SeatGeek – The sports ticketing platform which continues to take on the world

Founded in New York in 2009, SeatGeek is a prominent mobile ticketing platform that allows consumers to buy and sell tickets across sports and other events in the US market.

The company has partnered with different organisations around the US since the platform was launched, including Yahoo! Sports and various MLS teams around the country.

The service has recently moved into other markets, including the UK, after acquiring Israeli ticketing software company TopTix in 2017 for $56 million.

SeatGeek’s acquisition opened up the service to an international market, as TopTix’s primary software application, labelled ‘SRO’, combined perfectly with SeatGeek’s mobile applications and market place ability.

SRO gives sports clubs a world class software application to manage areas such as memberships, ticketing, reporting, corporate hospitality, marketing and so forth all inside a singular web-based user interface.

“We all thought it was a very good fit – what SeatGeek would bring to the table to work alongside the SRO software platform. We felt it was a great opportunity to build a global offering that could really drive a change in the market at a significant level and we have enjoyed strong growth over the past two and half years,” SeatGeek’s managing director for Sport across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Peter Joyce told FC Business, earlier this year.

When the acquisition of TopTix occurred in 2017, SeatGeek only had one English Premier Club partnered with the company, West Bromwich Albion. Two years later, the platform is now used by seven Premier League clubs in the 2019/2020 season, which represents a 35% market share across the league.

The clubs using the service are Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Leicester City, Aston Villa and Sheffield United.

A further seven clubs are clients from the EFL Championship. Those teams are Derby County, Stoke City, Middlesbrough, Reading, Bristol City, Charlton Athletic and West Bromwich Albion.

The UK Sport headquarters has recently doubled in staff numbers with SeatGeek now having 430 employees and eight offices in different locations around the world.

Joyce believes the company continues to improve its reputation in the UK sports market.

“Ticketing software in UK sport has tended to work in five-year cycles when it comes to the systems and software products available and I think we’ve turned heads over recent years.

“New suppliers can come and go and there can be a swing in a certain direction from time to time. SeatGeek and the SRO software solutions have certainly enjoyed excellent growth over the years and our challenge is to build on a very solid platform and client base and take it to the next level.

“Alongside winning significant new business over the past two years we have also re-signed every club (7) who have come up for re-contract in that period and this demonstrates a client base that are enjoying working with SeatGeek and the SRO software platform. Technology is changing rapidly as we all know and there’s a demand for ticketing providers to keep pace with those ever-changing requirements and continue to grow and evolve.”

Central to SeatGeek’s success is the technological superiority the company has over its competitors. Legacy ticketing systems are generally known to manually report, overwork staff and be inflexible when it comes to configuration of events.

However, SeatGeek’s SRO service provides those in charge with extensive control across their organisation. This includes the most customisable rules-based engine ever created, with clubs also given valuable services for those using a powerful Application Program Interface (API). This gives third party providers the chance to build in tools that provide analytics, CRM, data, dynamic pricing and so on.

Fans praised the SeatGeek’s SRO platform last season, when the service was in use for a series of semi-finals and finals at Wembley Stadium. Over 95% of all tickets were sold online using SeatGeek’s online applications with not one complaint received. Instead, hundreds of positive comments were left across social media regarding the ease of the sales process.

Joyce claims SeatGeek will continue to grow and adapt in the future, using the impressive technology that is accessible.

“We will continue to listen to the market’s requirements; build for the future and one club at a time grow the footprint of our SRO platform to deliver an excellent all-round ticketing experience for as many clients and fans as possible.”

 

 

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ESA’s Game-Changing Technology for Injury Recovery and Player Growth

Elite Skills Arena (ESA) has created cutting edge technology that is revolutionising injury rehabilitation and player development in football.

ESA is a company that designs and provides advanced football training technology used by top clubs and academies around the world. 

Founded by Eddie Mitchell in 2014, ESA creates innovative tools that help coaches track performance and develop players more effectively.

By combining smart tech with insights from leading coaches, ESA delivers data-driven solutions that improve training and sharpen key skills on the pitch.

When the company first settled on the idea of a circular wall with moving targets, the plan was to create an indoor space where players could work on their technical skills.

What started as a simple concept quickly took shape—so much so that the very first prototype was built in a backyard just to see if it would work.

That early test led to the launch of the first product and the creation of the now-iconic arena that remains a core part of what ESA offers today.

Currently, ESA offers three main product lines: the ICON range, the Wall range, and the Wireless range.

