Christopher BarrettTicketmaster has created a new global music team to oversee its newly launched international livestream show ticketing platform Ticketmaster Livestream, with the aim of capitalising on the burgeoning digital events sector.
The Live Nation-owned ticketing giant said the service has been rolled out following the “success of livestream campaigns” featuring acts including Niall Horan and Dua Lipa last year.
Horan’s show (pictured below) on 7 November at the 5,200-capacity Royal Albert Hall sold more than 120,000 tickets to fans in over 150 countries. Other acts to enjoy similar sales with streamed shows include Mika and Glass Animals.
The service, which is available in more than 10 languages and can accommodate 135 currencies, enables event operators and artists to sell tickets or accept donations for their digital events directly on their website. The platform can also be plugged into any third-party streaming platform.
Ticketmaster’s US Music and International Artist Services teams have formed a new Global Music Team to oversee the service. David Marcus, the former head of the company’s North American music division has been appointed executive vice-president of Global Music. He will work alongside senior vice-president of artist services Sam Isles.
Niall Horan at the RAH – by Conor McDonnell
Marcus said: “The live experience is the ultimate moment of connection between an artist and fan, and it’s our job to power these moments. Now with this expansion, our offering is a global one-stop-shop run by a global team with local expertise. Our mission is to work with artists to make it as easy as possible for fans to experience the live music they love.
“Our technology quickly pivoted to selling streaming tickets at scale, and the acceleration in artists going virtual to engage has been remarkable, so too is the readiness of fans to pay to access their favourite artists in this way.
“The beauty of virtual shows is that we’re seeing global viewing – performances in London or LA are selling tickets to fans in New Zealand, Spain or Singapore, it’s revolutionising the way artists can connect. Nothing will replace the live experience, but this represents a new form of entertainment with its own rewards, and it’s definitely something that will remain for years to come.”