Cloud Computing technology drives TicketDirect expansion

Dunedin-based TicketDirect is targeting expanding its business venues in Canada, the United Kingdom and the USA based on 'cloud computing'.

Cloud computing is a technology model where services and applications are hosted on, and can be accessed through, the internet.

As TicketDirect Managing Director Matthew Davey, explains "cloud computing means the company can handle any size or scale of ticketing assignment. There will not be an event we can't handle. It really is the Holy Grail of ticketing.

"(Cloud computing) allows us Davids to take on and defeat the Goliaths like Ticketek in Australia or Ticketmaster in America without the huge capital outlay, while still retaining the nimbleness of a company our size. We just couldn't take on these big guys with their billion dollar turnovers if we had to invest in the infrastructure needed to compete on this scale

"Success in ticket selling is being able to handle the peaks without having to have expensive hardware sitting around during the non-spike times. Because only a few companies could handle the big demand days, the rest of us where not invited to contest the big deals. Now we can."

TicketDirect is the only New Zealand company, and one of only 20 in the world, in Microsoft's TAP (Technical Adoption Programme) for its new Azure cloud computing platform, which recently featured prominently at Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles.

As Davey continues "cloud computing means we can scale our operations at an incredible rate and it is this elasticity that is particularly appealing to us.

"In fact, there are probably any number of companies in New Zealand that will be able to take on much bigger rivals overseas once they understand and adapt cloud technology to their operations.

"We are able to go from the 10 servers we have got to 10,000 servers if we anticipate a spike in demand. The world is lettered with examples where tickets have gone on sale for the first time and the ticket companyâs servers have crashed because they cannot keep up with demand.

"Not with TicketDirect and cloud hosting. We can go from selling around 6000 tickets a day to 100,000 tickets an hour if we need, and we can do it anywhere in the world. Cloud hosting removes location from the equation, and for New Zealand companies; that is pretty amazing.

"When you combine our cloud hosting capabilities with our kiosk technology then we are really at the forefront of ticketing worldwide. The next few years will be incredibly exciting as we look to spread our wings further, both here in New Zealand and globally."

TicketDirect is the only New Zealand created, owned and operated international event ticketing company. It began trading in 1999 when Otago Rugby was looking for a ticketing system that was robust enough to carry it through the perceived downside of Y2K. The company quickly found that the solution for Otago Rugby would be of benefit to many other sports and entertainment organisations in New Zealand.

Each TicketDirect client is independent and able to make their own commercial decisions while still having the benefits of TicketDirectâs national sales network (the largest in New Zealand), TicketDirect member database, central ticketing website and 0800 call centre.

TicketDirect uses all the latest programming tools and internet technology to deliver a robust, customer-friendly and flexible ticketing solution. Our TicketDirect technology allows our clients to sell tickets from anywhere with an internet connection, and for customers to print their own tickets.

TicketDirect has also rationalised service fees and deliver more benefit to the customer when the customers do the work themselves. If a TicketDirect customer does the work themselves and purchases/prints tickets online, the customer pays much less than they would by picking up the phone.

Today, TicketDirect works with over 80 venues across New Zealand and Australia and is the largest ticket provider for professional sport in New Zealand. It has the rights to 11 of the 14 ITM Cup unions (Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Tasman, Manawatu, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty, Counties/Manakau, North Harbour and Northland). It has never had the opportunity to pitch for either Auckland or Wellington – not yet, anyway. This year TicketDirect is providing ticketing services for six international matches including three All Black tests (Dunedin, Christchurch and New Plymouth) including the Bledisloe Cup in Christchurch, plus three Maori Centennial matches (Whangarei, Rotorua and Napier).

It provides the ticketing for four of the five ANZ Netball franchises, the Michael Hill NZ Open and most regional theatres and multipurpose centres in NZ. It did the ticketing for the FIFA U17 Football World Cup.

In 2002 it won the contract for the Corporate Hospitality Ticketing at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium, and recently became the new ticketing agency at the State Sports Centre in Sydney Olympic Park.

TicketDirect has recently been named the preferred ticketing supplier for Global Action Sports and their two key properties of the Crusty Demons and Super X Australasia – Global Action Sports is one of the largest touring Promoters in Australasia.

Beyond Sport, TicketDirect also works with most of the regional Performing Arts Theatres and Multi-Purpose Arenas and Stadia across New Zealand.

For more information contact Matthew Davey of Ticket Direct on + 64 (0)21 873 777, E: matthew@ticketdirect.co.nz, www.ticketdirect.co.nz 

24th May 2010 - CRUSADERS AND CANTERBURY RUGBY BOOK WITH TICKETDIRECT