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#TBF20 Day 3: Pricing, Leadership, Beckham & more

Industry giants, thought leaders and senior executives were among those sharing their insights on the final day of TheTicketingBusiness Forum 2020.

Jeanene Valentine, the director of ticket operations at MLS team Inter Miami, gave us the benefits of her wisdom as she opens yet another soccer stadium in the US. A veteran of the North American ticketing scene she described the chance circumstances by which she became involved in the sector, and – with eight venue openings under her belt – shared her detailed advice for those in the process of developing a strategy for a new arena.

That said, she has some assistance in driving demand ahead of Inter Miami’s MLS debut: “We don’t need a marketing strategy – we’re David Beckham’s team!” she joked.

Ticketplan’s Ben Bray looked at the role ticketing insurance can play in restoring customer confidence amid the COVID pandemic, while PACIFA’s Bruno Munzer outlined the benefits of modelling and enhancing seating plans in 3D.

NewC director Mikkel Skou gave an insightful presentation on the potential for subscription-based season tickets, outlining the customer and business benefits. JCA founder Steve Jacobson looked at the value of shared audience insights as he revealed the findings from a number of arts and cultural organisations in Philadelphia.

In a thought-provoking session, Deloitte’s Jose Sanchez offered a detailed evaluation of how operators can raise ticketing income without diminishing demand by incorporating value-based pricing.

Attendees tuning in to the virtual conference also benefited from business development expert Dawn Farrow’s stimulating session on management and leading change in this time of crisis, while Joachim Sayegh offered an intriguing presentation which suggested the world’s current travails could be an opportunity for new thinking and creativity.

Those watching found out more about Dutch football team Feyenoord’s decision to develop their own in-house platform from executive Edwin Suk, while Victoria Barlow, head of ticketing at Badminton England described the creative marketing strategy used at last year’s All England Championships.

The event concluded with an entertaining session featuring Kahlil Ashanti, the founder of WeShowUp, who looked at filling seats in the age of Netflix.

Reflecting on TheTicketingBusiness Forum 2020, Xperiology founder Ian Nuttall said: “After the most horrid of years, the entertainment sector is beginning to reopen – market by market, genre by genre, fan by fan. We shared positive stories from Australia and China as indoor venues follow the reopening of stadia and outdoor events.

“News of successful vaccine trials has given us more reason to be optimistic for a restart in 2021. And the market research which was shared during the sessions, clearly showed the desire of fans and customers to return to live entertainment, visitor attractions and cultural events just as soon as they can do so.”

He added: “It was wonderful to bring together the global ticketing community for this year’s virtual Forum. Obviously, we missed the hugs and handshakes, but this year’s online platform provided the opportunity to bring in more of our news readership – with over 40 countries represented in the attendance. The three days provided the chance to make new contacts and refresh friendships with colleagues, wherever they are.

“The Forum created connections and opportunities for our sponsors and our 1,000+ delegates, provided a diverse range of professional insights into restarting and reopening venues and, more than anything, opened our eyes to ways in which we could reimagine the ticketing sector post-Covid.”

Attendees are able to watch sessions from all three days of TheTicketingBusiness Forum 2020 for the next 30 days through the event platform.

The Forum returns to Manchester – in person, in the real world – 22-23 June 2021 for its ninth annual edition.