AudienceView, long a leader in e-commerce software powering events, has acquired Vendini, a leading ticketing and box office management company. The acquisition, which came on terms that have not been disclosed at this time, brings together a combined $3 billion in annual transactions between the two companies, which serve 8,000 venues globally issuing an estimated 100 million tickets every year. AudienceView, based in Ontario, announced the transaction via press release on Wednesday afternoon . The company has been growing through acquisition in recent years, adding Vendini to its holdings following its purchase of OvationTix, TheaterMania and WhatsOnStage in 2017 . “With AudienceView, OvationTix, TheaterMania and WhatsOnStage, we have been able to help live events organizations successfully achieve their individual missions and business goals by increasing revenue, enabling efficiencies, engaging audiences and attracting new attendees for our customers,” said Mark Fowlie, CEO of AudienceView in the release. “Vendini has successfully built a similarly unique value proposition. Our ability to bring these innovative solutions together will provide a significant boost in value through incremental offerings for providers of all types of live entertainment.” Vendini has also grown through acquisition through its life prior to its being acquired this week. According to Billboard , Vendini bought in Ticketing in 2014 and Boxxo in September of last year. Its largest acquisition was its purchase of Crowdtorch and subsidiaries LaughStub, ElectroStub and TuneStub back in 2015. The combined companies will continue to offer its enterprise SAAS systems for large-scale customers while offering easy software solutions combining ticketing, fundraising, CRM, marketing and logistics throughout the market. Consumer brands in place will “act as event discovery and distribution tools to help increase ticket sales,” per the release. “I’m thrilled this combination will allow us to continue to grow in our key markets, provide additional strategic support to existing clients and ensure their success over the long term,” said Mark Tacchi, founder and CEO of Vendini. “The opportunity was too unique and powerful to pass up.” AQ Technology Partners and Perkins Coie LLP served as transaction advisers to AudienceView.  Canaccord Genuity and Hanson Bridgett LLP served as transaction advisers to Vendini. The post AudienceView Acquires Vendini, Pair Serve Some 8,000 Venues appeared first on TicketNews .

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Whitney Houston was an iconic soul and R&B singer in the music industry and was named as one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Now, fans will get the chance to see the late artist as her hologram heads out on a tour next year via BASE Hologram. The tour, dubbed “An Evening With Whitney,” will visit audiences in early 2020 and will include master recordings of the late singer, as well as a live band and backup singers to perform on stage with the hologram. Fans are likely to hear Whitney’s hits like “Saving All My Love For You,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” BASE Hologram has partnered with Whitney’s estate, and sister-in-law Pat Houston, to bring the idea to fruition. Brian Becker, BASE Hologram CEO, told Billboard that Pat and the estate are “side by side with us” during each step of the process. “We’re in the studio now on the set shooting,” Becker said. “It’s very important for us to have their input. They take this responsibility very seriously, as do we. It’s great to collaborate with them.” Pat explained in a press release that Whitney adored her fans and she would have “loved this holographic theatrical concept.” “An event at this level is something special, and BASE Hologram’s track record to be fully authentic and respectful made them the perfect partner. This upcoming tour will allow audiences to experience Whitney’s amazing voice and passion for music for a long time to come and help them share that magic with future generations.” The music video director and choreographer Fatima Robinson will act as the creative director for Houston’s tour; previously, Robinson has worked with big-name artists like Michael Jackson, The Black Eyes Peas, and Mary J. Blige. Becker said that the shows take between nine to 12 months to put together, and he’s been working with Pat and Robinson for a while. It’s important that the show is authentic and interpretive, while also being respectful and celebratory, Becker explained, noting that “it’s good to have a couple sets of eyes to make sure you’re doing that within the context of what represents the artist best.” BASE Hologram received harsh criticism late last year after announcing a three-year hologram tour to commemorate Amy Winehouse. Amy’s father Mitch shared the news, writing that it was a “dream for us” to be able to see his daughter perform again, even as a hologram. However, her fans took a negative approach to the tour, expressing how Amy would have hated something like this. While the tour was supposed to kick-off in 2019, it has been halted due to “some unique challenges and sensitivities.” “An Evening With Whitney” is the latest hologram tour to be announced — next year, holograms of Roy Orbinson, Buddy Holly , and Maria Callas will cross the country. The post Whitney Houston’s Hologram To Head On Tour In 2020 appeared first on TicketNews .

