Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticketing companies in the United States and has a significant presence in the American ticketing industry. Though it is an American company based in Beverly Hills, California, Ticketmaster sells tickets for events worldwide and has operations globally. So while Ticketmaster has major operations in America, it cannot be characterized solely as an “American” company given its international scope.
Ticketmaster was founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 1976 and originally only served arenas and theaters in the city. It quickly expanded throughout the United States in the late 1970s and 1980s, acquiring various regional ticketing agencies and becoming the dominant ticketing service nationwide. By the mid-1990s, Ticketmaster had over 200 sales outlets and served over 60 million customers in the US and Canada. In 1991, Ticketmaster created its first website, allowing customers to purchase tickets online.
In 1996, Ticketmaster merged with TicketWeb, one of the first companies to sell event tickets online. This allowed Ticketmaster to further expand its online ticketing services. Over the next two decades, Ticketmaster continued growing through acquisitions of companies like Paciolan and TicketsNow. It also signed ticket sales contracts with major venues, sports franchises, concert promoters and other event organizers throughout the US.
Today, Ticketmaster sells tickets for over 500,000 events each year and serves over 50 million customers. It has operations in 29 countries globally, though the US remains its largest market. According to Ticketmaster’s website, over 62% of their 2019 revenue came from the US and Canada. So while Ticketmaster cannot be considered solely an American company, the US is still its most significant market.
Ticketmaster’s Operations in the US
As discussed above, the majority of Ticketmaster’s sales and revenue are still generated in the United States. Ticketmaster dominates ticketing for major US sporting events, concerts, theater shows, and other live entertainment experiences. It provides ticketing services for hundreds of major venues and sports teams across the country.
Some key facts about Ticketmaster’s US operations include:
- Provides ticketing for over 1000 major concert venues in the US, including large amphitheaters and arenas like Madison Square Garden in New York City.
- Tickets sales provider for 30 out of 32 NFL teams, 30 out of 30 MLB teams, and 28 out of 30 NBA teams.
- Primary ticketing provider for large concert promoters like LiveNation and AEG Presents, who organize major concert tours around the country.
- Tickets Broadway theatrical shows, musicals, plays, and other live stage performances at hundreds of theaters in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and other cities.
- Has ticket resale partnerships with NFL, NBA, NHL and hundreds of universities, allowing fans to resell tickets through Ticketmaster’s platform.
Ticketmaster also partners with major festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach, and Lollapalooza to handle their ticketing. It serves smaller music clubs, comedy clubs and other venues around the country. Overall, Ticketmaster’s ticketing services are used for the vast majority of large-scale live entertainment events in the United States.
Ticketmaster’s Global Operations
Though Ticketmaster originated in the US and still generates most of its business there, it has significantly expanded globally since the 1990s. Ticketmaster began operating in Canada in 1992. Through the late 90s and 2000s, it acquired international ticketing companies to expand into Europe, Mexico, South America and Australia. Some of Ticketmaster’s major international operations include:
- Ticketmaster UK – Serves over 2000 venues and handles ticketing for concerts, theater, comedy and sporting events. It is the second largest ticketing company in the UK.
- Ticketek – Wholly owned subsidiary that serves as Ticketmaster’s branding and main company in Australia. Ticketek serves major concert venues, theaters, stadiums and other event spaces across Australia.
- Ticketmaster Canada – Second largest ticketing company in Canada, similar services as in the US.
- Ticketmaster Mexico – Provides ticketing services in Mexico and other parts of Latin America.
In addition to those major operations, Ticketmaster provides ticketing services in Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Israel, UAE, Singapore and other countries. It has 27 localized websites operating around the world. Overall, 38% of Ticketmaster’s 2019 revenue was generated internationally. So while the US is still its largest market, Ticketmaster does have substantial global operations.
Key International Acquisitions and Partnerships
Some of the major acquisitions and partnerships that have expanded Ticketmaster’s international presence include:
- 1991 – Partnered with the Canadian concert promoter BCL to create Ticketmaster Canada and acquire several regional ticketing companies.
- 1993 – Acquired Ticketron Australia to establish Ticketmaster’s presence in Australia under the Ticketek brand.
- 1996 – Acquired)); Way Ahead, a major ticketing group in the UK, to form Ticketmaster UK.
- 1998 – Partnered with Australian entertainment company Village Roadshow to further grow Ticketek in Australia.
- 1999 – Acquired Rollnet Tickets in Ireland to establish Ticketmaster’s operations there.
- 2004 – Acquired Ticket Express in Mexico to form Ticketmaster Mexico.
- 2007 – Acquired Grupo Kernel in Argentina to expand business in Latin America.
- 2011 – Partnered with Live Nation Entertainment to combine international operations and become the world’s largest ticketing company.
- 2013 – Acquired Front Gate Tickets to grow services in Latin America and Asia.
Through this series of strategic acquisitions and partnerships, Ticketmaster purchased or joined forces with major local ticketing companies in each country. This allowed Ticketmaster to gain an established position in foreign ticketing markets and quickly scale its international operations.
Comparison to Other Ticketing Companies
Compared to other major ticketing companies worldwide, Ticketmaster has a large percentage of revenue and sales coming from the US, though it is not exclusively American. Other large ticketing companies include:
- StubHub – Owned by Viagogo, based in Switzerland. Majority of sales are in the US. Other key countries are Canada, UK, Germany.
- Vivendi – Parent company of SeeTickets and other brands, based in France. Significant presence in UK/Ireland and France especially.
- AXS – Owned by AEG, based in the US. Has a substantial US business but also serves Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific.
- Eventbrite – Based in the US. Approximately 60% of tickets sold are for US events. Large UK business as well.
Most of the major ticketing companies have headquarters and founding roots in the US or Europe. And while they all have increasing global presences, the US and certain European countries like the UK drive a large portion of their sales. Ticketmaster follows this pattern, with its base in the US but expanding worldwide reach.
Conclusion
In summary, while Ticketmaster has major operations and sales in North America, it has grown to become a global ticketing company active in dozens of countries. The US remains Ticketmaster’s largest market, accounting for over 60% of its revenue. However, through major acquisitions and partnerships, it has established significant business across Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region. Ticketmaster originated as an American ticketing service, but its worldwide expansion means it can no longer be considered solely an American company today.