The Trusts Arena shakes up event ticketing

Leading Auckland multipurpose venue The Trusts Arena is to introduce a new multi layered ticketing structure featuring some of the world's best ticketing agents.

From 19th November, The Trusts Arena's ticketing structure will feature TicketDirect, Ticketek, and Ticketmaster and, in their first venue appointment, EventFinda NZ, New Zealand's newest venue ticketing agent.

Explaining the innovation, The Trusts Arena Chief Executive Brian Blake states "it's about giving our clients and patrons some choice. You wouldn't buy a car and be told where you can drive it, so why would you do it with ticketing?

"Competition is far better for our clients, and drives even better experiences for our patrons. The days of venues pushing secretive and hidden deals with ticket agents are coming to an end, and we find our clients work with us better when we're not limiting their choices."

The new arrangement introduces a limited number of ticketing agencies who share an interest in The Trusts Arena success and encourages clients to use more than one agent on a single show.

Blake adds "it was important to us to bring competition to the venue, but also to make sure we introduced only the best so that we can deliver a great product for our patrons. We know how bad things can go when ticketing goes wrong and for our patrons and clients that's not a risk we could take. This arrangement gives the promoter all the ownership of the ticketing experience but unlike 'open' venues it guarantees the patrons and client a high level of service and combines the best of both worlds. The Trusts Arena hosts over 600,000 guests a year, this new ticketing arrangement will allow the Arena to build on this success. New shows are already in negotiation and expect to be announced shortly."

TicketDirect will remain as the house provider of tickets and will continue to deliver as it has since 2006 and other agencies will source their own business for The Trusts Arena.

Dean Lonergan of Duco Events says "for the Woodstock Honey Fight for Life we chose to use both TicketDirect and Ticketmaster because it'll sell tickets for us and at the end of the day that's what matters. All credit should be given to the guys at The Trusts Arena for trying something new and finally giving us some real choice"

The Trusts Arena

The Trusts Arena is a multi-purpose event and entertainment facility which hosts a broad range of events including conventions, trade shows, music concerts and local, national and international sporting events.

The Arena was developed by the Waitakere City Stadium Trust in partnership with Waitakere City Council and The Trusts and aims to be an icon for Waitakere City, a place for the community to gather and enjoy a wide range of cultural, community, sporting and corporate events.

The Waitakere City Stadium Trust (the Arena's owner/operator) maintains a strong focus on being an icon for Waitakere City and a 'hub' for our community. The economic and social returns provide ongoing benefits for our community. Commercial activity and key funding partnerships with The Trusts and Waitakere City Council keep the stadium doors open to our community at heavily subsidised rates.

Arena management are proud that over 51% of all visits to the stadium are by local residents and thet less than 6% of income is derived from this, management believing that they have the most versatile, and available community facility in the country.

For more information go to www.thetrustsstadium.co.nz