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ILMC 36: The pros and cons of dynamic ticketing

Dynamic ticketing took centre stage during ILMC’s Ticketing: At What Price? panel, as leading executives debated whether the growth of market-based pricing in the US will be replicated in other major international markets.

Chaired by Kilimanjaro Live promoter Steve Tilley, the session brought together Eventim Norway and Sweden’s Marcia Titley, Ticketmaster UK’s Sarah Slater, AXS’ Chris Lipscomb and Arnaud Meersseman of AEG Presents.

Recalling going to see Bruce Springsteen at New York City’s Madison Square Garden last year, Tilley admitted he was prepared to pay “whatever it costs” to get into the show. However, Meersseman pointed out the practice was less established in territories like France, which made it harder to compete when booking top acts.

“We’re being pushed more and more by artists to incorporate dynamic pricing,” he said. “To them, it doesn’t make sense on a financial level to tour Europe compared to the US, where dynamic pricing is widely common.”

Meersseman speculated there would be “massive pushback” against the practice across France. “It’s also a question of accessibility, and fans are likely to end up wondering whether gigs will only be reserved for the rich in the not-too-distant future,” he warned.

Lipscomb added that dynamic pricing is already happening in several European markets, including the UK, and predicted it will increase in prominence sooner than most think.

“Ten percent of all UK shows may already be sold under dynamic pricing. In a couple of years, I’d expect that number will increase by 30%-40%”

“Ten percent of all UK shows may already be sold under dynamic pricing,” he said. “In a couple of years, I’d expect that number will increase by 30%-40% and maybe even rise higher to 70%-80%.”

The discussion segued into the secondary market, with Titley noting that while countries like Norway and Denmark put laws in place to prevent resales above face value, dynamic pricing was necessary to “drive higher revenue”.

“Ultimately, it’s all about protecting the fans, and I believe in combining tech and legislation to eradicate those excessive profit margins,” she said.

Ticketmaster has successfully introduced its own fan-to-fan resale service in the UK, and Slater said: “There are plenty of safe, face-value resale sites to sell your tickets to in the UK. We’ve heavily pushed the fact that tickets are transferable, but we always encourage customers to only buy from authorised sites.”

Sam Shemtob, director of Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT), made a brief cameo to explain the role that the EU Digital Service Act will play in combating illegal ticket listings.

“If the ticket is being sold by a trader, that needs to be listed right at the front in a clearly accessible manner, and ticket resale sites will now be banned from using design tricks that manipulate consumers into decisions, such as “pop-ups” or giving prominence to specific choices,” explained Shemtob.

“Nailing the on-sale is absolutely critical, but marketing the shows via a long-term campaign with the artists up until the actual event is just as important”

Shemtob, who is collaborating with the European Commission on how to streamline a complaints mechanism for fans and promoters, launched ‘Make Tickets Fair’ last year — a campaign to educate and empower fans to avoid being ripped off by ticket touts.

“The platforms will also be required to make it clear throughout the buying process that the tickets listed are provided by a third party,” he said. “If a platform fails to do this and fans are led to believe that the tickets are provided by the platform itself, the platform can be held responsible for any tickets listed in contravention of national laws.

“All of these sites need to have a clear and simple complaint mechanism.”

Another major talking point was the perception that tickets must be bought as soon as they go on sale.

“Obviously, nailing the on-sale is absolutely critical, but marketing the shows via a long-term campaign with the artists up until the actual event is just as important,” Slater said, citing the concert industry’s shift towards post-sale engagement, which includes events integrations in collaborations with Spotify and TikTok, as well as creative marketing strategies to keep fans engaged.

“Most people think that if they can’t get tickets within the first hour, they’ll end up being scammed when attempting to purchase them at a later time,” added Meersseman. “It all ties to what we discussed earlier about properly educating customers on the ticket sale process.”

 


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ILMC 36: Exploring AI’s potential for live music

The transformative potential of artificial intelligence’s (AI) on the live music and entertainment sector was analysed in detail at the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).

