SeatGeek announced its second major professional sports franchise partnership in just three days on Thursday, revealing a deal that makes it the primary box office partner for the Utah Jazz and their home arena. The deal will bring SeatGeek to Vivint Arena as Official Ticketing partner in a multi-year deal that launches on October 1, 2023.
“The Utah Jazz have been an incredibly important part of my life even as a kid, and now as owner of the team, I want to make sure everything we do is a driving force for change,” said Ryan Smith, founder and executive chairman of Qualtrics and chairman of Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), which includes the Utah Jazz. “I only want to partner with innovative companies that put technology and the experience above everything else, and SeatGeek fits with my commitment to help all fans, especially digital-first fans, have better experiences with every interaction.”
News of the Jazz deal comes fresh on the heels of SeatGeek announcing a partnership with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, with both organizations making the switch from Ticketmaster. Utah is the fourth NBA franchise to partner with SeatGeek, joining the New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Brooklyn Nets. SeatGeek’s post-pandemic momentum has been strong on the partnership side, with the announcement of eleven new partnerships in the last seven months, including the Washington Commanders, Florida Panthers, NASCAR, Fiesta Bowl, San Diego Open tennis tournament, and others.
As with all deals being made this day in ticketing, the SeatGeek/Utah partnership will be built on a mobile-only ticketing system backbone, which organizations love due to its massive data-harvesting capability.
“Utah is quickly becoming a major global hub for sports, technology and culture, and the Jazz exemplify the best in innovation, teamwork and grit,” said Jack Groetzinger, CEO and co-founder of SeatGeek. “We’re proud to partner with a world-class organization like the Jazz that challenges the status quo of what ticketing can be to grow, engage and meet the demands of today’s fans.”
