Ticketmaster Offering Free NFL Season Tickets To Support Launch Of ‘Presence’

By Barry Janoff

August 3, 2018: The average cost per ticket on the secondary market to an NFL game ranges from more than $600 for the New England Patriots and more than $300 for the Green Bay Packers to just over $100 for the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, according to various online ticket reselling firms.

Ticketmaster, the official ticketing marketplace of the NFL, wants people to have NFL tickets for free.

To coincide with the 2018 season, and to support the NFL’s league-wide adoption of Ticketmaster's next generation venue software, Presence, the company has launched its first 32-team season ticket giveaway.

The goal: Find 32 people who each will win a pair of season tickets to the NFL team of their choice — one pair for each team.

The effort seeks to separate the true, dedicated fans from the rest of the pack (or Packers).

"As we gear up for the NFL 2018 kickoff, we're excited to celebrate alongside the NFL's true MVPs — the fans," Greg Economou, chief commercial officer and head of sports for Ticketmaster North America, said in a statement.

"Made possible by the strength of our official partnership with the NFL, we're proud to offer a campaign of this magnitude as our way of saying thanks to the amazing fans for their incredible spirit."

Via Presence, paper tickets are replaced with tickets that can be digitally delivered to NFL fans using proximity-based digital technology to enable a “tap-and-go” venue entry system.

The platform was unveiled this past October when Ticketmaster and the NFL signed a multi-year extension of their partnership.

With an all-digital ticketing marketplace, Ticketmaster said it would provide NFL fans with authentic, downloadable tickets that can be easily accessed on their mobile devices.

All NFL stadiums accept tickets on mobile devices but are in the process of installing Ticketmaster Presence tap-and-go entry systems, which the company said would offer “improved security and streamlined venue operations, delivering insights into the ticket lifecycle and fan engagement and reducing fraud.”

The NFL and Ticketmaster said that some five million people buy fake NFL tickets every year from unofficial sources.

"We're proud to offer a campaign of this magnitude as our way of saying thanks to the amazing fans for their incredible spirit."

Ticketmaster has primary ticket deals with 30 of the league’s teams, with the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints using SeatGeek as their primary ticketing partner.

The social-media driven ticket giveaway effort directs people to follow Ticketmaster on Twitter and/or Instagram (@Ticketmaster).

They then need to post a photo or video using the hashtag #TicketmasterNFLentry and @tagging the team of their choice.

Ticketmaster said that submissions can include “personal highlights from past game days, fans watching their team, creative team cheers or any other moments that convey how much they love their team.”

(Full details here.)

According to the Los Angeles-based company, “Ticketmaster is with NFL fans every step of the way as 2018 marks league-wide adoption of digital ticketing, digital download/mobile ticket delivery, guaranteed ticket transferring, and tailored push notifications that can help fans with everything from parking to an assortment of helpful venue suggestions tied to their team."

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