Oak View Group (OVG), the US company formed in 2015 by former AEG CEO Tim Leiweke and former chairman of Live Nation Entertainment and artiste manager Irving Azoff, has announced a partnership with Ticketmaster that will see the Live Nation-owned ticketing service provider supply six OVG operated arenas including Co-op Live, the 23,500-capacity Manchester indoor arena currently under development.

As well as Co-op Live, which will be next to Etihad Stadium (cap. 55,000) and the biggest indoor arena in the UK when it opens in 2023, Ticketmaster will service US venues; New UBS Arena (18,500), Climate Pledge Arena (18,100), Moody Center (15,000), Coachella Valley Arena (11,679) and Savannah Arena (13,500).

Ticketmaster said it will provide digital ticketing tech at the venues, including a “ticketing concierge” – a contactless box office powered by Ticketmaster’s TM1 product suite, designed to reduce the need for physical interactions between fans and staff.

It said going forward the venues may also implement new capabilities for contactless payment, mobile ordering, and in-venue features via the Ticketmaster app including in-seat concessions and merchandise pre-order and delivery to reduce wait times at pick-up windows.

OVG CEO Tim Leiweke said, “We know what a strong partner Ticketmaster is when it comes to bringing that premium ticketing experience to fans, and we look forward to partnering with them to bring the biggest artists and sporting events as we return to live.”

Ticketmaster president Mark Yovich said, “Through our leading-edge ticketing technology, Ticketmaster will help OVG deliver premium fan experiences for sports fanatics and music lovers.”