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How to sell tickets in the sport industry
This is an excerpt from Sales and Revenue Generation in Sport Business 2nd Edition by David J. Shonk,James F. Weiner.
Future of Ticket Sales for Revenue Generation
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a ton of information, structure, and examples of how to sell tickets in the sport industry. But the sport industry is always changing, and nobody knows what the next big trend will be. As the industry changes, products will change, customer behavior will change, and even the product itself (the game) may change. The best salespeople will be the ones who can adapt and apply the basics using new information and strategies. As we look forward into the next era of ticket sales, several trends are becoming more popular, and sales representatives should monitor them closely.
Seamlessly Integrated Technology in Ticketing
Technology has been a big part of ticketing for decades, however the degree to which technology has been integrated into ticket sales has expanded even more since the COVID-19 pandemic. The key to this integration is that it feels seamless, and not gimmick-y. Fans tend to know when they are being marketed to, and anything that feels like spam is going to be received negatively. Some examples of ways that technology has assisted the sales team without feeling burdensome includes the emergency of personalized upgrade paths. Even something as simple as a push notification which reads “Hurry! Limited upgrades available in the section below you for $25!” can be an easy upsell. Sales representatives can also use technology to predict more specific behaviors, and tailor their upgrade pitch to that benefit.
Sales representative: Hey James! I have a special offer I wanted to send along. It seems like you usually enjoy a Bud Light in between the second and third period of our games. This new promotion allows me to credit you for that Bud Light, at that time, every game when you upgrade to the season membership! For the rest of the year, your same drinks could be on us!
Dynamic Pricing
A trend that has recently become more prominent has been to include elements of dynamic pricing into ticket operations. Dynamic pricing is a pricing strategy that integrates some form of real-time demand. Traditionally, ticket prices have been sold using fixed pricing, which means that the price does not change over time. A ticket may go on sale for $50 at the beginning of the year when tens of thousands of them are available. As the event approaches, the ticket is still $50 regardless of how many are left. This strategy was used to encourage fans to purchase their tickets early. Dynamic pricing uses either manual adjustments or computer software to increase or decrease price according to the availability of the ticket. It is most often used for individual tickets in sport. A ticket may go on sale for $25 when tens of thousands of tickets are available but increase to over $100 when only a few hundred remain. Most sport organizations temper the effects of dynamic pricing by setting limits on how high or how low the ticket price can go, which prevents potential conflict. Teams with little demand could see a truly dynamic model drop their price to the point where it undermines season ticketholders. Likewise, customers may become frustrated when they are buying official tickets from a primary market for several times what other fans paid.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Sport Sales
One new trend to the sports landscape is the application of AR and VR into the gameday experiences. Watching events in VR has existed before, but the rapid advancement in technology has led to VR being a viable tool for ticket sales professionals. NBA teams such as the Golden State Warriors have begun broadcasting their games in VR, and market this opportunity to their season members. Likewise, VR has allowed for a “try before you buy” opportunity which could allow potential customers to evaluate their viewing experience without actually being in the stadium. This is especially useful in scenarios where the stadium may not have been constructed yet. These sorts of programs are still in their infancy, but should be monitored closely as they become more and more common in the ticketing landscapes.
What Do Sales Managers Want in a Ticket Sales Employee?
As we mentioned, ticket sales are the most common entry-level sales job in the sport industry. Chapter 2 gave you a framework about how to sell anything using the PRO method, and this chapter showed you how to apply the PRO method to ticket sales. But the missing link between being educated on sales techniques and getting a job is the skills that the employer wants. What do they want to see? According to a study by Pierce and colleagues (2012), the most transferable (not specific to ticket sales) skills that appeared in ticket sales job postings were communication skills, work ethic, computer skills, and ability to withstand long hours. Obviously, a ticket sales professional needs to be resilient. Combining transferable skills with a good working knowledge of sales strategies provides the best chance of success for a professional looking to work in ticket sales.
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