Masabi’s Post

I was recently interviewed by CNA Lifestyle for my insights on the ticketing industry in Singapore! The article highlights the growing trend of professional "queue-ers" who offer to buy concert tickets on behalf of fans, explaining the convenience and risks associated with such services . I shared my thoughts on how TixBite comes in as an alternative ticketing platform that prioritizes transparency, security, and fairness, providing a safe space for fans to buy and sell tickets. Check out the article to learn about the ticketing landscape in Singapore and more about using these services! #ticketingindustry #concerttickets #SingaporeEvents #TixBite #SafeTicketing #EventTech [https://lnkd.in/gZUTNzat]

The O2 is celebrating another stellar year of ticket sales, with over 2.5 million arena tickets sold in 2023 – a 9% increase from 2022. These strong sales have been supported by record-breaking figures across a broad range of genres at the venue this year – from comedy to country, and standout artist residencies with Elton John, Peter Kay, and Madonna which was by some margin my favourite show of the year.   On top of multiple award wins this year, the venue is celebrating a series of milestones including surpassing 30 million tickets being sold at the venue since 2007, and hosting its 3000th event earlier this week with the legendary Tom Jones. Once again we are the busiest arena in the world, ahead of MSG and many other wonderful venues and that is a record that all the team at The O2 should be very proud of. It's no mean feat to stay ahead of the competition year after year and continue to deliver a best in class experience. As I approach 10 years with AEG I am more excited than ever about the next few years ahead. The live events market is constantly evolving, so the opportunity to innovate is greater than ever before. The future looks extremely positive for our industry, with new bands breaking all the time and an incredible pipeline of talent coming through to complement existing artists capable of headlining arenas. On the supply side, at our end of the spectrum demand from fans is greater than ever before.   AEG are committed to investing in The O2 to ensure that we remain the market leading venue in the world, at a time when new venues are being built and landscape is ever evolving. Those investments over the coming years will touch every part of the venue from the artist areas and premium through to next generation fan experience and technology to ensure that we deliver on our core brand experience principles. In addition, we will continue to drive to net zero and ensure that we put sustainable practices at the heart of every decision.   I am surrounded by an incredible team of people, who I feel honoured to lead and I so incredibly humbled to work alongside. Over the next few years I am excited to see what more we can achieve together. #theo2 #teamwork #liveevents https://lnkd.in/ehMZMFUU

If you’re curious about dynamic pricing, here’s a brief explanation: Dynamic pricing, or surge or demand pricing, adjusts prices based on market conditions in real-time. It’s used in industries like airlines, hotels, and ride-sharing to optimize revenue. Recently, Ticketmaster’s use of dynamic pricing faced scrutiny due to issues with Oasis concerts. #DynamicPricing #SurgePricing #MarketDemand #Ticketmaster #OasisConcerts https://lnkd.in/gE8gndH9

Peppered CMS is breaking new ground! We've just integrated with ActiveTickets, expanding our partner ecosystem and boosting automation for museums, music venues, and arthouse cinemas. Why this matters: 🤝 Unified account management 🤖 Automated data syncing 🕓 Real-time event updates 🏊♀️ Seamless cross-platform management 🗣️ "This partnership allows us to serve an even broader range of cultural venues, helping them streamline operations and provide better experiences for patrons." - Coen V., CEO at CultureSuite Want to learn how this integration could revolutionise your venue's digital strategy? 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ek3uEE8G #DigitalSustainability #DigitalInnovation #ArtsAndCulture #Integration #ActiveTickets

Ticketmaster Faces Backlash Over Oasis Reunion Tour! The recent Oasis reunion tour ticket sales have ignited new outrage against Ticketmaster. Fans reported hours-long waits, constant error messages, and skyrocketing prices as they tried to secure tickets for U.K. shows. This comes on the heels of similar criticisms during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, where Ticketmaster and Live Nation faced a lawsuit over price hikes and competition issues. With the U.K. government now considering an investigation into "dynamic pricing," it’s clear that the ticketing industry is under the microscope. Many fans experienced the frustration of being stuck in endless queues or encountering errors once they reached the front. It’s evident that Ticketmaster's current system struggles under high demand, revealing a pressing need for a better solution. Join the conversation and share your experiences. What changes do you think are necessary in the ticketing world? Stay updated on the latest news and more by joining our newsletters and groups: For new job openings: [New Job Openings](https://lnkd.in/e9cPAiyM)   For motivational content: [Spark of Brilliance](https://lnkd.in/eXDcCJ3F)   For supply chain insights: [Supply Chain Management](https://lnkd.in/ewtdhtQf)   For CSWIP preparation: [CSWIP Prep Group](https://lnkd.in/eYB_Q7sS)   For trending news: [TrendPulse with Syed](https://lnkd.in/exBHU_eG) Share your thoughts below and follow our page for the latest updates! Source: Reuters, The Guardian #Ticketmaster #OasisTour #ConcertTickets #DynamicPricing #LiveNation #EventTicketing #CustomerExperience #TicketingIssues #ConcertFiasco #LiveEvents #MusicNews #Entertainment #TicketingProblems #FanFrustration #MusicIndustry #EventManagement #TicketSales #UKEvents #PriceHikes #MarketMonopoly #EventPlanning #TechInEvents #ConcertFans #TicketScalping #IndustryNews #TrendingNews #NewsUpdate #CustomerService #EventTicketing #MusicIndustryNews #TicketingReform #EventTicketProblems #EntertainmentNews #ConcertQueues #TicketingChallenges #DynamicPricingIssues #MusicFans #ConcertTicketing #NewsAlert #CustomerJourney #TicketingTech #EventMonopoly #IndustryInsights #EventTicketSales #LiveEventNews #TicketingUpdate #FanExperience #MusicEvents #EventIndustry

