Olivia PowellFanDragon Technologies, a supplier of open blockchain-powered SaaS mobile ticket delivery solutions, has partnered with independent ticketing operator Kaboodle to offer in-app mobile ticket delivery for Kaboodle clients across the UK, Europe and Canada.
As part of thepartnership, FanDragon Technologies has developed a white-label mobile ticket wallet app for Kaboodle to deliver digital tickets directly to fans post-sale.
The Kaboodle Tickets app will be powered by FanDragon’s newly-launched SaaS platform, which includes a suite of B2B products and services. Fans receive their tickets delivered securely via the app along with enhanced event engagement, while clients get more control over their ticket inventory, insights into their audiences and unlocked revenue streams.
The “Kaboodle Tickets” app will be pilot-tested at the London-based venues Printworks and Drumsheds in December 2019, before moving into full integration in early 2020.
Founding CEO of FanDragon Technologies, Robert Weiss, said: “The mobile wallet is no longer just a tool to store and access tickets – the wallet is becoming a super-hub for event organizers and fans to make the most of live experiences. We are very excited to collaborate with Kaboodle’s incredible array of clients.
“At FanDragon, we’ve designed innovative ticket delivery technology to better protect fans, while providing event organizers insights to really understand their audiences and keep them coming back. Through this partnership withFanDragon, Kaboodle and their clients can now reimagine what tickets and the fan experience can really be.”
Kaboodle will be leveraging FanDragon’s exclusive Secure Ticket Sync technology, providing secure digital ticket delivery that maintains integrity even as tickets are transferred or change ownership. Using an open blockchain-based protocol builton Ethereum, it gives venues and artists the ability to easily distribute and manage inventory post-sale, and to better understand what is happening at the audience level.
FanDragon will also offer the ability for Kaboodle’s clients to set rules on ticket transfers, offer direct-to-ticket messaging to engage fans, manage fraud, and leverage anonymized behavioural data to inform future offers or incentives.
Launched in 2018, Kaboodle Solutions offers event organisers and fans the ability to manage event tickets, accommodations, and travel through one service. In its second full year since launch, the platform has exceeded 1m tickets per year.
Voted by DJ Mag’s as the 9th best club in the world, London venue Printworks has hosted acts such as Chemical Brothers and Skrillex. The newly opened Drumsheds, also in London, has a 10,000-person capacity space made up of four linked warehouses. Kaboodle’s ticket delivery app will soft launch at both venues, starting with the distribution of complimentary passes to venue, talent and promoter guests.
CEO and founder of Kaboodle Solutions, Gareth Cooper, said: “The electronic music venues and events we work with target a younger generation of concertgoers that are widely mobile-first. Mobile platforms create immense opportunities for organisers to not just make the event experience more convenient, but also more engaging for fans. We are really excited to now be able to use smart data and include additional information on each ticket.
“Wearing my promoter hat, I was fed up seeing my tickets on secondary sites at massively inflated prices. Kaboodle’s ticket exchange platform allows those who genuinely cannot attend an event to resell their ticket at market price to someone who can. With our new wallet app, powered by FanDragon, when a person buys a ticket from Kaboodle, we can maintain control over how those tickets can be transferred, either on Kaboodle or in the app.”
Following the pilot tests, Kaboodle and FanDragon will co-develop and expand services in early 2020 to include delivery of VIP and general admission tickets, in addition to other Kaboodle clients and festivals across the UK, Europe and Canada.
FanDragon Technologies’ partnership with Kaboodle is the latest in a series of growth markers in 2019. Following its July announcement of their $12m (£9.2m) founding round, FanDragon has built a team including Steve Machin, who previously held senior executive roles at Live Nation and Ticketmaster Europe, and Alan Rakov, formerly the Chief Revenue Officer at Live Nation Concerts. FanDragon also issued the first edition of the Fan Experience Index in October and recently announced the Fan Forum, offering a unique opportunity for fans to share personal challenges and experiences at live events.