Ticketmaster Announced as Major League Soccer Ticketing Partner

Ticketmaster and Major League Soccer (MLS) announced they have entered into a multi-year agreement that makes the Live Nation Entertainment-owned ticketing giant the official ticketing partner of the top level of North American soccer. SeatGeek had previously served as the Official Ticketing Partner of the MLS, a deal that was initially signed in 2016.

The announcement of the deal comes just as the 2023 season kicks off for Major League Soccer, which features 26 clubs based in the United States and another three in Canada. The league is looking to capitalized on the excitement expected to be generated by the upcoming return of the FIFA World Cup to North America in 2026, having seen its launch as a league in the wake of the 1992 World Cup in North America and the groundswell of popular support for the game experienced at that time.

“As we begin the 2023 season, we are pleased to announce our multi-year partnership with Ticketmaster,” said Gary Stevenson, MLS Deputy Commissioner, and President and Managing Director of MLS Business Ventures. “Ticketmaster offers an unmatched set of technology, tools and expertise which will serve to accelerate the growth of our fanbase. The sport is on the rise like never before and we look forward to taking the sport to new heights with our partner Ticketmaster.”

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According to the release announcing the partnership, the league is expecting the Ticketmaster integration to drive engagement with the league’s fans, leveraging the ability to gather massive amounts of user data through the use of mobile-only ticketing systems that can be used to power marketing efforts for the league. This is referred to as the companies ability to “develop tailored solutions designed to deepen fan connections through next-gen engagement tools and a customized branded experience.”

“Ticketmaster is always looking ahead by investing time and resources in technologies that enable our partners to cultivate deeper relationships with their fans and offer one-of-a-kind experiences,” said Marla Ostroff, Ticketmaster North America Managing Director. “We’re excited to share our expertise with MLS and bring their vision to life with our innovative solutions and forward-thinking approach.”

It appears that while Ticketmaster takes over as the official ticketing partner, existing SeatGeek relationships with specific clubs and venues is unchanged by this deal. SeatGeek remains the primary ticketing agent for eight clubs within MLS – Austin FC, FC Cincinnati, Houston Dynamo, Minnesota United FC, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City, and St. Louis City SC.

Consumer reaction to the announcement was less than warm, as fans complained openly in the thread below the Twitter announcement of the deal from Ticketmaster:

MLS ticketmaster fan reaction twitter screenshot