EV Zug, one of Switzerland’s top ice hockey teams, has become the first European professional sports club to introduce fully automated dynamic pricing for the 2019-20 season.
The Swiss National League ice hockey club’s ticketing partner SecuTix integrated Smart Pricer’s price optimisation software in October 2018.
The partnership allows the club to optimise its ticket prices with the help of machine learning and to automatically adjust prices in real time via a bidirectional interface between SecuTix and Smart Pricer.
EV Zug conducted a test phase with Smart Pricer last season, offering cheaper tickets for early bookers and less requested games during three championship games.
“The successful trial phase of dynamic pricing in the 2018-19 season convinced us,” said Patrick Lengwiler, chief executive of EV Zug. “What’s truly important to us is that we maintain full control over the ticket prices – despite the automation – by setting the price range ourselves.”
In the 2019-20 season, ticket prices for lower-demand EV Zug home games will drop by 30 per cent compared to last year. The move will look to increase demand, better utilise the stadium capacity and enhance the experience of the fans.
The club has decided to focus its dynamic prices on the standing-room tickets as well as on the seating tickets of the price categories 1-6.
Franz Blechschmidt, managing director at Smart Pricer, said: “After Switzerland has already established itself as a pioneer in dynamic pricing for mountain lifts, it is exciting to see that with EV Zug the first Swiss sports club has taken a step towards the same direction.
“We are particularly pleased to welcome the first ice hockey team as our partner and look forward to a successful cooperation with SecuTix and EV Zug.”
Image: Smart Pricer
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