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Private Equity Eats the Ticket Business!

Hi!

Happy Holidays! 

Don’t miss “First Wednesdays with Dave” on January 3rd when we discuss getting 2024 off to a solid start. 

I’m sure we will hit on some strategy, branding, and marketing ideas. Plus, a Q&A.

To the Tickets!


Tim Chambers looks at the business of tickets and the PE model:

I love this kind of analysis because it always sparks something for me. 

Tim does a great job of laying out the situation and giving an explainer on the whole thing. 

A few things that pop to mind for me:

You often write to me when I share numbers, so I have a few more:

What does all of this mean for folks trying to sell tickets?

  • There has been a lot of calls for change in the industry:
    • As Tim points out, we’ve hit a point of monopsony: for talent, this means that they can’t shop their tours and events very widely.
      • This drives up prices on both sides. 
    • Without clarity in these calls for change are likely irrelevant. 

To help sell more tickets, a few lessons:

  • You need to reach a bigger audience.
  • Elevate the perception of value for your events.
    • People are still spending on special events like Taylor Swift, Beyonce, or ‘Hamilton’.
      • This doesn’t happen by chance, it is brand management. 
  • Don’t discount!
    • There is a cost of commodification that is even more pronounced now.
      • Your brand equity gets undermined.
      • The perception of your brand is eroded. 
      • The quality of your shows seems lower.
      • It costs you a ton of money. You lose 10%+ for every 1% you discount. 

Does this matter only to the people involved in technology?

No.

This idea matters to everyone.

Do you see any of this in your numbers? Are you even looking at your numbers right now?

Or, is there a different story that I am missing?

Let me know.

Reply to this email. 

DM me.

Or, chat with over 300 of us in the ‘Talking Tickets’ Slack Channel.

Dave!

PS. You’ve made it here…so I know you like the newsletter, give me a little holiday cheer by sharing this with one person that you know that would benefit from this kind of analysis. 

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