Hosted by Cliff Fluet, founder and MD of Eleven, yesterday’s Artificial Intelligence: Moving at Light Speed session featured guests Sammy Andrews of Deviate Digital, Pulsar’s Fran D’Orazio, Observatory’s Ben Sheppee, AXS’ chief strategy officer Marc Ruxin, and aurismatic’s Richard Kurka, who joined the panel via satellite.

Fluet reckoned that AI’s impact makes it “comparable to steam or electricity” in a bygone era.

“Pretty much every innovation from a technological or business perspective is, in some way shape or form, going to be AI-powered going forward,” said Fluet. “Unlike a lot of innovations, 85% of the planet has a device that’s powered and enabled by AI. It’s probably likely to be one of the last ever human inventions.”

In terms of how AI can be incorporated into live performance, the opportunities are bountiful despite the industry’s heavy reliance on the human aspect. However, despite its continued improvement at a rapid rate, Andrews believes such advanced technology still needs a “human eye”.

“Though every platform that we use to advertise live music already has AI embedded into it, there’s sometimes a ‘hit or miss’ element to it”

“Though every platform that we use to advertise live music already has AI embedded into it, there’s sometimes a ‘hit or miss’ element to it,” she explained. “We’ve seen a couple of platforms that will remain nameless, checking random music, altering the copy your artist took weeks to approve, and so forth. But we’re halfway there when it comes to correctly identifying audiences and being able to show them the right sort of content. It’s only going to get better.”

The panel soon segued from marketing to ticketing, and AI’s potential to optimise pricing strategies for live events to guarantee maximum profitability and accessibility.

“Dynamic pricing has been around for some time,” said Ruxin. “The reason it hasn’t been broadly adopted in the live performance sector in the way that it has been accepted by consumers is because of two factors: you have artists who want actual fans to be paying appropriate prices for tickets to their shows, and then you have a business mechanism that involves the need to optimise prices and seats.”

Ruxin further discussed the potential of AI to detect counterfeit tickets. “It’s only a matter of when and not if,” he said, with emphasis on how facial recognition technology is a template for AI to discern which tickets are real or otherwise.

Having talked about using aurismatic as “essentially a Shazam alternative for live music using AI”, Kurka added that one of his company’s main goals is to establish something that he firmly believes is “missing in the live music sector”.

“It could work well in smaller gigs that operate on smaller budgets”

On the topic of “predictive analytics”, D’Orazio believed that AI provides those without technological and data expertise the chance to “emulate someone like [Mad Men character] Don Draper in the 1950s”.

“Trend forecasting can now go back in the hands of the people that don’t have technical or scientific backgrounds,” D’Orazio said, noticing an irony in advanced AI technology encouraging a throwback to an “older method of creative thinking and advertising”.

When asked on whether there is a general misconception that AI is a cheaper method of creating something, Sheppee answered in the affirmative.

“There are costs when creating visual elements with AI,” he said. However, he admitted that AI can also be used to circumvent the possibility of copyright infringement. “Last year, we had consulted a band who wanted to use an image they either didn’t have rights to, or the rights were really expensive. We managed to generate a piece of content that was broadly similar, which rendered it a cost-saving exercise.”

He added that while AI isn’t feasible to use in large-scale arenas like Las Vegas Sphere, “It could work well in smaller gigs that operate on smaller budgets.”

 


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CTS Eventim and AXS form partnership for 2028 Olympics

CTS Eventim and AXS will join forces to promote, sell and distribute tickets for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The LA28 Games, led by Casey Wasserman, will mark the city’s third time hosting the Olympics after 1984 and 1932, and its first time hosting the Paralympic Games.

Tickets to the Games will be sold globally through CTS and AXS’s existing online storefronts, as well as through the dedicated LA28 website.

CTS Eventim has managed ticketing for the Olympics on several occasions over the past two decades, including at Turin in 2006, Sochi in 2014, Rio in 2016, and is set for Paris in 2024.

