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TX IS and Tix add features to support return of live events

Mobile ticket delivery platform TX IS has added new features to support the UK Government’s new track and trace recommendations for outdoor events.

Venues can now use TX IS to obtain general details of all ticket holders attending their events, with customers asked for limited data sharing permissions before they can view their tickets.

Ticket holders then benefit from contactless entry into the venue, without needing to use physical tickets or write down the contact details of the people attending with them.

The firm launched the new features at the Kia Oval on July 26 for the first sports event played in front of a crowd since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two-day cricket match at The Kia Oval was the first-time fans were able to attend a live sports event in England since March. Further pilot events are expected at The Kia Oval in the near future.

The company also works with stadiums and sports grounds including Twickenham, The Kia Oval, London Stadium and Apple Music live events.

Tim Salmon, chief executive of TX Corporation, said: “As the country starts to unlock, venues need to adopt new work practices before they can reopen. TX IS helps by enabling event organisers and venues to add contactless digital ticketing and COVID-19 track and trace to their existing ticket systems.

“TX IS tickets can be updated after distribution, reducing the burden of any last-minute seat moves and helping to keep fans updated with changes to entry protocols. All of this is achieved with no fuss and minimal changes to existing ticket sales processes.”

Tix social distancing charts

Tix, a provider of online and box office ticketing solutions, has launched a new social distancing feature for reserved seating events.

Tix uses a custom algorithm to automatically hold a configurable number of seats on either side of the patron’s selected seats. As other patrons purchase tickets online, the seats that are set aside for social distancing will be denoted as being reserved for social distancing so that it is clear to those purchasing tickets that there will be space between them and other patrons.

The feature allows organisations to control the number of seats to leave between groups of patrons, which can be changed from performance to performance and can be changed over time as needs and safety guidelines evolve.

Silvia Mahoney, vice-president of business development, said: “We understand that there is trepidation on the part of many as it relates to attending live events. We hope this new social distancing feature will give patrons some measure of comfort in doing so.”

It is designed to assist reserved seating venues in reopening as safely as possible while helping organisations adhere to governmental regulations and other public safety measures put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Robert Edmison, chief executive of Tix, added: “We believe the real-time social distancing feature will be a welcome addition to our platform during this challenging time. We aim to increase the safety and comfort level of patrons, and reduce the workload and maximise revenue for the organisations that use Tix.

“We recently released our ticket to donation conversion process to help organisations minimise lost revenue due to cancellations and postponements. We’re also seeing more organisations take advantage of timed admissions to limit the number of patrons within their venues at any given time. Our new real-time social distancing seat map feature is another addition to our system to assist our clients in this environment.”

Atom Tickets survey

Almost three-quarters of consumers claimed to be ready to return to cinemas within one month, according to a recent survey by Atom Tickets.

The US social movie ticketing firm’s ‘Return to Moviegoing’ report also found that 40 per cent of patrons would be willing to return to cinemas immediately, a rise from 25 per cent in a May survey.

The August survey received more than 16,000 US digital moviegoer responses, according to Atom.

Almost 35 per cent of fans said the key safety factor to feel comfortable returning to cinemas is spaced seating in the theatre auditorium.

Matthew Bakal, chairman and co-founder of Atom Tickets, said: “We’re encouraged by this new survey and believe it’s a good sign for the movie industry. Our data also showed that eagerness to return to the movies has more to do with how often you went to the movies before the pandemic rather than by age or region.

“I’m pleased to see the heightened interest in safety measures including pre-ordering tickets and concessions. We know people want to enjoy the movies together with friends and family and will do so responsibly.”