Ticketron was once one of the largest computerized ticketing services in the United States. Founded in 1965, the company dominated the ticket sales market for major entertainment and sporting events for over two decades. However, with the rise of competitors like Ticketmaster in the 1980s and the internet in the 1990s, Ticketron’s business model became obsolete. By the late 1990s, the company was struggling to survive. This leads many to wonder – does Ticketron still exist today?
The History of Ticketron
Ticketron was founded in 1965 by computer programmer Albert Leffler. Leffler recognized the potential for computer technology to modernize the manual process of issuing event tickets. At the time, customers would line up at box office windows to purchase tickets by hand. Leffler envisioned a centralized computer system that could automate ticket sales and distribution across a network. This led to the creation of Ticketron – one of the first computerized ticketing services.
In its early years, Ticketron focused on selling tickets to Broadway shows and other events in New York City. The company later expanded to major U.S. cities by contracting with sports stadiums, theaters, amusement parks and other venues. Ticketron sold its tickets through retail outlets like Sears and select banks. This allowed customers to bypass long box office lines to obtain tickets in advance from convenient locations.
One major competitive advantage for Ticketron was its proprietary computer system. The central system maintained a real-time inventory of available tickets at all contracted venues. This enabled Ticketron to provide up-to-date ticket availability and instant ticket confirmation. Venues appreciated the ability to track ticket sales and inventory through the system. These factors helped Ticketron secure exclusive multi-year contracts with promoters, theaters, stadiums and other major event sites throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
By the 1980s, Ticketron had established itself as the dominant computer ticketing service in the U.S. The company sold over 75 million tickets in 1980 alone, representing about 75% of all computerized ticket sales. Besides its retail outlets, customers could also purchase Ticketron tickets by phone through local box offices. At its peak, the company had over 2,200 retail locations and 195 phone centers across the country.
The Rise of Competition
Despite its early dominance, Ticketron soon faced growing competition in the ticketing industry. The first major rival to emerge was Ticketmaster, founded in 1976. Like Ticketron, Ticketmaster offered a computerized system for ticket sales and distribution. But the company took a different approach by initially focusing on smaller venues overlooked by Ticketron. This allowed Ticketmaster to gain a foothold before expanding into larger markets.
By the late 1980s, Ticketmaster had surpassed Ticketron as the largest ticket seller. One advantage was Ticketmaster’s model of charging venues a small fee per ticket, compared to Ticketron’s larger fixed contracts. This made Ticketmaster’s services more affordable for a wider range of venues. Ticketmaster also focused heavily on software development, pioneering new ticketing technologies like barcode scanners and real-time transaction processing.
Other factors worked against Ticketron as well. Its retail outlets lost business to expanding box office sales at venues, along with new phone and online sales channels. The company also faced growing criticism over its use of centralized computer systems. Issues like system outages and security risks highlighted the flaws in Ticketron’s technology approach.
By the 1990s, Ticketron had lost its leadership position and was struggling to keep pace with rivals. It attempted to transition to a fee-per-ticket model and pursue technological upgrades. But the widespread availability of tickets through other channels greatly diminished Ticketron’s value proposition. The rise of the internet as a ticketing medium further contributed to Ticketron’s declining relevance.
The Decline and End of Ticketron
Facing slumping sales and revenue losses in the 1990s, Ticketron’s future as a company was in jeopardy. In an effort to revive itself, Ticketron launched a website in 1996 to sell tickets online. However, the site failed to gain much traction in the emerging digital ticketing market.
With its business model unsustainable, Ticketron was acquired in 1997 by its chief rival Ticketmaster for $50 million. This essentially signaled the end of Ticketron as an independent ticketing entity. Under the merger agreement, Ticketmaster would phase out the Ticketron brand entirely over the next few years.
Many of Ticketron’s assets were assimilated into the Ticketmaster organization in the merger. This included Ticketron’s technology, client contracts, retail outlets and regional offices. Though some of these elements carried over, the Ticketron name and systems were steadily eliminated. By 1999, the conversion to Ticketmaster was complete.
After the merger, Ticketron’s proprietary computer system and inventory network were ultimately discontinued. Ticketmaster transitioned venues and clients over to its own technologies, like its reserved seating ticketing system. Standalone Ticketron retail outlets were either closed or converted into Ticketmaster locations. The Ticketron brand and services were essentially retired as a result of the merger.
Ticketron’s Legacy and Influence
Though Ticketron flamed out and was subsumed by a key rival, the company left an important legacy and influence. As one of the first computerized ticketing services, Ticketron pioneered many concepts and technologies still used in ticketing today. Elements like real-time central inventories, automated sales systems and network distribution introduced major innovations to the field.
Ticketron also helped establish the viability of third-party ticketing services. Prior to Ticketron, most ticketing was handled in-house by venues through box offices. By taking on this role across a nationwide network, Ticketron opened the door for other players like Ticketmaster to emerge. The model of large-scale ticketing companies that Ticketron cultivated remains the dominant approach today.
Many brands that replaced or merged with Ticketron, like Ticketmaster, Paciolan and AudienceView, incorporated aspects of Ticketron’s technologies over the years. So while the Ticketron name may no longer exist, its contributions shaped the foundation of computerized ticketing commonplace in the industry now.
Could Ticketron Make a Comeback?
Given its abrupt demise over 20 years ago, the idea of Ticketron making some form of comeback seems very unlikely. However, never say never. Here are some hypothetical scenarios where a Ticketron return could potentially happen:
- A major ticketing company decides to resurrect the Ticketron brand – This would essentially be a marketing move to capitalize on nostalgia or recognition of the Ticketron name. The underlying company and systems would likely stay the same.
- Ticketron’s systems and network are revived as a vintage platform – This would attract a niche audience interested in the retro technologies and processes Ticketron pioneered. It would not be a viable mainstream option.
- A start-up launches a new Ticketron – An entrepreneur could conceivably adopt the Ticketron moniker for a new ticketing venture. This would be a brand revival with updated approaches.
- Ticketron returns through innovation disruption – A major breakthrough in ticketing technologies could displace the legacy systems Ticketron was unsuccessful in competing against. This could create an opening for a comeback.
Realistically though, the Ticketron brand is too outdated and carries too much baggage to be revived in a major way. The company missed its opportunity to thrive in the digital transition. For now, Ticketron remains a memory of ticketing’s past, rather than a potential force in its future.
Conclusion
In summary, Ticketron no longer exists today as an active ticketing entity. The pioneering computerized ticketing company rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. However, increased competition from rivals like Ticketmaster and the internet’s disruption of its business model led to Ticketron’s steady decline. The company was ultimately acquired and absorbed into Ticketmaster in the late 1990s. While Ticketron’s innovations left a lasting impact, its proprietary systems and services have long since been phased out. A full revival is unlikely, but its contributions helped shape modern ticketing. So while not currently in business, remembrances of Ticketron live on in the ticketing industry it helped transform.