Category Archives: General Interest

Ticketmaster and Fanatics Team Up to Integrate Game Tickets and Sports Merchandise

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New deal brings together leaders in official ticketing and official licensed sports merchandise to raise awareness of upcoming sports events and reward fans for ticket purchases

Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, CA – Nov. 19, 2018 (PRNewswire) Ticketmaster, the global leader in ticketing, and Fanatics, the global leader in licensed sports merchandise, today announced a long-term, industry-first partnership that will integrate official verified tickets and official licensed merchandise in the fan shopping experience of both sites. The partnership will provide leagues, teams and universities with an integrated e-commerce solution while leveraging each company’s customer database to drive a unique fan rewards program.

As the official ticketing partner of the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, College Football Playoffs (CFP), the PGA Tour and teams, bowl games and universities across the country, Ticketmaster provides fans with the largest and safest selection available of sports events tickets. Under the new deal, Ticketmaster will be the exclusive ticketing provider to Fanatics, providing fans the opportunity to immediately purchase tickets through embedded links on Fanatics.com, FansEdge.com and hundreds of team/league e-stores. In addition, every purchase made by fans will also include Fanatics FanCash, a proprietary rewards program which provides fans with real currency redeemable on hundreds of thousands of products across the company’s network of e-stores for all members of the family, including jerseys, headwear, fan apparel and hard goods.

“As the go-to destination for event tickets and the official ticketing partner to so many incredible sport clients, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the fan experience while simultaneously adding value to our partners,” said Jared Smith, President of Ticketmaster. “Partnering with Fanatics in this way is the definition of a win-win for us, for Fanatics, for our common rights holders and for fans.”

Ticketmaster will leverage its extensive reach of sports fans to provide Fanatics the ability to deliver special offers to past purchasers or target new customers. Over time, Fanatics clients will have the ability to offer personalized up-sells of team gear or bundled offers through the ticket purchase process on Ticketmaster.

Ticketmaster and Fanatics will also partner on marketing and brand activations at key sporting events and the New York-based retail stores to reward fans and increase awareness of events.

“As partner to leagues, teams and schools, Ticketmaster and Fanatics have a shared responsibility to help stakeholders amplify their brands and grow their businesses,” said Cole Gahagan, Chief Commercial Officer of Fanatics. “By teaming up, we’re now in a remarkably unique position to not only boost event awareness, but to also reward fans, and increase the value of buying tickets and attending games. It’s a big win for every member of the sports community.”

ABOUT TICKETMASTER

Ticketmaster is the global market leader in live event ticketing, operating in 29 countries and processing the sale of over 500 million tickets per year. Through exclusive partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports leagues, and arts and theater tours, Ticketmaster delivers unparalleled access to the most iconic live events to millions of fans worldwide.

ABOUT FANATICS

As the global leader in licensed sports merchandise, Fanatics is changing the way fans purchase their favorite team apparel and jerseys through an innovative, tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear in today’s on-demand culture. Powering multi-channel commerce for the world’s biggest sports brands, Fanatics offers the largest collection of timeless and timely merchandise whether shopping online, on your phone, in stores, in stadiums or on-site at the world’s biggest sporting events.

NBA Star Stephen Curry and U.S. Women’s Soccer Star Alex Morgan Join PGA Jr. League Ambassador Team

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Curry and Morgan combine forces with Rory McIlroy, Michelle Wie, Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson as official Ambassadors for the growing youth golf program

Palm Beach Gardens, FL – Nov. 16, 2018 (PRNewswire) Golden State Warriors All-Star and two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry and Olympic Gold Medalist and FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion Alex Morgan have been named the newest PGA Jr. League Ambassadors. Curry’s and Morgan’s new status was announced today at the 2018 PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., Nov. 16-19.

PHOTO/VIDEO LINKS (Permission language is located at bottom of release): Steph Curry and Alex Morgan: Photos | Video

As the first non-professional-golfer Ambassadors for PGA Jr. League, Curry and Morgan will leverage their widespread fan bases to promote the program to an audience that may not be familiar with the sport of golf. They join Ambassadors Rory McIlroy, Michelle Wie, Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson, all of whom are committed to growing youth golf.

“Steph and Alex are incredibly popular, world-class athletes recognized well beyond their sports of basketball and soccer who love the game of golf,” said Jeff Price, Chief Commercial Officer for the PGA of America. “We are thrilled to welcome both of them to the PGA Jr. League team, where they will help us grow the sport with kids and families that might not be considering golf today.”

As Ambassadors, Curry and Morgan will be featured in national television ads as well as in collateral material supporting PGA Jr. League. They will also share their participation to their millions of followers on social media.

“There’s no better enjoyment than playing for a team and playing with a team,” Curry said. “You have that sense of accountability, that sense of fun, you’re meeting new people from all different walks of life and going towards one common goal. That’s what you can find when it comes to PGA Jr. League!”

“I know that as a little girl, I always wanted to be a part of a team and feel encouraged by my teammates and coaches,” Morgan said. “Being a part of PGA Jr. League gives girls and boys the opportunity to do what they love and be part of a team.”

PGA Jr. League has changed golf by bringing friends and families together around a fun and engaging co-ed team format. Boys and girls of all backgrounds and skill levels learn and play together with expert instruction and coaching from PGA and LPGA Professionals. Kids wear numbered jerseys and play on teams with friends, competing in a two-person scramble format that accommodates players of all skill levels. PGA Jr. League is now offered in two divisions: 13-and-under and 17-and-under.

This year, a record of more than 50,000 boys and girls played on 4,200 teams nationwide, up from 42,000 kids on 3,400 teams in 2017. Of those players, 81 percent were beginner or recreational golfers, demonstrating the developmental nature of the program and its inclusivity to youth of all skill levels.

In addition to his role as PGA Jr. League Ambassador, Curry will also partner with PGA REACH on an annual fundraising tournament. Proceeds from the event will benefit PGA REACH, the 501 (c)(3) foundation of the PGA of America, and the Stephen and Ayesha Curry Family Foundation. PGA Jr. League is the flagship youth pillar program of PGA REACH, with the goal of making the program accessible to all interested kids in the United States and around the world.

Through PGA REACH’s partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation and its Sports Matter grant, scholarships are available to players who meet financial need requirements or are from military families and apply for assistance through their Captains. The scholarship program launched in 2017 and more than 1,600 scholarships were awarded to players during the 2018 season.

PGA Jr. League teams for 2019 will be forming soon at golf facilities across the country. For more information about joining a team or finding a local participating facility, visit PGAJrLeague.com.

PHOTO/VIDEO USE:

Photos/Video must carry the credit Courtesy of the PGA of America. All photographs contained herein are the property of the PGA of America and are to be used solely for the purpose they were requested. They are not to be used in any other way unless express written permission is granted. Caption information can be found in the File Info field in Photoshop. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Carly Grenfell, the PGA of America photography contact at cgrenfell@pgahq.com or at 561.568.8430