Jablonski (r) said he was confident that collaborating with Ticketmaster on the NFL program will benefit fansRICK OSENTOSKI
NFL VP/Club Business Development Robert Gallo said the league could eventually sell game tickets through Amazon, Uber and Lyft as it grows its new digital ticketing program. The NFL launched its new digital ticketing program with Ticketmaster and StubHub, and is adding SeatGeek to the platform. Gallo, during a presentation at the ’18 AXS Ticketing Symposium in Detroit, said more outlets could be added as the league tries to find as many ways as possible to sell tickets to fans, “whether it be an Uber or an Amazon or something a little bit more off the grid.” It is part of an overall push to be an early adopter of new ideas. Gallo: “We’re no longer afraid to be first. … We will look under every stone.”
TEAM OF RIVALS: The program brings ticketing rivals Ticketmaster and StubHub together, at least on the tech end of things. “It’s a huge effort to knit together all the technology pieces,” said Brendan Lynch, Senior VP & GM for Ticketmaster’s NFL operations. “That integration piece is where most of that collaboration is, and obviously then we will compete in the marketplace side.” StubHub GM for the NFL, NBA and NHL Scott Jablonski said the technology collaboration will benefit fans by making resale tickets easier to buy, but the program is still in its early stages. “We are two months into a five-year deal,” Jablonski said. The deal also includes installing Ticketmaster’s Presence digital ticketing technology and software at NFL stadiums. “We’re working with the clubs (to install in phases),” said Lynch. “I think roughly two-thirds will be in ’18 and one-third in ’19.”
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING: The Ticketmaster technology is designed to help the NFL and its partners learn more about the spending habits and demographics of ticket buyers. “The ability to track and understand your attendees is a huge benefit,” Lynch said. Gallo said the league is trying to reach the same level of sophistication as companies like Netflix and Amazon, where they will know “what the fans are thinking before they even do.”
