(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Ticketmaster and Boston University (BU) have signed of a multi-year contract to provide complete ticketing solutions for four university facilities: Agganis Arena at Boston University scheduled to open in January 2005, the Tsai Performance Center, Walter Brown Arena and the Case Center. As part of the agreement, Ticketmaster will sell and distribute single tickets to each of these venues, provide in-house software to handle season ticketing services and support customized marketing and customer relationship management solutions through Ticketmaster's complete VIP Suite of Product Solutions.
Highlighted in the agreement is the installation of Ticketmaster's Archtics ticketing platform, which supports the entry control system AccessManager. Allowing enabled venues to monitor entry traffic and validate tickets in real-time, AccessManager expedites replacement of lost tickets, eliminates wrong day event tickets and authenticates event admissions. With the implementation of AccessManager, fans and guests to BU facilities will also be able to log-on to www.ticketmaster.com and electronically purchase, download and print their event ticket(s) at the click of a mouse using ticketFast electronic delivery, providing a secure, easy-to-use service.
"By adopting Ticketmaster's full product suite, Boston University is embracing the future of online integrated ticketing and marketing solutions," said Michael Norton, general manager, Ticketmaster New England. "In fact, guests and fans alike will soon be able to avoid waiting in lines to pick-up event tickets by using ticketFast print-at-home delivery service. Our completely automated ticketing system helps facilities provide the level of customer service guests deserve, at every venue, for every event."
Further ticketing initiatives include the installation of the AccountManager product suite, to be installed at the Agganis Arena for Terrier basketball and hockey season ticket holders. AccountManager provides a richer season ticket experience by enabling subscribers to update account information, renew their subscriptions and forward tickets they are unable to use to family or friends electronically-even at the last minute. In addition, season ticket holders will be able to sell unused tickets through the Terriers ticketExchange, a safe, team-sanctioned online marketplace.
"Ticketmaster's guest-friendly, full-service ticketing and marketing system is really going to streamline box office and ticketing operations across the University, especially now that construction of the new 7,500 seat Agganis Arena is almost complete," said Peter Smokowski, assistant vice president, Office of the Executive Vice President, Boston University. "We are completely dedicated to improving the quality of guest services at each of our facilities — these new enhancements take ticketing and customer relationship management to a whole new level."
Located within Boston University's new $225 million John Hancock Student Village–a 10-acre hub of activity designed to be the thriving center of student life and athletics–Agganis Arena is a state-of-the-art, multipurpose sports and entertainment center scheduled to open in January. A 290,000-square-foot venue with 6,300 seats for hockey and ice shows, the Arena is expandable to over 7,500 seats for concerts, sporting events, and family shows. –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
