Goodman (c) and August said that new ticketing options can lead to future upsell opportunities for teamsTONY FLOREZ
As the Netflix-style subscription model for ticketing to pro sports events looks more like an enduring feature than a passing trend, teams will have to continue to offer more customizable fan experiences to increase and sustain revenues, said panelists at the '19 AXS Ticketing Symposium in L.A. The A's in '18 ditched their traditional season ticket program for a subscription model that offers fans access to all of the team's 81 home games with a baseline of benefits and the opportunity to purchase additional benefits such as better seats. The A's created the plan after finding that fans under 35 wanted a "new adventure" every time they came to the ballpark, said team COO Chris Giles, while fans over 35 mostly wanted consistency in service, seating, parking and concession options. "One thing really stuck with me," Giles said. "One of the guys in the focus group said, 'My ideal baseball experience is a food tour meets bar hopping at a baseball game.'"
OPPORTUNITY FOR UPSALES: Rams VP/Strategy & Ticketing Dan August said the team's $250 non-transferable ticket for less desirable seats at nine NFL games, excluding the playoffs, was an introductory plan for fans who would not consider becoming season ticket holders. The package is an opportunity to test out season tickets with the aim of upselling them later. The effort has provided good sales leads for the team's new stadium, August said. Meanwhile, with 55% of NBA fans being in Generation Z or Millennial, league Senior VP/Team Marketing & Business Operations Matt Goodman said most of the league's teams offered a customizable season ticket pass, a single or monthly pass to create more opportunities to keep them coming back to games. "They have a tremendous propensity for upsell once they activate against that pass," Goodman said. "And there's optionality. Giving the customer optionality is what they want."
