 67s Hockey Club (CHL).
“Ticketmaster is the go-to ticketing provider for most CFL and CHL teams already, so this move felt like a natural fit to provide the best possible and easiest fan experience in the region,” said Mark Goudie, President & CEO, OSEG. “We are looking forward to having our fans back at TD Place this season, and we are grateful to Ticketmaster for providing them with a front row seat to all the action.”
As has become standard operating procedure, the deal will bring with it the implementation of mobile-only ticketing for all events, meaning that consumers will have to access their tickets through the Ticketmaster system at all times, rather than having the option of receiving “hard” tickets or printing them at home. This has been an issue for many consumers in the past, as such systems can be buggy, and many consumers don’t have a phone capable of supporting the app required for its use – Statistics Canada says that approximately 10 percent of adult Canadiens do not own a smartphone, with far higher percentages without smartphones among elderly and low income consumers.
The partnership also makes Ticketmaster the “official” resale marketplace for tickets to REDBLACKS and 67’s home games, which will be no doubt strongly assisted by consumers being forced to keep tickets within the Ticketmaster mobile application system whether they are resold using Ticketmaster’s marketplace or a third party.
The forced digital system transition will provide a wealth of valuable consumer data for OSEG and its partners, allowing them to better market to those who purchase or receive tickets through the system by accessing demographic and usage data. That data can also be given or sold to third parties under the typical user agreements required for those mobile-only systems.
“OSEG is really leveling up the fan experience,” said Trevor Allin, Ticketmaster Executive Vice President of Business & Commercial Operations. “It is exciting to partner with them, helping to establish even deeper relationship with REDBLACKS and 67’s fans. We look forward to working together to bring continued innovation to this iconic Canadian sports and entertainment destination.”
The full release regarding the Ticketmaster and OSEG deal is available at Ticketmaster’s website here.
