Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies in the world. They sell tickets for concerts, sporting events, Broadway shows, and more. With access to tickets for the most in-demand events, a common question is: do employees who work at Ticketmaster get free tickets?
Do Employees Get Free Tickets?
The short answer is yes, Ticketmaster employees do get free tickets as a job perk. However, there are some caveats and restrictions in place. Employees do not have unlimited access to free tickets, but they do get opportunities that the general public does not.
The free ticket policy varies based on level within the company. Entry-level employees have more limited access compared to executives and leadership. However, even interns and new hires tend to get some ticket perks as a bonus.
Overall, getting free tickets is considered a major perk of working at Ticketmaster. Seeing shows, games, and events for free or at heavily discounted rates can add a lot of value to the employee experience.
How the Free Ticket System Works
Ticketmaster has an internal system that allows employees to request free tickets when they are available. This often happens after tickets have already gone on sale to the general public.
Once a show or game is on sale, unused tickets that were held for various purposes are released to employees. At this point, employees can log into the system and request tickets for events they are interested in attending.
The number of tickets released to employees depends on the event. For very high demand events, there may only be a handful of tickets available. In other cases, if an event did not sell out, there may be dozens or even hundreds of seats to choose from.
Employees are typically limited to 2-4 free tickets per event, subject to availability. Of course, executives and higher ups tend to get priority access to the best seats.
The free tickets are intended for employees to use for their own enjoyment or to bring friends and family. In most cases, employees are discouraged from reselling the tickets. However, policies on reselling free tickets vary by department. Some have strict no resale policies while others turn a blind eye.
Other Ways Employees Get Free Tickets
In addition to the internal employee ticket system, there are a few other ways Ticketmaster employees can get free event access:
– Giveaways and contests – Ticketmaster frequently runs giveaways where employees can win free tickets, meet and greets, VIP access, etc. Contests are used to boost employee morale and get staff excited about upcoming events.
– Testing and quality assurance – Employees may be granted free tickets in order to test Ticketmaster’s own systems and ensure smooth ticket buying experiences for customers. This allows them to monitor the ticket purchasing process from start to finish.
– Friends and family discounts – Even after a show is sold out, employees can sometimes still get discounted tickets for friends and family. These are not completely free but can be 50-75% cheaper than face value.
– Industry freebies – Within the live entertainment industry, free tickets are frequently given out for promotional purposes. As an industry leader, Ticketmaster employees are sometimes given free tickets to hot shows and events. These freebies are usually limited to executives, partners, and high level roles.
– Giveback programs – To support nonprofit partners and community initiatives, Ticketmaster donates tickets for employees to attend events that would otherwise be unused. This allows employees to participate in community outreach efforts.
So in summary, Ticketmaster employees get quite a few opportunities for free and discounted event tickets. While not unlimited free tickets, employees have access that goes far beyond what customers enjoy. The ability to see top concerts, sports, theater and more for free is a huge perk.
Who Is Eligible for Free Tickets?
Not all Ticketmaster employees are created equal when it comes to free ticket perks. The level of access depends on the employee’s role and seniority within the company.
Here is a breakdown of which employees typically get the best access to free tickets:
– Executives – At the top of the chain, Ticketmaster executives and VPs enjoy priority access to the best tickets. Top-level employees get first pick of available seats for sought after events. Their level of access is virtually unmatched.
– Directors and Upper Management – After executives, next in line for free tickets are employees at the director level and above. This includes department heads, region leads, and seasoned managers. Their tenure and status afford them strong ticket access.
– Full-Time Salaried Employees – The majority of Ticketmaster’s general workforce are full-time salaried employees. This includes buyers, account managers, designers, etc. They enjoy a standard level of access to free tickets across most events.
– Interns – Even as temporary employees, most interns gain access to employee ticket giveaways and contests. This allows them to experience some of the perks during their short tenure.
– Part-Time/Hourly Employees – Employees paid hourly or working part-time have more limited access. They may be restricted to certain events and usually have later access after other employees get tickets.
– Contractors and Vendors – Those working with Ticketmaster in limited contracts or partnerships have little to no access to free tickets. Only in rare cases are external partners granted event tickets.
So generally speaking, the longer someone has worked at Ticketmaster and the higher up they are, the better their access will be. But even at lower levels, employees tend to get opportunities not available to the public.
Limits on Free Employee Tickets
While Ticketmaster employees do get hooked up for free tickets, there are limits in place. Some of the restrictions include:
– 2-4 Ticket Limit Per Event – Employees are typically capped at requesting 2-4 free tickets per event. This prevents hoarding and ensures more employees can participate.
