Today’s multi-use venues are some of the most complex operating environments in live entertainment. The same building might welcome a hockey game one night, a basketball game the next, and a sold-out concert later that week, with each event bringing different seating configurations, ticketing strategies, operational needs, and fan expectations.
Behind every transition are venue teams working quickly to prepare for the next event while keeping operations moving and delivering a great experience for fans. Managing that complexity requires flexible technology that can support different event types, adapt to rapid turnarounds, and give teams the tools and insights they need from event setup through event day.
Here’s how multi-use venues are putting that into practice with Ticketmaster.
Managing Complexity Across Every Event
Most venues host a mix of events, including:
- Professional sports and season ticket programs
- Concerts and large tours
- Family shows and touring productions
- Community and general admission events
Each event comes with different ticket products, sales strategies, seating configurations, and operational requirements. For venue teams, that can mean managing a season ticket program one day, preparing for a major concert onsale the next, and configuring an entirely different event the day after.
Ticketmaster brings ticketing and event management capabilities together in one connected platform, giving teams the flexibility to manage different event types while maintaining consistency across their operations.
With Ticketmaster, teams can:
- Manage season tickets, memberships, and renewals
- Handle large concert onsales
- Configure reserved and general admission events
- Support different event types from one platform
Ultimately, what makes Ticketmaster well suited for multi-use venues is the versatility of its platforms combined with ongoing partnership and support. Venues are able to operate independently across the platforms while still having access to the broader Ticketmaster account team for guidance, best practices, and strategic planning as their needs evolve.”
Jason Johnson
Ticketmaster Area Manager, Field Operations
How Multi-Use Venues Move Quickly Between Events
For multi-use venues, one event is always followed by another. A venue might transition from a basketball game to a concert in less than 24 hours, requiring teams to update seating configurations, ticket inventory, and event details quickly.
At Scotiabank Arena, home to Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, teams regularly manage those transitions as the venue moves between NHL games, NBA games, and concerts. Each event can require different seating configurations, inventory, and event details, often with teams and promoters working together on tight timelines.
TM1 helps teams manage those transitions with reusable templates, pre-built seating maps, and collaborative event management tools.
Simplifying Event Creation and Management With TM1
Using TM1, teams can:
- Build events faster using templates
- Update seating configurations without starting from scratch
- Collaborate in real time with promoters
By streamlining event setup, TM1 helps venue teams prepare for each event efficiently, even during busy schedules with rapid turnarounds.
How Venues Manage Complex Event Operations
Some venues, especially those shared with other teams or tenants, rebuild the fan experience for every event.
For San Diego FC, every home match begins long before fans arrive. A dedicated crew transforms a shared venue into a soccer-specific experience by installing branding, sponsorship assets, merchandise lockers, and other matchday elements. After the match, the process begins again as the venue is prepared for its next event.
At the same time, the ticketing operation has to be ready for matchday, from seating manifests and premium inventory to ticket products and coordination with venue operations teams.
Using Ticketmaster’s Event Management and Digital Ticketing solutions, San Diego FC can efficiently build each event, configure seating manifests, create premium and VIP inventory, manage ticket products, and coordinate with venue operations teams.
Digital ticketing, including SafeTix, also gives the club valuable visibility before gates open. By understanding mobile ticket activity, including how many fans have downloaded tickets to their mobile wallets, San Diego FC can better anticipate attendance patterns, plan staffing, manage entry, and tailor Know Before You Go communications to help fans prepare for event day.
How Digital Ticketing Supports Smarter Event Day Operations
Once doors open, venue teams need to make fast decisions around staffing, crowd flow, fan entry, and support. Real-time ticketing insights can give teams greater visibility into what’s happening across the venue and help inform operational decisions throughout event day.
Through TM1, teams can use real-time data to help manage:
- Entry gates and wait times
- Crowd flow
- Staffing decisions
At Ball Arena, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment moved to fully digital ticketing with Ticketmaster and saw:
- 99% mobile ticket adoption
- 100% customer data capture
- 60% reduction in box office support labor
99%
mobile ticket adoption
100%
fan data capture by venue
60%
reduction in box office labor
Instead of focusing primarily on processing transactions, box office teams can spend more time helping fans with mobile tickets and account support, contributing to faster entry, better coordination across departments, and a more service-focused fan experience.
For a multi-use venue managing NBA, NHL, lacrosse, concerts, and other live events, that operational consistency can be especially valuable as teams move quickly from one event to the next.
Operating Ball Arena requires seamless coordination across NBA, NHL, lacrosse, and major concert tours, often with rapid turnarounds between events. Leveraging Ticketmaster’s digital ticketing platform and event day tools, we have streamlined event builds and created greater operational consistency across departments.”
Ricky Casady
Vice President, Ticketing, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
How Multi-Use Venues Keep Fans Informed
Just as venue operations change from event to event, so do the needs of the fans walking through the doors. A season ticket member arriving for a game may need different information than a concertgoer visiting the venue for the first time.
Using TM1, teams can send targeted communications based on the event and the fan, including:
- “Know Before You Go” Fan Communications
- Event reminders
- Entry and parking details
- Time-sensitive updates
Providing the right information at the right time helps reduce confusion, improve venue entry, and create a better event day experience.
How Multi-Use Venues Create More Value From Every Event
The opportunities to engage fans can also change from event to event. A basketball game, concert, family show, or other live event can each attract different audiences with different expectations and opportunities to enhance their experience.
Venue teams can extend the experience beyond the initial ticket purchase with relevant event extras, including:
- Parking
- Priority Venue Entrance
- VIP Experiences
- Food, Beverage, and Merchandise Offers
These offers can be targeted to the right fans at the right time, helping teams create more personalized experiences while unlocking additional revenue opportunities across their event calendar.
READ: MIAMI HEAT DELIVERS BETTER FAN EXPERIENCES WITH EVENT EXTRAS IN TM1
One Platform for Every Event
Managing a multi-use venue means balancing different event types, audiences, and operational demands. Ticketmaster brings together ticketing, event management, digital ticketing, fan communications, and operational insights in one connected platform.
That gives venue teams the flexibility to support different types of live events while maintaining greater consistency from onsale through event day. Whether transitioning from basketball to hockey, preparing for a sold-out concert, or transforming a shared venue for its next home match, teams can manage each event while adapting to the needs of the next.
Built for the Complexity of Multi-Use Venues
From professional sports and concerts to family entertainment and community events, multi-use venues depend on efficient operations to keep every event moving.
That’s why many of the world’s busiest sports and entertainment venues partner with Ticketmaster. With decades of experience supporting live events, Ticketmaster helps venue teams simplify event management, support staff with operational insights, and deliver better experiences for fans from the first event build through event day.