Live Nation is aggressively taking control of the festival market. In its latest move, it purchased Dreamland in Margate, a 15,000 cap amusement park turned live venue which is licensed to host up to 40 events per year. As venues struggle to stay open due to rising operating costs and the cost of living crisis, cash-rich live event operator Live Nation has space to take the advantage. Buy purchasing festival sites, it controls pricing, ticketing, event promotion and now the venue - deepening its power in the live events market. Live Nation owns Ticketmaster, which in October 2023 introduced surge ticket pricing. Surge pricing is where the price of a ticket increases according to demand - like budget airfares do but in this case more extremely. This means that fans will end up spending their already impacted entertainment budget in far fewer places. Buying up flagship venues and festivals, whilst also controlling how entertainment budgets are spent, is an audacious strategy. Independent live-event service providers will find it tough to survive in this marketplace. And there’s likely further acquisitions and market consolidation to come. If core small events and venues aren’t supported it will lead to fewer intimate gigs in venues and fewer spaces for new talent and seed musicians to emerge. #livemusic #festivals #musicindustry #musicindustrynews #livenation

The demand for #LiveMusic and the draw for #InPersonEvents continues to rise as Live Nation Entertainment shared that 2023 saw a 20% increase in concert attendance to the prior year and is pacing 6% ahead for 2024. I can't help but to think about how this relates to #Meetings, #Incentives and #Events. People want to experiences the endorphins that an in-person event can bring. They want to be inspired by the energy of a group of people coming together. They want to engage with others and use that interaction as a catalyst for more. More ideas, more creativity, more support, more knowledge. #Music connects people while generating positivity and excitement. Imagine the ROI you could have with your events when they are held at a #hotel that celebrates #music and offers you unique opportunities to make it a part of your agenda and drive attendance? I'd love to share more about how Hard Rock International can help you with your #MeetingsandEvents around the world. We create authentic experiences that rock! #BreakoutWithHardRock #AnythingButBeige #MeetingProfs #EventProfs #IncentiveProfs Hard Rock Global Sales

"TixSuite – a new subscription ticketing service launched in April by Eventfinda – has published its inaugural Ticketing Sentiment Report, chronicling the opinions of Australian concertgoers and their ticket-buying habits... So what drives most punters’ ire towards ticket pricing? According to TixSuite’s findings, it’s the “junk” fees tacked on by the aforementioned platforms after the cost of the ticket itself – many of which are added to the price without clearly defined purposes. Only 40 percent of respondents said they understand why vendors like Ticketmaster and Ticketek charge additional fees in the checkout process – and those that don’t would appreciate more clarification, with 72 percent saying they’d be more accepting of the fees if vendors were more transparent with the reasons for them." Read the full article below. #TixSuite #NoMorePerTicketFees #SaaSTicketing #AUEvents #AustralianEvents #EventsIndustry #Ticketing #TicketingSoftware #TicketingPlatform #TicketingSoftware

Everybody's talking about the upcoming Oasis concerts 🎸 and the ticket platform’s pricing practices. In fact, this isn’t really about dynamic pricing but rather about fair vs. unfair pricing. To use an obvious analogy, a hammer can be both a useful tool and a weapon, depending on how it’s used. The responsibility lies with the person holding the hammer. 🔨 Live entertainment, concerts, cultural events, and even most sporting events must ensure "accessibility" and "affordability" for fans, arguably the two most important criteria for proper pricing. Recently, the media announced that prices for Oasis standing tickets soared from £135 to £350, a 260% increase, with the help of dynamic pricing. However, we shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Dynamic pricing is just a tool, not the reason for such pricing strategies. It's merely a method with many adjustable parameters, one of which is perhaps the most important and sensitive: the upper price limit. The platform could easily set a price cap at 10%, 20%, or another reasonable percentage above the initial price. A 260% cap, though, seems greedy and has caused outrage. The unfair use of dynamic pricing is a symptom that not only the US government is investigating, but also the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which began a review last week. The issue has even reached further shores: the European Commission confirmed it is examining compliance with EU consumer laws. A spokesperson stated that the practice of dynamic pricing itself is not unlawful, but the way it has been used raised concerns. EU law emphasizes that ticketing websites must provide fans with “necessary material information” about the tickets. This issue is unlikely to remain confined to the entertainment sector: UEFA recently announced price caps for away matches in European League Football. For example, the maximum ticket price for away fans will be €60 in the Champions League starting this season. As the debate continues across industries and borders, the focus must remain on balancing fair access for fans with the evolving business models of live events. Only through transparent practices and reasonable price caps can portals and pricing services ensure that fans aren’t unfairly priced out of the experiences they love. We, at DynamO Pricing, share Spektrix's mission, meaning that the ultimate goal of dynamic pricing is to achieve "a better understanding of their audiences." 👯 #dynamicpricing, #fairpricing, #pricecap,

Interesting movements on the business side of leisure spending. It looks like TAIT , with its background in live events, has set a trend in taking over themed entertainment businesses. TAIT recently bought two design companies: ITEC Entertainment (A TAIT Company) and Thinkwell Group (A TAIT Company). Now the worlds largest live event comapny Live Nation Entertainment takes a majority stake in SANDS HERITAGE LTD and by that becomes the owner of Dreamland Margate, a seaside amusement park in the UK. The reality is that this theme park has long been known for the many concerts it hosts, which makes the acquisition more logical. But personally, I think there is a trend going on where local entertainment venues and live events will increasingly merge in the coming years. https://lnkd.in/eT7qrspf