Ex-Ticketscript chief to lead SeatGeek’s primary biz

SeatGeek has hired Charlie Sefi as managing director, EMEA entertainment, for its SeatGeek Enterprise primary ticketing platform.

Working out of US-based SeatGeek’s London office, Sefi will oversee the sales, implementation and support teams for SeatGeek Enterprises’s UK and European entertainment clients.

Sefi joins SeatGeek from online restaurant reservation start-up Resy, which was recently acquired by American Express. Prior to joining Resy, he was Ticketscript’s managing director in the UK and Ireland, leaving shortly after the company’s 2017 acquisition by Eventbrite, and was also a founding director of last-minute event discovery service YPlan, which was bought by Time Out in late 2016.

“We’re thrilled to have Charlie join us in London to continue the momentum the team has worked so hard to build,” comments James McClure, SeatGeek’s GM, international, who joined the company from Airbnb last summer. “Our team is investing into UK entertainment as there is a lot of room for us to thrive. Charlie’s experience across high-growth SaaS [software-as-a-service], ticketing and consumer start-ups makes him uniquely qualified to take on this position.”

“Our team is investing into UK entertainment as there is a lot of room for us to thrive”

SeatGeek, formerly a secondary ticketing platform, entered the primary market in summer 2016 via a strategic partnership with software company TopTix. Its first primary client was Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest-level football league in the US.

The company later acquired TopTix and its SRO⁴ box-office solution outright, and now counts venues including the Concertgebouw (1,974-cap.) in Amsterdam, the Theatre Royal (847-cap.) in York and several West End theatres, including the English National Opera at London Coliseum (2,359-cap.) – and sporting organisations such as the Dallas Cowboys, Royal Dutch Football Association, Sporting Kansas City, Leicester City FC, Los Angeles FC and Premier League champions Manchester City FC – among its SeatGeek Enterprise clients.

It opened an Italian office just before Christmas 2018.

“This is an exciting time for SeatGeek and the industry and I’m happy to be part of this team,” says Charlie Sefi, commenting on his appointment. “We see an opportunity to improve the ticketing experience in the entertainment space for both consumers and clients. The SeatGeek Enterprise team has grown successfully so quickly with clients that love the product and team.

“I’m happy to be part of the next chapter as we continue to expand the business globally.”

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SeatGeek enters Italian market with SeatGeek Italia

New York-based ticket seller SeatGeek has grown its European presence by adding an Italian office to its existing operations in the US, Britain, Israel and the Netherlands.

A new live events-focused company, Ivrea-based SeatGeek Italia, will offer SeatGeek’s “best-in-class user experience” to venues and sports teams, according to the company, including tools for dynamic pricing and customer relationship management (CRM).

“Italy has one of the most vibrant arts scenes in the world, as well as some of the top sports leagues,” says Matteo Tradardi, SeatGeek Italia’s managing director of SeatGeek Italia. “With SeatGeek’s increased focus on the Italian market, we are excited to help more fans attend the live events they love.”

As part of the launch of SeatGeek Italia, SeatGeek has taken full ownership of TopTix Ribes, after acquiring parent company TopTix last year. TopTix Ribes’ client base includes the Franco Parenti Theatre in Milan and Comunale di Vicenza Theatre in Vicenza, and SeatGeek hopes to add more venues, as well as major Italian sports teams, in future.

SeatGeek, formerly a secondary ticketing platform, entered the primary market in summer 2016 via a strategic partnership with software company TopTix. Its first primary client was Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest-level football league in the US.

“By investing more in Italy we’ll be able to help venues across the country attract more fans”

The company later acquired TopTix and its SRO⁴ box-office solution outright, and now counts venues including the Concertgebouw (1,974-cap.) in Amsterdam, the Theatre Royal (847-cap.) in York and several West End theatres, including the English National Opera at London Coliseum (2,359-cap.) – and sporting organisations such as the Dallas Cowboys, Royal Dutch Football Association, Sporting Kansas City, Leicester City FC, Los Angeles FC and, most recently, Manchester City FC – among its primary market (SeatGeek Enterprise) clients.

It hired its first international GM, James McClure, in July.

Commenting on the launch of SeatGeek Italia, SeatGeek CEO and co-founder Jack Groetzinger says: “SeatGeek has the most powerful technology in live entertainment. By investing more in Italy we’ll be able to help venues across the country attract more fans.

“We see the Italian market as a huge growth opportunity, as we continue to see momentum in SeatGeek’s other markets.”

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SeatGeek expands with Man City, SeatGeek Stadium deals

SeatGeek’s primary ticketing ambitions have taken a major step forward with a new multi-year deal with Manchester City FC, one of the world’s most famous association football clubs.

The partnership, the terms of which were not disclosed, sees New York-based SeatGeek become Manchester City’s official ticketing partner as of the 2018–19 season, with the club using its SeatGeek Enterprise primary ticketing platform to provide its supporters with a “best-in-class buying experience”.

SeatGeek – until mid-2016 a strictly secondary ticketing platform – entered the primary market that summer via a strategic partnership with software company TopTix. Its first primary client was Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest-level football league in the US.

It later acquired TopTix and its SRO⁴ solution outright, and now counts venues including the Concergebouw (1,974-cap.) in Amsterdam, the Theatre Royal (847-cap.) in York and the English National Opera at London Coliseum (2,359-cap.) and sporting organisations the Dallas Cowboys, Royal Dutch Football Association, Sporting Kansas City, Leicester City FC and Los Angeles FC among its SeatGeek Enterprise clients.

“Chicago is an incredible city for live events, and we look forward to welcoming locals and visitors to SeatGeek Stadium”

Manchester City has the fifth-highest revenue in international football, at €527.7 million (US$644.5m) in 2016–17, and won the English premiership in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

A day before the Manchester City deal, the company additionally announced it is to take over naming rights on the 28,000-capacity Toyota Park football stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, which is to be renamed SeatGeek Stadium.

SeatGeek says it will work to bring the stadium – home to football (soccer) teams Chicago Fire Soccer Club and Chicago Red Stars – more live events, including “premier concerts, music festivals and international sporting events”, alongside Bridgeview and venue manager Spectra.

The new name will kick in follow Chicago Fire’s final home match in the 2018 season.

“Chicago is an incredible city for live events, and we look forward to welcoming locals and visitors to SeatGeek Stadium,” says SeatGeek co-founder Russ D’Souza.

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