“AXS’ strong North American footprint and CTS Eventim’s track record of Games success will deliver a world-class platform that will redefine ticketing for live sports events,” says LA28 chairperson/president Casey Wasserman. “With AXS and CTS Eventim, the LA28 Games will provide an accessible and seamless experience for Angelenos and sports fans from across the globe.”

“AXS’ strong North American footprint and CTS Eventim’s track record of Games success will deliver a world-class platform”

Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of CTS Eventim, adds: “When it comes to live sport, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are in a league of their own. Nothing can quite match being in the crowd as athletes give it their all for a chance of glory. As a company with two decades of Olympic ticketing experience and a passion for live experiences, we are honoured that our technology and services will help bring fans to the incredible event that the LA28 committee are organising. We are also delighted to be partnering with our friends at AXS and are looking forward to collectively playing our part in making 2028 a Games to remember.”

Bryan Perez, president and CEO at AXS, comments: “Los Angeles is our hometown and we couldn’t be prouder or more excited to help showcase it to the world. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the world’s premier sporting events, and today’s announcement reflects AXS’ long-standing commitment to provide the best sports and consumer ticketing experiences to the industry. Together with our colleagues at CTS Eventim, we are grateful for LA28’s vision and partnership to deliver a next generation ticketing experience for fans from all over the world.”

 


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AXS installs Marc Ruxin as chief strategy officer

Ticketing company AXS has announced the addition of Marc Ruxin as chief strategy officer.

Ruxin, who will report directly to CEO Bryan Perez, will lead overall strategy and corporate development opportunities globally, working closely with business leaders around the world.

Before joining AXS, experienced entrepreneur and media executive Ruxin held positions as COO and CMO of music streaming service Rdio and chief innovation officer at Universal McCann and McCann Erikson.

“As the live event business continues to experience unprecedented global growth across sports, music, and festivals, AXS, and the AEG family, are perfectly positioned to become the most consumer-friendly and fan-forward business in the world,” says Ruxin.

“AXS is primed for the next growth stage and Marc will be a key player in our success”

“After a career in and around this industry, the opportunity to help AXS become the dominant global ticketing platform is the culmination of everything I have been working towards. What Bryan and the team have been able to build in a short time is an incredible accomplishment. I’m thrilled to be a part of it!”

Ruxin will take over corporate strategy and development responsibilities previously held by Blaine Legere, who transitioned to president – international late last year.

“Marc’s innate ability to successfully evaluate promising companies, his entrepreneurial prowess, and experience as an innovator and advisor in tech and live entertainment make Marc a great fit as we push our business forward,” adds Perez. “AXS is primed for the next growth stage and Marc will be a key player in our success.”

As well as upping Legere from his former role as SVP of corporate strategy & emerging markets, the AEG-owned ticketing company promoted COO Tom Andrus to president, North America at the end of 2023 to help manage its rapid growth.

 


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AXS creates new leadership roles to manage growth

AXS has announced the creation of two leadership roles to help manage its rapid growth both domestically and internationally.

The AEG-owned ticketing company has promoted COO Tom Andrus to president, North America, focusing on expanding revenue streams and cultivating client relationships within the market.

In addition, Blaine Legere, formerly SVP of corporate strategy & emerging markets, is upped to the role of president, international. He will focus on the worldwide expansion of AXS’ global platform and managing the company’s existing international portfolio. The pair will report directly to AXS CEO Bryan Perez.

“AXS continues to experience explosive growth both in North America and abroad, and with no signs of stopping, it’s essential to structure our business to effectively handle this growth and delivery of our global platform,” says Perez. “Tom and Blaine have been instrumental in the building of AXS from the beginning, and I’m excited to work with them in these new roles as we continue to expand.”

“It’s a pivotal time for AXS in our journey to expand our best-in-class system and products outside of North America”

Legere joined AXS as its inaugural employee when the company launched in 2011. Since 2020, as SVP of corporate strategy & emerging markets, he has managed the company’s expansion in Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

“It’s a pivotal time for AXS in our journey to expand our best-in-class system and products outside of North America,” says Legere. “I’m grateful to lead the charge, and I’m inspired to be working with our talented leadership and our dedicated teams across the globe who are rising to the occasion. The growth opportunities we’ve realised in Europe, combined with our footprint in Asia and most recent launch in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year, really set the table for an exciting run ahead.”

