Ticketmaster launches global Livestream product
Following the success of livestream campaigns with Niall Horan and Dua Lipa, Ticketmaster has combined its international artist services and US music teams to create a new global music team overseeing the launch of its Ticketmaster Livestream service worldwide.
The platform, which launched in 2020, has sold tickets for some of the biggest live streams to date, including Dua Lipa’s Studio 2054 and Niall Horan live from the Royal Albert Hall (125,000 tickets), as well as virtual shows by RBD, Megan thee Stallion, Mika, Glass Animals, Biffy Clyro and Dermot Kennedy.
David Marcus, the former head of Ticketmaster’s North American music division, will head up the global music team as executive vice-president of global music, working closely with UK-based Sam Isles, Ticketmaster senior vice-president of artist services.
“The live experience is the ultimate moment of connection between an artist and fan, and it’s our job to power these moments,” comments Marcus.
“The beauty of virtual shows is that we’re seeing global viewing – performances in London or LA are selling tickets to fans in NZ, Spain or Singapore”
“Now with this expansion, our offering is a global one-stop-shop run by a global team with local expertise. Our mission is to work with artists to make it as easy as possible for fans to experience the live music they love.”
Available in ten languages and 135 currencies, Ticketmaster Livestream has already sold tickets for virtual events to fans in more than 180 countries. The “platform-agnostic” service is compatible with any streaming service of the artist’s choice.
“Our technology quickly pivoted to selling streaming tickets at scale, and the acceleration in artists going virtual to engage has been remarkable,” continues Marcus. “So, too, is the readiness of fans to pay to access their favourite artists in this way.
“The beauty of virtual shows is that we’re seeing global viewing – performances in London or LA are selling tickets to fans in New Zealand, Spain or Singapore, [and] it’s revolutionising the way artists can connect. Nothing will replace the live experience, but this represents a new form of entertainment with its own rewards, and it’s definitely something that will remain for years to come.”
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Ticketmaster launches NA music division
David Marcus has rejoined Ticketmaster to oversee a newly formed music division in North America.
Marcus was the company’s senior vice-president of music from 2005 to 2008, where he headed up a team responsible for introducing several of Ticketmaster’s now-standard ticketing products, including fan-club presales, dynamically priced (Platinum) tickets and VIP packages. He rejoins TM from ScoreBig, the secondary ticketing site that filed for bankruptcy last September.
As executive vice-president, head of music, he will manage a single music division incorporating ticketing for venues and promoters; OnTour, TM’s artist services operation; and TicketWeb, a platform designed for smaller, club venues. He will report directly to Ticketmaster North America president Jared Smith.
“This new division will better position Ticketmaster to leverage our unique assets against the specific needs of the music ecosystem”
“This new division will better position Ticketmaster to leverage our unique assets against the specific needs of the music ecosystem,” says Smith. “We’re building a team here that can help an artist and the first set of clubs they play in and grow with them all the way to theatres, arenas and stadiums.
“We believe David’s successful history of working with artists, fans, and technology gives him the ability to guide our investments to ensure we provide the most comprehensive solutions for all the various players in the live music lifecycle.”
Marcus adds: “I couldn’t be more excited to rejoin Ticketmaster. I’ve spent my entire career developing products and businesses that connect fans more closely with the artists they love, and I’m passionate about the opportunity to continue that work here. We’re going to redefine the ticketbuying experience in a way that makes it more rewarding to be a fan, helps artists build bigger and more dynamic touring careers and ensures that our client venues and promoters have cutting-edge tools and technology to generate outsized returns on their live events.”
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