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The revival of The Rose Tattoo will head to Broadway this fall, starring the Academy Award-winning actress Marisa Tomei. The play was first staged by the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2016 with direction by Trip Cullman and featuring Tomei. Now, the nonprofit Roundabout Theatre Company announced that The Rose Tattoo will begin previews at New York City’s American Airlines Theatre on September 19 and officially open on October 15 for a limited engagement through December 8. The Rose Tattoo revolves around a seamstress who is trying to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. Tomei is set to play Serafina, who Roundabout describes as the widow who “rekindles her desire for love, lust and life in the arms of a fiery suitor.” The play first ran on Broadway in 1951, and then again in 1966, starring Maureen Stapleton both times. Mercedes Ruehl took on the role when it was revived again in 1995. Tomei, best-known for her performance in the 1992 film “My Cousin Vinny” – where she took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress – has performed on Broadway in four other productions. She was last seen on-stage during the 2014 play The Realistic Joneses and 2017’s How to Transcend a Happy Marriage. Additionally, she will appear in the ABC   special “All in the Family” on Wednesday. The remaining cast members and design team for The Rose Tattoo has not been announced at this time. Photo Courtesy : Daniel Rader/Williamstown Theatre Festival The post Marisa Tomei Will Star In Broadway’s Revival of ‘The Rose Tattoo’ appeared first on TicketNews .

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TicketReturn has partnered with the Colorado Rockies’ Double-A affiliate baseball team the Hartford Yard Goats for the second consecutive year to offer complimentary tickets to veterans. Through the “TicketReturn Salutes The Troops” program, veterans within the Hartford area will receive free tickets to home games at the Dunkin’ Donuts Park throughout the month of May. The Yard Goats are working with several groups in and around the Hartford area to distribute the tickets. Following Memorial Day, veterans will be able to attend Yard Goats games versus Portland on May 28, 29, and 30. The Yard Goats’ Assistant General Manager of Sales, Josh Montinieri, explained how the team is excited to welcome local veterans to the park once again. “We’re proud to stand with TicketReturn and show a commitment to those who serve and those who have served,” Montinieri said in a press release. “It’ll be an honor to provide veterans with the opportunity to come and enjoy a Yard Goats game.” TicketReturn, a Charlotte-based company, is the leading provider of Minor League Baseball tickets in the U.S. and Canada. They offer ticketing innovations like event marketing, access control, attendance reporting, and accounting and fundraising features for sports and entertainment venues across the country. Christie Hussey, the vice president of sales and marketing for TicketReturn, noted that the company is proud to partner with the team and make their partnership a success. “It brings us all great pride to deliver an opportunity for active and former military members to spend time with their families, support their community and create memories,” she said. Next month, the Yard Goats will kick-off June with six home games in a row from June 4 through 9, competing against Trenton and Binghampton before taking on Akron, Bowie, and Altoona later in the month. Photo : Dunkin’ Donuts Park via user Waz8 on Wikimedia Commons The post TicketReturn Partners With Hartford Yard Goats To Offer Free Tickets For Vets appeared first on TicketNews .

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Country/folk singer Tyler Childers and indie artist Weyes Blood are among musicians releasing tickets to live shows on Thursday. General sale tickets to Childers’ Country Squire tour will be up for sale tomorrow, as well as presale tickets to Weyes Blood’s extended Titanic Rising outing. Comedian Jo Koy’s Just Kidding tour will have general sale tickets up-for-grabs; Koy’s tour includes a stop at the Neal S Blaisdell Arena in Hawaii, where he’s performed 15 sold-out shows over the last two years. Other artists releasing tickets tomorrow include indie’s O h Land, rocker Matt Maeson, EDM artist Gryffin, pop singer Tessa Violet and alternative band Don Broco, as well as Two Door Cinema Club, Tessa Violet, Gryffin, Kindo, and Acid King. The family-friendly show Monster Jam and the 2019 NHL Draft presented by adidas will also release a batch of tickets on Thursday. *Sale information is subject to change and presented for informational purposes. Presales may require access passwords to purchase. As always, it is best to contact the venue or ticket retailer to confirm any and all details before purchase. Seller Key:  TMUSA:  ticketmaster.com ; LIVN:  livenation.com ; AXS:  axs.com ; ETIX:  etix.com ; TFLY:  ticketfly.com ; FGATE:  frontgatetickets.com ; TCOM:  tickets.com ; TWEB:  ticketweb.com. Tickets On Sale — Thursday May 22, 2019 Presale   General Onsale   The post Tyler Childers, Weyes Blood Lead Thursday Tickets On Sale appeared first on TicketNews .