Andrus initially joined the leadership team alongside Perez and Legere as general manager in 2012 shortly after AXS’ establishment, returning to the firm in 2018 as COO.

“I am looking forward to leading the AXS North American business,” adds Andrus. “It has been a highlight of my career to build AXS with Bryan, Blaine and the rest of our team. Our innovation and dedication to our employees, clients and customers have led to our success and will fuel our continued growth. I fully expect the changes in our organisation to take us to new heights.”

 


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ILMC’s 2024 mission to be ‘Out of This World!’

The 36th International Live Music Conference (ILMC) is welcoming a raft of industry supporters and launching a new dedicated satellite event for its 2024 edition, which takes place from 27 Feb-1 March 2024.

The three-day conference will welcome over 1,400 of the world’s top live music professionals from over 50 countries when it returns to the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. The 2024 event sees live music professionals invited on a mission to explore new frontiers, topics and markets across the business.

Mission partners this year include Co-op Live, Manchester’s new arena which opens its doors in April 2024. Gary Roden, Executive Director and General Manager, Co-op Live said: “We’re over the moon to be supporting this year’s ILMC. We are putting the finishing touches on Co-op Live as we speak, locking in a series of incredible shows including multi-night and exclusives, and invite you to join us for lift off in April 2024.”

Also platinum partners for ILMC 36 are Live Nation and Ticketmaster, and John Reid, president EMEA at Live Nation said: “Live Nation and Ticketmaster are delighted to once again sponsor ILMC where in-depth discussions and the evening socials bring us all together. We are proud to continue to promote the industry and it is always an important opportunity early in the year for the business. We look forward to seeing everyone.”

“With an expanded schedule of events and such fantastic support from our stellar industry partners, ILMC 2024 looks like it will be truly out of this world!”

Other principal supporters on the 2024 conference include gold partners ASM Global and CTS Eventim, and silver partners AXS, DEAG and Showsec. ASM Global will also support ILMC’s Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme, which offers a complimentary conference pass and mentoring opportunities to 30 young professionals.

In addition to ILMC’s schedule of debates, workshops, keynotes and events, the conference also sees a new one-day satellite event, Touring Entertainment LIVE, dedicated to the global business of big brand live entertainment, exhibitions and touring family shows on Friday 1 March. Meanwhile, ILMC’s Central London showcase event, London Calling, takes place in additional venues across Soho for its sophomore edition on Weds 28 Feb.

On Thursday 29 Feb, The Arthur Awards – the international live music industry’s Oscar-equivalents – will be presented in front of 450 guests during a ceremony compered by CAA’s London co-head Emma Banks. And the following day sees Futures Forum take place, the one-day event for young live music professionals with all ILMC delegates encouraged to attend.

“We are proud to continue to promote the industry and it is always an important opportunity early in the year for the business.”

“Over 2,000 professionals now attend an ILMC event during the conference week,” says ILMC head Greg Parmley, “And with more meeting space that ever, an expanded schedule of events, and such fantastic support from our stellar industry partners, ILMC 2024 looks like it will be truly out of this world!”

The 2023 edition of ILMC welcomed speakers including Marty Diamond (Wasserman Music), Doc McGhee (McGhee Ent.), Maria May (CAA), Phil Bowdery (Live Nation), Jessica Koravos (Oak View Group), Obi Asika (UTA), Marie Lindqvist (ASM Global Europe) & Detlef Kornett (DEAG).

Full information about ILMC 2024, The Arthur Awards, Futures Forum, London Calling and the new Touring Entertainment LIVE day is at 36.ilmc.com.

 


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AI first for mainstream ticketing industry

AXS has partnered with Satisfi Labs to launch a generative AI-enhanced chat feature that will “elevate customer service offerings”.

