Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket sales and distribution company, selling tickets for concerts, sports events, theater shows, and more. As the leading ticketing platform, Ticketmaster targets several key demographics and customer groups in order to maximize ticket sales.
Music Fans
One of Ticketmaster’s primary target audiences is music fans, especially fans of pop, rock, hip hop, country, and other popular music genres. Ticketmaster sells tickets to concerts in every music genre, for artists big and small. Fans of live music events make up a massive portion of Ticketmaster’s customer base, likely accounting for over 50% of their ticket sales.
Some key facts about Ticketmaster’s targeting of music fans:
- Ticketmaster has exclusive ticket sales partnerships with many of the biggest concert promoters like LiveNation and AEG. This gives them rights to sell tickets for the most popular concert tours and festivals.
- They heavily market and promote high profile tours and gigs to engage music fans on social media and through email/text alerts.
- Their website and apps make music event discovery easy for fans browsing concerts in their city or searching for their favorite artists.
- Ticketmaster uses data to recommend relevant show alerts and special offers to customers based on their music taste and purchase history.
In essence, Ticketmaster leverages its dominant position in concert ticketing to engage music lovers across all genres and build loyalty. Music fans are drawn to the convenience and selection of tickets Ticketmaster provides.
Sports Fans
Along with music lovers, passionate sports fans are a major target segment for Ticketmaster. They sell seats for a wide range of sporting events including:
- Major league sports like MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL games
- College sports like football and basketball games
- Racing events like NASCAR and Formula 1
- Tennis tournaments and championship events like Wimbledon
- International sporting events like the Olympics or World Cup
Key facts on how Ticketmaster appeals to sports fans include:
- Partnering with professional leagues and teams for ticketing rights deals.
- Offering season ticket packages and ticket bundles for full seasons or multi-game packages.
- Loyalty programs and fan clubs that give access to presales and special offers.
- Targeted email marketing around upcoming matchups, rivalry games, playoff races.
- Features like interactive seat maps to showcase sightlines and seating tiers.
Sports fans flock to Ticketmaster as a trusted source for game tickets and as a way to support their favorite teams. The company estimates at least 25-30% of their ticket sales come from sporting events.
Theater Audiences
In addition to music and sports fans, theater-goers make up a significant portion of Ticketmaster’s target demographic. Ticketmaster sells seats for:
- Broadway shows in New York
- West End theater productions in London
- National touring theater productions across North America and Europe
- Regional theater shows and smaller productions in local markets
Key aspects of how Ticketmaster attracts theater fans include:
- Exclusive partnerships with top theater chains and production companies.
- Discounted rush tickets and lottery drawings for high-demand shows.
- Spotlight on new shows and pre-show content to build buzz.
- Recommendations based on past purchases and browsing history.
Theater audiences, especially season subscribers, find great convenience in a one-stop shop for show tickets. While not as large as music or sports, theater ticketing still makes up around 10-15% of Ticketmaster’s sales.
Families and Casual Fans
Beyond the most avid music, sports, and theater fans, Ticketmaster also caters to more casual users and families looking for quality entertainment options. These customers may only attend a few live events per year but still represent a key segment for Ticketmaster for events like:
- Comedy shows and stand-up tours
- Circuses, fairs, and festivals
- WWE and other wrestling events
- Disney On Ice and other family entertainment
- Orchestra concerts like symphony performances
To attract these buyers, Ticketmaster:
- Highlights popular and family-friendly event recommendations.
- Offers special family ticket bundles and packages.
- Partners with promoters of attractions like monster truck rallies, rodeos, state fairs.
- Runs general ticket promotions like presales, contests, and gift cards.
Catering to casual fans helps keep Ticketmaster top of mind while also converting new users into repeat customers over time.
Local Audiences
In addition to these core fan bases, Ticketmaster also targets local event audiences in each city and market. While mega tours and national events reach people nationwide, local shows and minor league sports also make up a notable portion of Ticketmaster’s inventory.
Examples of local events include:
- Concerts by tribute bands and small local acts
- Shows at clubs, casinos, fairs
- Minor league baseball, hockey, soccer games
- Motorsports events like dirt track racing
- College games and other amateur sports
Ticketmaster employs various strategies to reach local crowds like:
- Promoting select local events on their regional websites and apps.
- Targeting geographic areas with email campaigns for upcoming local events.
- Partnering with venues and promoters in each city/region.
