Ticketmaster looks like it is finally getting off its rear this week. A day after announcing a partnership with the NFL to launch a ticket exchange, the company has done a similar deal with the NHL that will debut sometime this hockey season and become fully operational for 07-08.
Much like its prior relationship with NFL teams, Ticketmaster already powers ticket sales and reselling programs for some NHL franchises on their respective web sites.
Coupled with its NFL deal, Ticketmaster appears to be making an aggressive play to ward off competition from StubHub. Undoubtedly, having the marketing power of the professional sports leagues behind the initiative will be a big asset for attracting fans to the new ticket exchanges.
Ticketmaster showed 13% year-over-year revenue growth in its most recent quarter, and will be spun off as its own separate company when parent IAC splits into five different entities sometime next year. I’m guessing we’ll see a flurry of similar announcements coming out of the company in other sports and entertainment areas in the months to come.
[via AP]