The AEG-owned ticketing company believes the integration, which will launch in North America, Europe and Australia, is the first to market.

The AI chatbot feature, powered by Satisfi’s patent-pending Context Large Language Model (LLM) Response System, is said to immediately answer questions such as ‘How do I transfer my tickets?’ or ‘Can I sell my tickets?’.

AXS said it has seen a reduction in customer service wait times and increased satisfaction since implementing the system, which leverages enhanced intent routing, automated answer generation, intent reporting, and language capabilities.

“Quickly resolving inquiries, particularly during major event on-sales, is critical to the overall fan experience,” says Tom Andrus, chief operating officer for AXS.

“Quickly resolving inquiries, particularly during major event on-sales, is critical to the overall fan experience”

“For three years, Satisfi Labs has helped us quickly and easily service our customers and address their inquiries. We look forward to continuing our integration and improving together as we deliver the best customer experience in the industry.”

“We are incredibly proud to support AXS in their mission to improve the customer experience,” said Don White, CEO of Satisfi Labs. “Ticket service providers like AXS are embracing the current moment and the technology that will allow them to take the customer experience to new heights, understanding the positive impact that it has on both the customer and the provider. We look forward to continuing this partnership and seeing what we can accomplish together.”

Satisfi Labs is an AI platform for sports, entertainment, and tourism, that has received major investments from Google, Major League Baseball, Techstars, and Florida Funders.

AXS is the ticketing partner for over 500 premier venues, sports teams, and event organisers across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia including First Avenue, USGA, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Crypto.com Arena, Coachella, Stagecoach, The O2, and BLeague in Japan.

 


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Live music giants move to bolster operations

Live Nation, UTA, WME and AXS have all moved to bolster their ranks with a series of notable appointments.

Dan Wall, who retired from global law firm Latham & Watkins earlier this week, has joined Live Nation as EVP for corporate and regulatory affairs.

Wall has been a key advisor to Live Nation for more than 12 years, previously providing guidance as lead outside counsel while a partner at Latham & Watkins. His new role will enable him to continue providing strategic counsel to the firm.

“Live Nation has been a special client to me, so about three years ago I floated the idea of this continuing relationship,” says Wall. “I am grateful to Michael [Rapino, CEO] and Joe [Berchtold, CFO] for allowing me to continue our work together and I am excited by the challenge.”

“Dan has been a trusted advisor and partner and he will no doubt continue to be a valuable asset to the team,” adds Rapino.

“The addition of Paul and Ceci, with their web of expertise… is another powerful signal about the trajectory of our company”

Elsewhere, leading talent agency UTA has added Main Street Advisors CEO Paul Wachter and Nexus Management Group founder Ceci Kurzman to its board of directors. Wachter will serve as the board’s chairman.

“The addition of Paul and Ceci, with their web of expertise in entertainment and technology, finance and corporate governance, is another powerful signal about the trajectory of our company and the work we are doing on behalf of our clients,” says Jeremy Zimmer, UTA co-founder and CEO.

The appointments support the recent growth and diversification of UTA’s business, including its acquisitions of UK talent and literary agency Curtis Brown Group and entertainment and marketing advisory firm MediaLink, as well as the strategic partnership forged with global private equity firm EQT.

“When we brought in EQT last summer as UTA’s largest minority investor, we together recognised the value of adding experienced outside voices to the board to help us continue to pursue our goals,” adds Zimmer. “Both Paul and Ceci are passionate about artists and culture and recognise the importance of how UTA can continue to lead into the future. We could not be more fortunate to have them stepping into these roles.”

“These promotions showcase the breadth of our client roster and how far we can go in servicing our artists”

Rival agency WME, meanwhile, has upped seven partners and 12 agents in its music division across its global offices in the US, UK and Australia.

Jared Rampersaud, Levi Jackson, Doug Singer, Henry Glascock, Dave Bradley, Brendan Long and Bradley Rainey are promoted to partners, while Henry Delargy, Kidder Erdman, Phillip Richard, Josh Sanchez, Anna Horowitz, Tom Larger, Brendan Moylan, Becca Chisholm, Caleb Fenn, Carter Green, Kanan Vitolo and Morgan Carney are elevated to agents.