– No Resale Allowed – To prevent exploitation, employees are prohibited from reselling free tickets for profit. Getting caught scalping free tickets would certainly result in disciplinary action.
– Availability is Limited – On the most popular events, there are usually far more employee requests than available tickets. So free tickets are not guaranteed for everything.
– Timing Restrictions – Employees may only be granted access to tickets after sales open up to the general public. This prevents internal ticket monopolization.
– Office Location Matters – Employees located near a concert venue or arena may get priority access to nearby events compared to other offices.
– Executive Order – Upper management and VIPs get the first pick of available free tickets before lower level staff. Rank has its privileges.
While these limits may be disappointing, they are fair and expected. Ticketmaster still wants to fill venues and make profits. So employee tickets are carefully controlled and monitored. Limits ensure opportunities are fairly distributed and not abused.
How Getting Free Tickets Benefits Employees
Why does Ticketmaster even give out free event tickets to staff in the first place? There are a few employee benefits to the program:
Perk and Incentive
Free tickets act as a strong perk and incentive in Ticketmaster’s overall employee compensation. Being able to enjoy concerts, sports, and theater is a major perk that boosts job satisfaction. It helps attract and retain talent.
Product Knowledge
With firsthand event experiences, employees gain product knowledge that helps them better serve customers. Understanding how venue layouts, ticket delivery, and more work is invaluable.
Morale Booster
Free ticket contests and giveaways boost morale and camaraderie between employees. It gets everyone excited about upcoming gigs.
Industry Connections
When staff attend events, they can network and build rapport with partners, vendors, and clients attending the same events.
Community Goodwill
Charitable free ticket donations allow employees to participate in community outreach on behalf of the Ticketmaster brand. This builds goodwill.
While employees certainly appreciate the free perk, Ticketmaster also sees a worthwhile business ROI in offering the ticket programs. It ultimately results in a happier and more motivated workforce.
The Dark Side and Downsides
Despite the perks, there are also some downsides for employees when it comes to Ticketmaster’s free ticket programs.
High Taxable Value
Getting elite seats to top concerts and events results in high taxable income. Employees can get stuck with large tax bills based on the market value of the tickets.
Low Availability
On the most popular concerts like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, employee ticket availability is extremely limited. Just a few tickets trickle down for hundreds of employees.
Favoritism Concerns
Since higher ups get first dibs on tickets, lower level employees often feel there is favoritism at play in how tickets are distributed.
Selling Temptation
Given how much in-demand tickets go for on secondary markets, the temptation to resell and scalp free tickets for profit can be very real.
Pressure to Attend Events
Some employees feel implicit or explicit pressure to attend events they aren’t interested in just because tickets are available. They don’t want to look ungrateful.
Like with most job perks, there are positives and negatives. Employees have to weigh the value of free tickets against tax burdens, availability limitations, and other downsides. There are few true free lunches.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, getting free and discounted tickets is a huge perk for Ticketmaster employees. Given Ticketmaster’s dominant position in event ticketing, employees get access to coveted seats that the general public can only dream of.
From top-level executives to interns, employees at all levels of the company get hooked up with free ticket opportunities. This serves as a powerful incentive and morale booster for staff. It also leads to deeper product knowledge and industry connections that ultimately benefit the business.
Of course, Ticketmaster isn’t giving away unlimited free seats to every employee for every show. There are reasonable limits in place on availability and quantity. Employees have to pick and choose events carefully. But overall, getting to see a lot of free entertainment and sporting events is a major workplace benefit.
So while customers clamor for scarce tickets online and get stuck paying outrageous secondary market prices, Ticketmaster employees kick back in premium seats sourced internally. Free ticket perks create a huge divide between the employee and customer experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many free tickets do employees get?
A: There is no set limit, but most employees are restricted to 2-4 free tickets per event, subject to availability. Access varies based on role seniority.
Q: Can Ticketmaster employees get tickets to sold out shows?
A: In some cases yes, but only a limited number of held-back tickets are made available to employees after public sales. Access is not guaranteed.
Q: Do Ticketmaster employees get discounts on tickets?
A: Yes, employees are eligible for generous discounts up to 75% off face value prices, even on sold out events. Discounts vary based on the event promoter.
Q: Can employees resell their free tickets?
A: Official policy prohibits reselling free employee tickets, but some departments turn a blind eye. Reselling may result in disciplinary action if caught.
Q: How do employees get free tickets?
A: Employees request and claim tickets through Ticketmaster’s internal employee ticketing portal. Tickets are supplied on a first come, first served basis.
