Ticketmaster is a major ticket sales and distribution company that operates in many countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and more. So yes, Ticketmaster does have a presence in Mexico.
A Brief History of Ticketmaster in Mexico
Ticketmaster first expanded into Mexico in the early 1990s. In 1991, Ticketmaster partnered with Grupo Televisa to form Ticketmaster Mexico. This new joint venture allowed Ticketmaster to begin selling tickets to events in Mexico.
Initially, Ticketmaster Mexico only had a presence in Mexico City, but it expanded to other major metropolitan areas like Guadalajara and Monterrey within a few years. By the late 1990s, Ticketmaster Mexico had established itself as a dominant player in the country’s ticket sales market.
Over the past 20+ years, Ticketmaster Mexico has continued to grow and extend its reach across the country. It has exclusive partnerships with many major concert venues, theaters, stadiums and arenas in Mexico. Today, Ticketmaster Mexico sells tickets for concerts, sports matches, theater productions and more throughout Mexico.
How Ticketmaster Operates in Mexico
Ticketmaster Mexico’s operations are fairly similar to how Ticketmaster runs in other countries around the world. Some key points:
– Website and Mobile App – Customers can purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster Mexico’s website or mobile app. The site is in Spanish to cater to Mexican customers.
– Retail Outlets – Tickets can also be purchased in person at Ticketmaster retail outlets called “taquillas” located in shopping malls and other high traffic locations across Mexico.
– Call Centers – For customer support and ticket sales over the phone.
– Distribution Network – Ticketmaster Mexico has established an extensive distribution network with major venues and promoters in Mexico to sell their ticket inventory.
– Fees and Services – Like in other countries, Ticketmaster Mexico charges service fees on all ticket transactions for its services. Fees vary based on the event.
– Resale Marketplace – Ticketmaster Mexico facilitates ticket resales through its Ticketmaster Resale site, allowing fans to resell event tickets they can no longer use.
Key Facts About Ticketmaster Mexico
Here are some key facts and figures about Ticketmaster Mexico’s operations:
– Founded: 1991
– Headquarters: Mexico City
– Parent Company: Ticketmaster (USA)
– Tickets sold annually: Approx 15+ million
– Partnerships: 130+ venues and promoters across Mexico
– Events sold: Concerts, sports, theater, family shows, festivals, and more
– Website traffic: Approx 15 million unique visitors per month
– Mobile app downloads: Over 5 million
– Online ticket sales: 70% of total ticket sales
– Retail outlets: Over 500 taquilla stores across Mexico
– Call center support: Toll-free numbers for every city and region
– Resale tickets listed: Around 500,000 per year
How Popular is Ticketmaster in Mexico?
Ticketmaster enjoys a very strong position in the Mexican ticket market. It is by far the dominant primary ticket seller for major live entertainment events.
The company sells tickets for the vast majority of arena concerts, stadium sporting events, top theater productions, and major festivals taking place across Mexico. Fans know that going to Ticketmaster is the way to get tickets to the most popular events.
According to estimates by research firms like OCESA, Ticketmaster sells around 70-80% of all tickets for high profile events in Mexico. The company has maintained strong partnerships with all the major concert promoters like OCESA and regional promoters to be the primary ticketing service for their shows and venues.
While Ticketmaster Mexico maintains this dominant position for upfront ticket sales, the secondary ticket market has grown substantially over the last 5-10 years, with large volumes of resale inventory available via sites like StubHub and Viagogo. So Ticketmaster faces rising competition in the resale market.
But when it comes to the initial sale of tickets, Ticketmaster remains Mexican fans’ go-to option and sells millions of tickets annually across sports, concerts, theater and other live entertainment. The brand is highly recognizable across Mexico as *the* ticket seller.
Major Events and Venues Using Ticketmaster
Here are some of the major events, venues, sports teams and promoters that use Ticketmaster for ticket sales in Mexico:
– Vive Latino – Massive annual rock music festival held in Mexico City.
– Palacio de los Deportes – Major indoor arena in Mexico City that hosts concerts and sporting events. Owned and operated by OCESA.
– Estadio Azteca – Iconic soccer stadium in Mexico City. Home of the Mexican national team. Also hosts large concerts.
– Auditorio Nacional – Major performance venue in Mexico City run by the National Auditorium of Mexico.
– Arena Monterrey – Indoor arena in Monterrey used for sports and concerts.
– Estadio BBVA – Soccer stadium in Monterrey, home of CF Monterrey.
– Tigres UANL – Top Liga MX soccer club based in Monterrey.
– Cruz Azul and Club América – Two of Mexico’s most popular Liga MX soccer clubs.
– Teatro Metropolitan – Major theater in Mexico City that stages Broadway musicals and comedic shows.
– OCESA – Mexico’s biggest concert promoter. Owned by Live Nation. Stages shows at 180+ venues across Mexico. Exclusive Ticketmaster partner.
– Grupo Salinas – Large entertainment company that owns venues across Mexico and partners with Ticketmaster for ticketing.
So in summary, Ticketmaster sells tickets for the top venues, promoters, festivals, and sports teams throughout Mexico. The company’s partnerships across Mexico’s live entertainment industry allow it to offer tickets to the most in-demand events that Mexican fans want to attend.
Ticketmaster Mexico Service Fees
Like Ticketmaster operations globally, Ticketmaster Mexico charges service fees on all ticket purchases made online, by phone or at retail outlets. This helps fund its ticketing services and platforms.
