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An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

entrepreneur.com

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Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#21

Post by wcfields »

jokecamp wrote: post #14

Makes me think of the not-so-fun idea that stadiums would need to prevent "seat pirates." Ushers get an app that indicates if there is a butt in a seat for a ticket that was never used. They just need a sensor on the seat to indicate the status. Much easier to enforce when you don't have to ask people to see their tickets. Everyone hates that.

You have ushers at certain gates with scanners, only people with tickets that are allowed in that section. You can allow multiple gates nearby, but most stadiums are setup that there's really only one/two entrances to your section. You can't really seat-pirate beyond at most a few dozen rows.

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#22

Post by gz5 »

sharkweek wrote: post #11
bluetidepro wrote: post #2

> " A fan logs into the app, which determines through geolocation the user's exact position within the venue... " In terms of the indoor venues/stadiums/etc. I have ever been to ( honestly, quite a few ), I ALWAYS have absolutely HORRIBLE reception on my iPhone ( AT&T ). I feel like this could be a massive issue for this sort of app. How can I use it, if it can't even figure out where I am or display the data inside…

Most modern stadiums are moving that direction -- http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/03/the-49...

with that problem being addressed, I would like to see in-game auction of the prime corporate seats that sit empty (but are purchased) and are usually heavily guarded. put real fans in the best seats.

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#23

Post by wcfields »

zavulon wrote: post #6
dclaysmith wrote: post #4

There seem to be a couple of these services popping up. This one ( http://www.findexp.com/ ) services the Braves games at Turner Field in Atlanta. I can't really see more than one of these businesses taking off and I would think Ticketmaster would get involved if it proves lucrative (either by integrating it into their own app or acquiring one of these companies).

I'm sure being acquired by Ticketmaster is an exit all of these guys dream about.

For sure, their entire "service" depends on APIs from ticketing services being open and accessible.

The code change needed to make this work (auctioning / dynamic pricing / after event start upgrading of ticket) would require the ticket provider to enable this, they might as well not even bother buying a startup if they have to add all this to their own system.

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#24

Post by pmarsh »

bluetidepro wrote: post #12
sharkweek wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most modern stadiums are moving that direction -- http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/03/the-49...

That is true, there are some moving that way. What about the hundreds of other stadiums that are not upgrading anytime soon, though? Again, seems like a big issue they have not addressed or mentioned.

Yeah connectivity is going to continue to only slowly get better. The cost of upgrading the infrastructure is just so high and older venues don't always have the room for upgrading DAS systems.

It'll be another 3 years before things are really ironed out in the newer buildings. Not sure how older ones will manage to deal with the situation.

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#25

Post by zcuskelly »

pmarsh wrote: post #24
bluetidepro wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is true, there are some moving that way. What about the hundreds of other stadiums that are not upgrading anytime soon, though? Again, seems like a big issue they have not addressed or mentioned.

Yeah connectivity is going to continue to only slowly get better. The cost of upgrading the infrastructure is just so high and older venues don't always have the room for upgrading DAS systems. It'll be another 3 years before things are really ironed out in the newer buildings. Not sure how older ones will manage to deal with the situation.

Zach from pogoseat here. You guys bring up a great point about connectivity and it certainly is something worth noting. To help address we do our best to make the app as lightweight as possible. Additionally we look to partner with venues that have solid connectivity and thus far have had no issues in this area with our deployments at Stanford and the GS Warriors.

Cisco is helping improve the situation as well although it is expensive as was noted earlier. http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/sports/stadium_wifi.html

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#26

Post by zcuskelly »

gz5 wrote: post #22
sharkweek wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most modern stadiums are moving that direction -- http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/03/the-49...

with that problem being addressed, I would like to see in-game auction of the prime corporate seats that sit empty (but are purchased) and are usually heavily guarded. put real fans in the best seats.

gz5, great thinking. This is something we are working on doing soon for both corporate seats as well as individual fan seats. Venues of course want to push their unsold inventory first and so there are still some details to be hashed out here.

love the line "put real fans in the best seats".

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#27

Post by zcuskelly »

miles_matthias wrote: post #3
bluetidepro wrote: post #2

> " A fan logs into the app, which determines through geolocation the user's exact position within the venue... " In terms of the indoor venues/stadiums/etc. I have ever been to ( honestly, quite a few ), I ALWAYS have absolutely HORRIBLE reception on my iPhone ( AT&T ). I feel like this could be a massive issue for this sort of app. How can I use it, if it can't even figure out where I am or display the data inside…

Yes, same problem for my iPhone on Verizon. Maybe partnering with a major ticket seller so they know your exact position, or better yet, allow the user to scan their ticket with their phone. Still have the issue of bad reception though. Free wifi would be awesome but a major investment for 60,000+ people.

Depending on what ticketing system the venue is using we either have fans input their seat location manually or input their ticket barcode (scan feature to be released shortly).

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#28

Post by zcuskelly »

nlh wrote: post #13
zavulon wrote: post #7

This is a great idea, but it's bad news for me if it picks p at the stadiums I go to. I am always one of those "seat pirates" and with the app, the situation for me will change for the worse: instead of getting cheap tickets and then switching to a $200+ seat for free, I would have to pay for this from now on.

This is an example where, I hope, market equilibrium comes into play and works for the best. Like a hotel, a stadium would rather get >$0 for that $200 seat, even if they can't get the full $200. Right now, when you hop into it, they're getting $0 and you're hoping an usher doesn't check your ticket. It's sort of like jumping into an empty 1st class seat on an airplane, only you're (currently) less likely to get caug…

hit the nail on the head nlh. finding that equilibrium price is something we are constantly analyzing data to refine. we need to be careful not to have the upgrade cost so cheap that it cannibalizes ticket sales but also need to make it cheap enough that it makes sense. currently we take into account your original seat value plus time-based price decay. it's up to a venue what percentage discounts they want to apply across their inventory.

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#29

Post by zcuskelly »

wcfields wrote: post #23
zavulon wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sure being acquired by Ticketmaster is an exit all of these guys dream about.

For sure, their entire "service" depends on APIs from ticketing services being open and accessible. The code change needed to make this work (auctioning / dynamic pricing / after event start upgrading of ticket) would require the ticket provider to enable this, they might as well not even bother buying a startup if they have to add all this to their own system.

So far we have had a positive response from the various ticketing services in regards to partnering. We are currently deeply integrated with Ticketmaster's Archtics ticketing system and are working on completing the same for Tickets.com.

Re: An App That Moves Sports Fans to Better Seats

#30

Post by zcuskelly »

Timothee wrote: post #5

the fee may actually be lower than the difference in ticket price Isn't the main point of getting a cheap ticket and then moving to a more expensive one to not pay the price of an expensive ticket?

It may not always be about getting a better view, at times you may just want to escape a bad seating situation or impress a date/client/etc
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