Ticketmaster trials NFT-gated pre-sale

Ticketmaster is partnering with metal band Avenged Sevenfold to offer fans NFT-gated pre-sale tickets to the band’s tour.

The trial will reportedly enable NFT holders from the band’s fan club — Death Bats Club — to integrate their crypto wallet with Ticketmaster in order to get priority access to tickets and reserved seating with no queues.

Singer Matt Sanders, an early advocate for NFTs and Web3, said on Twitter the NFT-gating would ensure “fans get the best tickets at the best prices without bots, scalpers and long wait times”.

Fans have already used the feature to purchase tickets for events at New York’s Madison Square Garden and The Forum in Los Angeles ahead of the general public. Now the initiative will go live for the rest of the dates available on Ticketmaster.

The band launched the Death Bats Club in 2021 — a collection of 10,000 NFTs with unique visual traits that unlock real-life perks such as care packages, meet-and-greet opportunities, and now early-access ticketing.

NFT-gating would ensure “fans get the best tickets at the best prices without bots, scalpers and long wait times”

“Ticketmaster has already issued more than 5 million NFTs as commemorative tokens for major events including the Super Bowl, but this is the first token-gated integration for purchasing tickets directly. Currently it is a pilot program but may roll out to more artists based on demand,” David Marcus, Ticketmaster’s executive VP of global music, told Billboard.

“Avenged Sevenfold used the capability to offer first access to tickets, but there are a variety of ways it can be used by artists in the future. From unlocking premier seats to special experiences like sitting in on soundcheck.

“Token-gated ticket sales are available as part of our expanding Web3 services and other features that help artists set their own terms on how tickets get to fans. Any artist who is minting their own NFTs or partnering with another independent community can explore with token-gated ticketing now.”

Ticketmaster’s token-gated sales are currently compatible with tokens minted on Ethereum and stored in dapp wallets, such as MetaMask or Coinbase.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.