CA-based ETM Entertainment Network Inc. announced
yesterday that it "has run out of money and has handed over
all of its business contracts" to Ticketmaster, according to
Huffstutter & Strickland of the L.A. TIMES. ETM's ticket
deals with the Dodgers, the San Diego Sports Arena and
various other teams and events that "helped give ETM
credibility will be handled" by Ticketmaster. ETM President
& co-Founder Peter Schniedermeier said that the company
"will lay off" all of its 100 employees in the next few
weeks. Schniedermeier: "We have to cease business. We
wanted to continue. But financially, we just ran out and we
couldn't find any more private funding." However,
Schniedermeier and several other execs will "continue to
operate" a 30-person ETM subsidiary called ICON, which
"sells computerized ticketing systems to movie theater
chains." Huffstutter & Strickland note that ETM sold
tickets to events through electronic kiosks in Southern CA
grocery stores. Dodgers Dir of Ticket Operations Billy
Hunter said that ETM "accounted for less than" 5% of overall
ticket sales for the club and added the team would "explore
other ticketing avenues," though no decisions have been
made. Dodgers officials said they linked with ETM and the
company's technology because "they're heading in the
direction of the future of ticket sales" (L.A. TIMES, 6/20).
