SEM2 3.04
Types of ticket-sales programs
• Many factors are used to estimate ticket sales for
sporting events, such as corporate sponsorships
and promotional events, facility size, and past
ticket sales.
• In addition, a very important aspect to consider
is how well the team is performing. If the team is
winning, sales tend to go up. If the team is
experiencing a losing streak, the ticket sales tend
to go down.
Reasons for bundling/packaging extra
amenities with tickets
• Bundling extra amenities with tickets involves
including certain additional products along with the
ticket.
• For example, a ticket to an event might also provide
the individual with a souvenir T-shirt and a boxed
lunch.
• The price for the bundle is a little more than the
price of only a ticket, but people are willing to pay
more to obtain the extra amenities.
• The higher price of the bundle increases revenue,
which is one reason why sport/event marketers
often bundle amenities with tickets.
Reasons for bundling/packaging extra
amenities with tickets
• Product bundling is a pricing strategy in which a
business packages products together and sells the
package for a lower price than if the consumer were
to buy each product in the package separately.
• For example, a professional ice hockey team might
offer a family package that includes four tickets, four
meals, and four T-shirts for $89. If families were to
purchase each item separately, they would pay more
than $89.
• Businesses use product bundling to increase income,
get consumers to try a new product (e.g., ticket) that
they wouldn't normally purchase, or to deplete stock
for slow-moving products.
Need for pre-season booking strategy
• Sport organizations often develop pre-season
booking strategies to sell as many tickets as
possible before the season begins.
• An effective way to do this is to target current
ticket holders, who are the spectators who have
tickets for the season and regularly attend. These
spectators are more likely than other groups to
buy tickets for next season in advance.
Need for pre-season booking strategy
• Preseason booking is used when a sport/event organization sells
or obtains purchasing commitments from its fans/customers
before a sport season begins.
• For example, professional football teams (e.g., NFL) generally
play games between September and January. To fill the stadium
and generate revenue, teams begin selling tickets before the first
game.
• The teams want to make sure they do not begin selling too early
or too late, so timing is an important factor. Target markets
might include corporate luxury box owners, season ticket
owners, and tourist groups.
• Selling methods often vary by target market. For example, direct
mail might be used to communicate with season ticket holders.
Since luxury box owners spend more money for their seating
accommodations, personal selling techniques are often more
effective to communicate information about the sport product.
Activities
• Choose one of the activities on the following
slides.
• Follow directions and prepare a presentation for
the class.
Activity 1
Partner with a group at your high school that will be
sponsoring a sport/event activity. Interview the person
responsible for the activity to find out the nature of
previous ticket-sales programs for the activity. Assess
the previous ticket-sales efforts, identifying strengths
and areas needing improvement. Develop a ticket-sales
program for the activity, and present it to your contact
person. Include factors considered in developing the
program, ticket security, avenues for ticket
distribution, and technology usage. Request feedback
from the contact and submit it to your teacher.
Activity 2
Participate in a small-group activity to brainstorm
ideas of extra amenities that could be bundled
with tickets for a school/local event. Compare the
group’s ideas, and vote to select three ideas that
could be recommended to the director of the
event. Present the ideas to the director, and ask
for the person’s reactions.
Activity 3
Identify a sport/event that has a web site
containing its pre-season booking strategy.
Recommend ways to improve the sport/event’s
strategy. Write a synopsis of your
recommendations, and present it to your teacher
for review.