Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies in the world. They sell tickets for concert, sports, and theater events across North America, UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. With a presence in 29 countries and over 500 million tickets sold, Ticketmaster has a very wide target audience.
Who buys tickets on Ticketmaster?
Ticketmaster sells tickets to all types of live events, so their customer base is quite diverse. Here are some of the main segments that purchase tickets on Ticketmaster:
- Music fans – This includes fans of pop, rock, hip hop, country, jazz, classical, and other music genres. Music concerts make up a significant portion of Ticketmaster’s ticket sales.
- Sports fans – Fans of professional sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and more. College sports fans also purchase tickets on Ticketmaster.
- Theatergoers – People who enjoy Broadway shows, plays, musicals, and other theatrical performances.
- Comedy fans – Customers who like to attend stand-up comedy shows, improv shows, and comedy festivals.
- Families – Parents who buy tickets for themselves and their kids to events like Disney on Ice, the circus, children’s theater, and other family-friendly shows.
- Local event attendees – Customers who want tickets for smaller local concerts, festivals, county fairs, and community events in their hometown.
In addition to these main segments, Ticketmaster sells tickets to all types of live entertainment events from monster truck rallies to food festivals. Their diverse inventory allows them to appeal to a very wide target audience.
Demographics of Ticketmaster Customers
When looking at the demographics of Ticketmaster’s target audience, studies have shown some clear trends:
- Age – The majority of Ticketmaster customers are between the ages of 25-44. This covers both Millennials and Gen X. Baby Boomers over the age of 45 are also major purchasers. Ticket sales tend to skew slightly more male among the under 30 age group.
- Income – Their customers tend to have higher disposable incomes. Over half have an annual household income of $75,000 or greater. Almost 25% earn $100,000 or more per year.
- Education – More than 60% of Ticketmaster customers have at least an undergraduate college degree. 20% have a graduate degree or higher.
- Location – Not surprisingly, most sales come from major metropolitan areas where there are professional sports teams, theaters, concert venues and other major event sites. However, Ticketmaster has very wide geographic reach across suburbs, small cities and rural areas.
While Ticketmaster sells tickets across a wide range of prices, their core demographic is generally educated, urban professionals with high disposable income. These customers have the means to attend expensive concert, sports and theater events on a regular basis.
Psychographic Profile of Customers
Analyzing the psychographic makeup of Ticketmaster’s audience is also useful for understanding their target market. Some key attributes include:
- Interest in live events – This almost goes without saying, but Ticketmaster customers have a passion for attending live entertainment and cultural events. They enjoy the excitement and energy of a concert arena or packed stadium.
- Appreciation of culture – Fans of the theater, orchestra, opera, and other fine arts are part of the Ticketmaster audience. These cultured consumers help drive sales of high-end tickets.
- Focus on experiences – Ticketmaster buyers tend to value experiences over material goods. Attending events creates memories and emotional connections.
- Early adopters – Many customers exhibit early adopter tendencies, wanting to be the first to see hot new bands or shows.
- Comfort with technology – Using Ticketmaster’s website and mobile apps requires some degree of tech savvy. Their audience skews towards moderate to heavy internet usage.
These psychographic traits influence what kinds of live entertainment events customers are most likely to purchase tickets for on Ticketmaster.
How Ticketmaster Markets to Target Audiences
Ticketmaster employs some smart digital marketing tactics to reach their ideal buyers. Some of their key strategies include:
- Retargeting ads across Google, Facebook and other platforms to engage previous customers.
- Sweepstakes, contests and presale code giveaways to build email lists and social following.
- Targeting music, sports and theater aficionados with paid search and banner ads.
- Promotions exclusively for American Express cardholders.
- Partnerships with live venues, promoters, bands and sports franchises.
- Developing strong branding associations through sponsorship of major events and venues.
Ticketmaster gathers extensive behavioral data on customers which informs their targeting. This allows them to pinpoint marketing towards buyers based on purchase history and activity across their platform and apps.
Opportunities to Expand Ticketmaster’s Audience
Here are some potential opportunities for Ticketmaster to expand their target audience:
- Attract more families and youth by promoting more child and teen-focused events.
- Boost sales to Baby Boomers by advertising broadway shows, classical concerts and other heritage events.
- Grow their international customer base in markets like Asia and South America.
- Offer special discounts and promotions exclusively for college students to drive sales in this demographic.
- Develop strategic partnerships with travel and hospitality brands to market events to tourists.
By branching out beyond their core demographics, Ticketmaster could significantly increase their customer base and ticket sales worldwide. The key will be crafting marketing messages that resonate with each strategic audience.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster serves a very wide target audience of live entertainment fans spanning all age groups. But their core customers tend to be urban professionals between 25-44 years old with high disposable income. These educated consumers love experiencing live events and have an appreciation for pop culture. Ticketmaster uses digital marketing and loyalty programs to engage their existing customers while also attracting new audiences through expanded event inventory and promotional partnerships. Their leading position in the ticketing industry is due in large part to their success in understanding and marketing to diverse target markets.