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TodayTix, a moble-first ticketing platform offering tickets to shows in select markets sourced through partnerships with theatrical producers and resale , announced a major investment of $73 million from Great Hill Partners, bringing the company’s total outside investment to over $100 million since its launch in 2013. Chief executive and co-founder Brian Fenty told Broadway News that the funds will be used to buy out previous investors as well as invest in expansion to new markets and “talent, technology and product.” “Much of this innovation and investment is around personalization and discovery, to give consumers access to premium content and more tailored experiences,” he wrote in an email to the publication. “For partners, there’s a tremendous push to build better analytics and insights, driving more thoughtful connections between audience and producer.” Currently, TodayTix is available in 15 markets, which include its core in New York – where it holds a ticket resale license – London, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Australia among others. Beyond expansion, the company’s future plans appear to be focused on exploiting its access to consumer data through its mobile platform to provide more data to producer partners in order to better profile and market to them. “Our partners need access to data, tools, and insight to elevate the impact of each production and deepen relationships with customers,” Fenty told AlleyWatch . “We want to be the media company that facilitates the information and connections by utilizing our proprietary data-driven audience feedback to offer new shows, arts, and cultural experiences and double-down on expanding its technologies in discovery and personalization for both consumers and partners.” Great Hill Partners has active investment in a number of other e-commerce operations, including Custom Ink and Bombas, but TodayTix appears to be its lone investment specific to the event ticketing space, based on a perusal of its active investments page on greathillpartners.com . “TodayTix is rapidly changing the way millennials and other consumers connect with live cultural experiences,” Great Hill Managing Partner Michael Kumin said in a statement published as part of a TechCrunch story on the investment . “We look forward to working with Brian, [co-founder] Merritt [Baer] and their talented management team to expand the company’s product and service offerings and accelerate its push into new geographies.” The post TodayTix Announces $73M Investment from Great Hill Partners appeared first on TicketNews .

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Following backlash from supporters over the proportions of seats available during the Champions League and Europa League finals, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced its ticketing plan for the Euro 2020 tournament next summer with fans in mind. The new ticketing plan guarantees that 82 percent of tickets will be allotted for fans and general public, and one million tickets will be priced at €50. According to UEFA , a total of 40,000 tickets under €100 will be available during the semi-finals and a final match in London, however, a ticket in category one for the final at Wembley will cost €945. Ticket sales will take place between three phases. During the first phase, set to run from June 12 to July 12, 1.5 million tickets will be up-for-grabs. For certain matches and categories with high demand, tickets will be allocated by a ballot, and fans have the opportunity to apply for the ballot anytime during this time span with the same chance of being chosen. The second phase will take place in December after the finals draw has taken place, and the third phase will begin in April 2020 after the final four teams have been chosen for the play-offs. This new ticketing policy comes after fan groups complained about the “measly allocation from UEFA” and travel difficulties for the Europa and Champions League Finals. The Europa League Final, taking place in Baku, is 2,468 miles from London, and each team was only allotted 6,000 tickets in the 70,000-seat stadium. The Euro 2020 will feature 44 matches in 12 different cities across Europe including Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, and Saint Petersburg. During the month-long event, set to run from June 12 to July 12, 2020, 24 finalists will compete. The post UEFA Reveals ‘Fans First’ Ticketing Plan For Euro 2020 appeared first on TicketNews .