- Offering discounts on bundles like “Indie Show Wednesdays.”
Capturing the local audiences in each market helps Ticketmaster establish a community presence and recruit new customers.
VIP Customers
A select but lucrative group that Ticketmaster caters to is affluent customers and VIP clients willing to pay premium prices for exclusive ticket access. These high-value fans are a priority as Ticketmaster provides them:
- Front row seats, luxury suites, and exclusive sections.
- Backstage passes, pre-show parties, meet & greets.
- Personal on-site concierge service and amenities.
Examples of how Ticketmaster pampers these VIPs include:
- Platinum Seats program unlocks high-end inventory for top spenders.
- Premier package deals bundle premium seats with five-star hospitality.
- Priority on pre-sales and access to hard-to-get seats.
- White glove customer service and personal account management.
The premium spending of these wealthy few can really add up, making them a worthwhile focus for Ticketmaster. Special treatment helps keep them coming back year after year.
Business Customers
A segment that is smaller but still significant for Ticketmaster is corporate clients and business customers purchasing tickets:
- For employee rewards, events, and incentives.
- As entertainment for corporate hospitality or client hosting.
- For corporate travel, conferences, seminars.
Key tactics Ticketmaster uses to attract B2B buyers include:
- Dedicated account management representatives.
- Group sales divisions to handle large multi-ticket orders.
- Discounts and special rates for bulk ticket packages.
- Partnerships with major convention centers and business event venues.
While not core individual customers, corporate clients still provide lucrative high-volume sales for Ticketmaster’s bottom line. Their repeat business is quite profitable over time.
Young Adults
A demographic that likely accounts for a large portion of Ticketmaster’s customer base is young adults aged 18-35. Given their passion for live events and music discovery, young adults often drive business across multiple Ticketmaster segments:
- High attendance at concerts, festivals, clubs to see new artists.
- Strong sports event attendance, especially basketball, baseball, soccer.
- Broadway show attendance boosted by discounted rush tickets.
- Young families attending circus, fair events.
Ticketmaster uses various approaches to engage these millennial and Gen Z customers like:
- Discounts on first-time purchases and student deals.
- Developing popular mobile apps for event discovery and ticket management.
- Targeted social media engagement on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok.
- Upselling upgrades like VIP packages that provide exclusive perks.
Reaching young adults early aids customer acquisition and builds loyalty with the next generation of live entertainment fans. Their below-average spending is offset by their high purchase frequency and future lifetime value.
Seniors
On the other end of the spectrum, seniors are also a key target market for Ticketmaster. Retirees and older customers help drive steady business in categories like:
- Theater shows especially during weekday matinees.
- Orchestra and classical music performances.
- Sports like golf, tennis, baseball which skew older.
- Gambling junkets and casino show trips.
Tactics Ticketmaster uses to attract seniors include:
- Senior ticket discounts available on select events.
- Promotions bundled with hotel and travel packages.
- Partnerships with casinos, cruise lines, and packaged vacation providers.
- Onsite ticket printing stations and customer service booths.
Seniors may prefer more traditional channels versus digital, but their free time and reliable spending make them an indispensable part of Ticketmaster’s diverse customer mix.
International Fans
While Ticketmaster originated in the US, global audiences have become a major priority as the company expands worldwide. Key international customer segments include:
- Fans overseas for popular American music and sports.
- Emerging middle classes in countries like Mexico, Brazil, China.
- Untapped markets with major growth potential.
Ticketmaster employs various globalization strategies like:
- Adapting websites and apps to support multiple languages.
- Offering currency/payment options tailored to each country.
- Partnerships with international venues, promoters, and leagues.
- Localized marketing initiatives.
Tapping into massive worldwide fanbases allows Ticketmaster to significantly scale up sales in virtually every category from music to sports. This makes international growth a major focus moving forward.
Conclusion
In summary, Ticketmaster uses its powerful platform to target a wide spectrum of customers across demographics, interests, and geographies. Key groups span from music and theater buffs to diehard sports fans, families, young adults, seniors, and corporate clients. Offering ticketing services across live entertainment gives Ticketmaster extensive reach with minimal customer overlap.
Moving forward, Ticketmaster will likely aim to expand existing segments while also innovating into new verticals like eSports or virtual concerts. But their core value proposition of convenient and reliable ticketing access will continue attracting diverse fans to power massive sales volume globally.