Ticketmaster Mexico’s fees vary based on:
– Type of event – Fees are higher for high demand events like popular concerts. Lower for smaller venues and shows.
– Channel of purchase – Buying online comes with lower fees compared to phone or retail purchases.
– Timing – Fees tend to rise as an event draws nearer. Last minute purchases incur the highest fees.
While fees vary considerably, here are some average Ticketmaster Mexico service charges:
– Concert at a major venue like Palacio de los Deportes: 150 to 250 pesos per ticket
– Soccer match at Estadio Azteca: 80 to 150 pesos per ticket
– Theatrical production at Teatro Metropolitan: 50 to 100 pesos per ticket
– Smaller club show: 20 to 50 pesos per ticket
In addition to base service fees, there can be charges for things like ticket insurance and mobile ticket delivery. All said and done, expect to pay 10-25% of a ticket’s face value in additional fees.
Fans wishing to avoid fees do have some options, like purchasing at the venue box office and avoiding the online convenience. But overall, Ticketmaster Mexico service charges remain part of the process for most fans to gain access to events through the company.
Pros of Using Ticketmaster Mexico
Here are some of the major benefits of using Ticketmaster Mexico for your ticketing needs:
– Access to top events – You can gain access to some of the biggest concerts, sports matches and shows happening across Mexico. Events that sell out fast.
– Peace of mind – High demand tickets bought via Ticketmaster Mexico are 100% legitimate and guaranteed valid. No risk of fraud or fakes.
– Convenience – With online, phone and retail options, Ticketmaster Mexico offers a convenient ticketing experience.
– Secure ticket delivery – Various delivery options including e-tickets, print-at-home tickets, retail pickup and will call.
– Resales available – Fans can resell unwanted tickets via Ticketmaster’s resale marketplace. Added convenience.
– Customer support – Ticketmaster Mexico provides Spanish language customer service via phone, online chat, email, social media and at retail outlets.
– Special promotions – Ticket buying made more affordable for fans through special deals, presales and promotions offered by Ticketmaster Mexico.
Cons of Using Ticketmaster Mexico
Here are some downsides associated with Ticketmaster Mexico that customers should keep in mind:
– Service fees – There are additional service fees charged on every Ticketmaster Mexico transaction, increasing costs for customers.
– Limited inventory – High demand tickets often sell out in minutes or hours on Ticketmaster Mexico due to limited quantities.
– Difficulty competing with bots – Regular customers competing with automated bots and broker groups for popular tickets face challenges.
– Lack of price controls – There are no price ceilings, so nothing stopping venues and teams from raising ticket prices.
– Issues with high-demand sales – Websites and apps sometimes crash due to extreme traffic for major on-sales.
– Lack of alternatives – Not many other options exist for primary ticket sales. Fans are locked into Ticketmaster ecosystem.
– Resale restrictions – Strict ticket transfer policies can make reselling Ticketmaster tickets difficult in some cases.
– Customer service complaints – Some complaints exist around poor customer service and support response times.
So there are some limitations that customers need to deal with in exchange for the capabilities and inventory access that Ticketmaster Mexico provides. Fans should educate themselves on best practices for securing in-demand tickets.
Other Ticket Sellers in Mexico
While Ticketmaster Mexico commands the majority of upfront ticket sales for major events, there are some other players in the country’s ticketing industry.
**SuperBoletos**
Owned by Grupo Carso, SuperBoletos is Ticketmaster’s biggest competitor in Mexico. They are the primary seller for certain venues and events not contracted to Ticketmaster. Still a distant 2nd in market share.
**Interticket**
Another secondary player, Interticket sells tickets primarily for smaller music venues, clubs, theaters, and other local events in Mexico. Don’t have the huge concert venue deals of Ticketmaster.
**TaquillaMart**
TaquillaMart is Mexico’s largest online ticket reseller, allowing fans to find and purchase secondhand tickets from other fans and brokers. They focus on the resale market rather than initial releases.
**Venue box offices**
Some venues will still sell tickets directly through their onsite box office without going through Ticketmaster. This is becoming increasingly rare for major venues and events. But it allows fans to avoid service fees.
**Viagogo, StubHub**
These global resale sites also facilitate ticket resales in Mexico, competing with Ticketmaster’s own reseller marketplace. Their supply depends on fans re-listing their tickets though.
So while Ticketmaster Mexico has few true competitors for upfront ticket inventory, the rise of secondary resellers has shifted some of the power away from Ticketmaster and provided fans with more choice in the market.
Conclusion
In summary – yes, Ticketmaster has a well-established operation in Mexico just like it does in the United States, Canada and many other countries globally.
The company entered Mexico back in 1991 and has since grown to become the dominant primary ticket seller for major concerts, sports and entertainment events across Mexico. It provides fans convenient access to some of the country’s most in-demand events through its website, mobile apps and retail outlets.
While service fees, ticket limits and lack of price controls are downsides for fans, Ticketmaster remains popular in Mexico due to its ability to provide exclusive ticket inventory for top venues and teams. Despite some negatives, most Mexican fans still view Ticketmaster as an unavoidable necessity for acquiring tickets to the best events.
Alternative ticket sellers have emerged in recent years to provide some competition and resale options. But Ticketmaster Mexico maintains its stronghold over upfront ticket sales in Mexico’s live event industry. The company sells around 70-80% of tickets for the country’s most popular concerts, sports matches and theatrical productions.
