WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The National Basketball Association and Ticketmaster have launched a league-wide partnership naming Ticketmaster the "Official Ticketing Provider" and "Official Secondary Ticketing Provider" of the NBA. Through the groundbreaking multi-year agreement, Ticketmaster will provide its roster of NBA teams with a wide array of ticketing and ticket resale services.
The NBA is on track to set its all-time attendance record, and Ticketmaster will continue to work with the league and its teams to increase their ability to identify, target and segment fans through national and local sales, marketing programs, season ticketing services and customer relationship marketing programs.
The NBA-Ticketmaster partnership will assist the teams in their effort to secure additional means to attract and identify fans through TicketExchange, Ticketmaster's fan resale ticketing platform. This service allows fans, who purchase tickets through Ticketmaster and are unable to attend the game, to post their tickets for sale on the TicketExchange section of Ticketmaster.com. Season ticket holders of those NBA teams may post their tickets for resale through a dedicated section on the team's website.
"Fan resale of tickets has become ubiquitous and the NBA shares our position that every fan expects and deserves to have the right and the ability to resell their ticket to the extent permitted by law," said Sean Moriarty, president and CEO of Ticketmaster. "We're pleased that the NBA has selected us to provide this league-authorized service. The NBA has tremendous brand recognition across the country as well as the world, and they recognize that fans identify the brand to their event ticketing experience. This league-wide agreement encourages greater protection, choice and flexibility for fans and makes it easier and more cost effective for the league and its teams to connect with those fans directly."
"Ticketmaster is providing NBA teams with the most innovative ticketing services and products for reaching our fans," said Adam Silver, NBA deputy commissioner. "Working with Ticketmaster has set the NBA on a course to achieve record numbers of season ticket and attendance for the fourth consecutive year."
"Phoenix Suns fans know to go to Ticketmaster as the one stop shop for tickets to attend Suns games," explained John Walker, senior vice president, Business Development, Phoenix Suns and US Airways Center. "Whether fans are buying their tickets from us or from other fans through TicketExchange, at Ticketmaster they are assured a valid authentic ticket that they know will get them in to see the game. Our Box Office has also seen a significant reduction in reports of fraud. Suns fans have a team-authorized channel to buy and resell tickets through Ticketmaster, and we're very pleased to see the service rolling out across the entire league."
Ticketmaster provides primary ticket services, including single game ticket sales in advance and onsite, season ticketing, group ticketing, and online ticket auctions for 26 NBA teams. Additionally, TicketExchange, Ticketmaster's fan resale ticketing platform, is used by 16 of those teams including Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Seattle Supersonics, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Hornets, and Orlando Magic. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