“These promotions showcase the breadth of our client roster and how far we can go in servicing our artists,” says Lucy Dickins, WME’s global head of contemporary music and touring, and Becky Gardenhire, co-head of WME’s Nashville office. “We are so proud of the leadership and ingenuity each of these individuals has demonstrated, and we look forward to what they will achieve.”

Finally, The Music Network reports that AEG-owned ticketing company AXS has hired Andrew Travis to run its new Australia and New Zealand JV with Frontier Touring. Travis is a former CEO of Australian rules football club Gold Coast Suns, and was most recently COO of Melbourne & Olympic Parks, home to Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park, John Cain Arena and Margaret Court Arena.

“I am delighted to be joining the team at AXS and to have been given the opportunity to lead this exciting expansion into the Australia and NZ market,” says Travis. “I look forward to super serving venues to optimise their ticketing operations and drive improved customer outcomes and satisfaction.”

“We are thrilled to have Andrew lead AXS’ entry into the vibrant Australian and New Zealand live event market,” adds AXS CEO Bryan Perez. “His extensive experience as an industry leader in sports and entertainment venues gives him a keen insight into their goals and ambitions and the challenges they’ve had realising them. He is the right person to help AXS address those challenges in a new and innovative way to the benefit of fans, artists and team throughout the region.”

 


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AEG Presents names Rick Johnson SVP, ticketing

AEG Presents has announced the appointment of Rick Johnson as senior vice president of ticketing and revenue, having frequently advised ticketing outlet AXS.

Based in Los Angeles, Johnson will be responsible for overseeing the department under the company’s global touring division and will report to president of global touring and talent Gary Gersh.

“I have long admired the team at AEG Presents and thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with them across countless tours over the years,” says Johnson. “I couldn’t be more excited to join Gary and the global touring team to drive world-class service and results for their incredible roster of artists.”

“He has the experience of building pricing and revenue products from the ground up”

“Rick brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to the team,” comments Gersh. “He has the experience of building pricing and revenue products from the ground up and seeing them all the way through to implementation. I’m so excited to welcome him to the company in this critical role.”

Johnson began his career in consulting, spending 10 years at both PwC and McKinsey & Company. In 2010, he pivoted to live music when he joined Ticketmaster as director of strategy, where he co-founded their dynamic pricing business unit Pricemaster.

His track record in the ticketing and pricing industry saw him teaming up with some of the biggest names in live music and sports to help drive ticket sales and generate incremental revenue.

 


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AXS to launch in Australia

AEG-owned ticketing company AXS is opening an Australian office early in the new year, backed by Frontier Touring.

The firm will reportedly launch the operation next month, promising to shake up a domestic market currently dominated by Live Nation’s Ticketmaster and TEG’s Ticketek.

“We feel like there’s an opportunity for a third major player to come in, but we don’t want to just come in and do business the same old way,” US-based AXS CEO Bryan Perez tells The Australian.

“We think that there’s a new and better business model out there, where ticketing may be a little bit more non-exclusive and open.”

AEG announced a strategic JV with Australasia’s Frontier Touring in 2019, which saw the two companies merge their operations in Australia and New Zealand.

“We think the time is right to help AXS come into Australia and, if nothing else, shake it up”

“We’ve been frustrated by the ticketing landscape for probably five or six years,” adds Frontier CEO Dion Brant. “We think the time is right to help AXS come into Australia and, if nothing else, shake it up.”

LA-headquartered AXS is the official ticketing partner for over 350 premier venues, sports teams, event organisers around the world. It has additional offices in the US in Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas and Denver, alongside European bases in London and Sweden.

AEG took full control of AXS from co-owners TPG Capital and Rockbridge Growth Equity in 2019 and rolled out its resale solution in the UK in April of the same year. It has been the official resale ticketing partner for AEG in North America since 2018.

 


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