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Tao of Sports and Ticket Galaxy have announced a unique learning opportunity for those in the sports sales industry, set for July 8 at The Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip. Sports Sales Summit 2019 promises opportunities for account executives to invest in their craft and teams to invest in their account executives for better returns. “The 2019 Sports Sales Summit was created by working sports business professionals, with the goal of enhancing every attendee’s ability to move tickets, grow their personal brand, and increase their engagement with working professionals in the field today,” reads the event website. “The goal is to help every working sports sales attendee develop the skills necessary to refocus and enhance their efforts with a 1-day, no-nonsense training seminar. Each attendee will be fully immersed in techniques for group sales, digital branding & sales, as well as leadership components to ensure a winning career strategy.” Prices for the event, which runs from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., start at $250 for a single general admission pass, with discounted passes available for teams of five at $500 total and an even deeper-discounted $1,000 pass for a team of up to 15. Featured speakers include Troy Kirby (the Tao of Sports), Kathy Burrows (Sold Out Seating), Liz Menne (Data Analytics, Auburn University), Pete Stringer (Digital Marketing, formerly of the Boston Celtics and UFC), Amy Scheer (Consultant, Madison Square Garden), and Bill Makris (VP Ticket Sales, Arizona Coyotes). Sessions – 2019 Sports Sales Summit Creating Pipelines and Qualifying Sales reps will understand pipelines vs prospects, growing them to close, and how to keep refiling. It will also give the rep the opportunity to qualify someone from their pipeline quickly).</p> <p>Upon finishing this session, the reps will return and know how to spend an hour of their day prospecting smartly and creating 2 power hour lists for success each night before leaving, find ‘who’ are our people, ‘where’ are our people, ‘who’ are people like them and ‘who wants ‘ our people, and, once placing a prospect into their pipeline be able to move them up the 4 steps to close. The Dating Game: Creating a Conversation Sales reps will learn to interact in a conversational way, evoke emotions while finding needs. Upon finishing this session, reps will return to their team and instantly start utilizing engaging conversations, know how to get the emotions involved, ask relationship based questions, use transitional statements, begin using the art of silence, and make their recommendation based on a quality conversation. Reps will also know how to brand themselves and utilize social media to move areas of sales forward. Planning a Winning Strategy The sales rep will be able to create and understand the strategic process. They will be able to put together a quarterly strategy to achieve their goals and design structure to their day.</p> <p>Upon completion, reps will return to their team and be able to create a process for success. They will formulate timelines of sales coming in, know how and when to move some sales up, and will create quarterly plans for success. Specific Sales Area The sales rep will understand and create touchpoints to keep their members engaged and retention up; they will be able to supersize groups and know the steps to supersizing; and will be able to develop nonprofits in ways other than just fundraising tickets.) Upon completion, the reps will return to the team with a solid plan for touchpoints both in and out of season, return with a few potential groups for supersizing along with the strategy to do so, and will know how to run a nonprofit workshop to help create a true partnership where both the team and the nonprofit wins. Find more information about the 2019 Sports Sales Summit and purchase passes at https://sportssalessummit.com/ The post One-Day Sports Sales Summit 2019 Set for Las Vegas on July 8 appeared first on TicketNews .

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The San Francisco-based Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival has announced its lineup of performers. The festival begins August 9 at Golden Gate Park and runs through August 11. Soul, hip-hop, rhythm and blues, pop-rock, classics and more will be represented at the three-day festival . Outside Lands will kick-off on Friday with a lineup featuring pop-rock acts Twenty-One Pilots and the Lumineers, followed by punk-rock band blink-182 and hip-hop heavyweight Lil Wayne. Multi-hyphenate actor, rapper, and writer Childish Gambino will headline Saturday’s lineup, along with Australian record producer and DJ Flume and “Take Me to Church” indie-rock singer Hozier. Up-and-comer Tierra Whack, who recently gained attention for her single “Unemployed,” will also perform among Saturday’s acts; Whack recently released an album to critical acclaim. On Sunday, California native Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, the legendary rocker Paul Simon, and Norwegian DJ Kygo all make for a notable lineup. Denzel Curry, known for blending trap, punk and hip-hop, will also be featured on Sunday’s performances, along with soul artist Leon Bridges, country’s Kasey Musgraves, and R&B Gospel singer Mavis Staples. More than 70 artists are slated to perform throughout the event. Check out the full day-by-day lineup poster below. Visit Ticket Club to find single-day and three-day passes to this year’s Outside Lands festival The post Outside Lands 2019 Announces Star-Studded Lineup appeared first on TicketNews .

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Rapper Cardi B was forced to reschedule two shows in upstate New York this coming weekend because of “circumstances out of her control.” Now, she has called-off the other concerts this month, and sources told TMZ it’s because she needs time to recover from plastic surgery. She was slated to perform tonight at the El Paso Country Coliseum in Texas and at Baltimore’s 92Q Spring Bling Festival this Friday, May 24 as a part of her brief U.S. tour. “Cardi was overzealous in getting back to work,” her publicist told Page Six . “She didn’t take the time necessary to fully recover. Her strenuous schedule has taken a toll on her body and now has been given strict doctors orders to pull out the rest of her performances in May.” While the singer seems to be okay – since she performed at Rolling Out Loud Miami in Fort Lauderdale earlier this month – she told a crowd at a show in Memphis that she shouldn’t really be performing since she received liposuction after giving birth. She also told Entertainment Tonight that she received another breast augmentation and doesn’t always feel her best. She will make-up both shows in September. These rescheduled gigs follow the news of her postponed upstate New York shows in Syracuse and Saratoga Springs, which are set to take place at the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview on September 7 and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on September 6, respectively. Tickets for the original shows will be honored at the new dates, and refunds are available through point of purchase. Cardi is set to resume shows in June. She is touring in support of her debut record, Invasion of Privacy , which dropped last year. Late last year, she released the single “Money,” and in February, she revealed the smash-hit track “Please Me” with Bruno Mars. Visit Ticket Club to find tickets to see Cardi B on tour this year   The post Cardi B Cancels Two More Shows To Recover From Plastic Surgery appeared first on TicketNews .