Credit: Fiona Hamilton
Tennis Australia and Ticketmaster today announced a new global partnership which will see Ticketmaster become the official ticket agent for the Australian Open,the ATP Cup, Brisbane International, Adelaide International and Hobart International.
The new agreement brings with it the bonus of zero ticketing fees for fans attending tennis events across the country, a first for major sports and entertainment events in Australia.
The Australian Open Is also moving towards further digitisation, with Ticketmaster’s fan-first technology designed to make buying tickets easier and safer for fans and minimise ticket fraud and scalping.
Digital tickets will be provided through Ticketmaster’s cutting-edge Presence technology, making the end-to-end fan journey – from buying tickets to accessing the venue – more personalised and convenient. Digital tickets will be delivered directly to fans’ mobile phones and can easily be transferred to friends.
“With more than 800,000 fans coming through turnstiles every year, the Australian Open is one of the highest attended sporting events in the world. We are fully committed to delivering the best possible experience to our fans, from the moment they decide to buy their ticket, to when they come through the gates,” said Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia.
“Partnering with Ticketmaster gives us another opportunity to offer world-class service to fans attending the Australian Open, along with our events across the country as part of the summer of tennis.”
Commenting on the partnership, Maria O’Connor, Managing Director of Ticketmaster Australia and New Zealand said: “Ticketmaster is very proud to be working with Tennis Australia to revolutionise the way fans access tickets. Through our partnership, fans will be able to access digital tickets which will ensure a much more personalised experience, while increasing security measures and minimising ticket fraud.”
Ticketmaster will also launch a bespoke online booking service to assist fans with a disability through a new inclusion commitment. Developed with the assistance of Get Skilled Access, the consultancy championed by Grand Slam champion Dylan Alcott OAM, fans with accessible requirements will receive a more personalised service than ever before.
“Along with the team at Get Skilled Access, we’ve been working with Ticketmaster to ensure that fans have greater and fairer access to tickets at next year’s Australian Open,” Dylan Alcott OAM said.
Globally, Ticketmaster has been a long-time partner of tennis and currently serves as the official ticketing partner to theUSTA and the US Open, The Championships Wimbledon, Rolex Paris Masters, the Miami Open, the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament and more recently announced a partnership with Tennis Canada.
The partnership will also provide Tennis Australia with the opportunity to grow its international audience through Ticketmaster’s global database that includes close to one million customers who travel internationally for sporting events, and one billion visitors that hit Ticketmaster websites globally.
Commenting on this, Jared Smith, Ticketmaster’s global President said: “We’re fortunate to work with incredible tennis partners in every corner of the globe and connect fans to the best tennis events around the world. Ticketmaster is the only true global platform that can connect the Australian Open to millions of tennis fans around the world and we are very excited to be helping Tennis Australia grow their international audience and bring more visitors to Australia each year.”
Tickets for the Australian Open 2020 will go on sale on ticketmaster.com.au from 8 October 2019, and ATP Cup from 18 September 2019. Other event dates will be announced soon.
About Tennis Australia
Tennis Australia is the governing body of tennis in Australia, promoting and facilitating participation in tennis at all levels. TA also conducts national and international tournaments, including the Australian Open and the new ATP Cup. For more information please visit tennis.com.au.
About Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket marketplace and the global market leader in live event ticketing products and services. Through official partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports teams, festivals, performing arts centers and theatres, Ticketmaster now processes over 500 million tickets per year across 29 different countries.
Ticketmaster Australia is based in Melbourne and is a part of Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV). For more information, visit news.ticketmaster.com.
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Jackie Antas, General Manager, Communications
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