SeatGeek isn’t just reselling tickets anymore — its new service is taking on Ticketmaster

By Lulu Chang Updated August 12, 2016

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SeatGeek is growing up and gaining some moxie — at least, when it comes to directly taking on competitors like Ticketmaster. For years, SeatGeek has remained in its own ticketing niche, serving simply as a reselling platform. But now, it’s introducing SeatGeek Open, described as a “modern box office that is mobile, flexible, and widely accessible — perfectly built for teams and artists looking to reach more fans and create richer experiences.”

So what does that mean? In essence, the new Open platform will let event venues, teams, and entertainers sell tickets within their own mobile sites and apps, in addition to SeatGeek’s main app. Promising an approach that’s a bit more progressive than that of Ticketmaster’s, SeatGeek Open will be largely mobile-focused, and will allow for bundling of tickets with other popular items like concessions or souvenirs.

“Our open distribution platform provides best-in-class software that unlocks value for rightsholders by enabling tickets to be sold directly within other apps and websites, and facilitates true dynamic pricing,” Open’s website notes. The site further stresses that the new platform has “a powerful set of SDKs [that] empower developers to build delightful ticketing experiences that span multiple apps and websites.”

Ultimately, SeatGeek co-founder Jack Groetzinger says, the point is to make the ticket selling and reselling process much more open and transparent.“Ticketing has long been a closed industry, and one that hasn’t been positively impacted by the power of technology in the same way many other industries have,” Groetzinger said in his related statement. “We believe the open ecosystem we’ve built will transform the way people access tickets, allowing fans to go to more live events and teams and artists to reach more fans.”

So if you’re sick of only being able to buy your tickets from a single vendor, SeatGeek Open just might be the answer to your entertainment prayers.

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