Each one has seen great success with professional clubs, academies, major organisations for marketing and events, and advanced training centres around the world.

Today, ESA products are used on six continents, and they’re getting close to a major milestone—1 million games played with their equipment.

But there’s one product in particular, the Wireless Circuit, that’s revolutionising injury rehab and player development in football.

Now ESA first tested the Circuit concept at Ipswich Town and Southampton Football Clubs in the UK.

But it was FC Barcelona who asked for a wireless version, eliminating the need for connecting cables.

The Wireless Circuit is made up of lightweight, cable-free modules — the Rebound, Pass-Through, and Gate — each featuring LED lights and vibration technology to give instant performance feedback.

Using motion sensors, the modules track passing, movement, and dribbling, while built-in modes recreate tactical game scenarios, making it a powerful tool for both training and recovery.

Since its introduction, the Wireless Circuit has been used extensively by Barcelona’s medical team during pre-season and injury rehabilitation.

Stars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Agüero and Ronald Araújo have benefitted from its data-driven approach, which benchmarks fitness levels and reduces the risk of re-injury.

The club has used the Wireless Circuit for the later stages of rehabilitation which has allowed players to build up match sharpness without being exposed to the danger of full-contact training.

Following the success at FC Barcelona, the Wireless Circuit has been making waves in the global sports world, having been nominated for Best Technology for Injury Prevention or Rehabilitation at the prestigious Sports Technology Awards.

With more than 50 installations across the globe, it’s quickly becoming a go-to choice for clubs and academies looking for reliable, cutting-edge solutions.

With injuries on the rise in elite football and top players spending more time on the sidelines, Premier League clubs are paying closer attention.

Leicester City FC, who’ve been interested in ESA technology for a while, recently added the Wireless Circuit to their sports science program to help monitor player fitness and support injury recovery.

After a successful demo in September 2023, they’ve started using the Rebound, Pass-Through, and Gate modules to help keep first-team players healthy and make rehab smoother and more effective.

Now the Wireless Circuit could offer substantial benefits to soccer clubs and organisations in Australia due to its unique combination of technology, portability, and proven performance outcomes.

Clubs from grassroots to A-League level can often face challenges in managing injuries, especially with limited access to advanced rehab facilities.

The Wireless Circuit enables low-risk, high-impact recovery by allowing players to rebuild match fitness through targeted, non-contact drills. This is particularly valuable in a sport where muscle and ligament injuries are common.

Also, with clubs becoming increasingly data-focused, the Wireless Circuit’s built-in motion sensors and instant feedback allow coaches to track a players movement, passing and dribbling

This gives coaches a more scientific, structured approach to player development, something especially useful in youth programs and academies.

So, as football continues to evolve, ESA’s Wireless Circuit stands at the forefront, offering a smarter, safer, and more effective way to train, recover, and develop the next generation of players.

Superloop Scores Major Goal with Football Australia Partnership

Football Australia (FA) has today inked a landmark deal with telecommunications heavyweight Superloop (ASX: SLC) in a massive boost for the prestigious Hahn Australia Cup competition.

The telco challenger has secured naming rights as the official category partner for the Cup and also committed to revolutionising the sports broadcast capabilities through cutting-edge AI technology.

Superloop founded in 2014, is an Australian telecommunications company and internet service provider (ISP) that offers high speed connectivity to consumers with NBN deals and new AI connectivity.

The Hahn Australia Cup will benefit enormously from Superloop’s involvement as the telco giant looks to bolster its brand presence among the football market.

The multi-faceted deal will see Superloop deliver bespoke connectivity solutions, including business-grade NBN internet and mobile data services and AI technology cameras distributed to fields around the country.

This will support not just live broadcasts but also real-time collection of match and player statistics.

Football Australia CEO James Johnson described the collaboration as a pivotal moment in FA’s digital transformation.

“In today’s connected world, high-speed, reliable internet infrastructure is paramount. Superloop’s expertise and technology will allow us to deliver a more dynamic and engaging live streaming experience to fans nationwide, while unlocking cost efficiencies and new revenue streams for the sport,” Johnson said via FA official press release.

Already, Darwin Football Stadium has been kitted out with Superloop’s dedicated high-speed NBN connectivity, powering 4K resolution streams of all Men’s and Women’s Premier League fixtures.

The agreement blends well for Football Australia’s recent centralisation of live production and distribution for over 3,500 matches annually, spanning state leagues to flagship national competitions.

Superloop Group Executive for Business & Wholesale, Daisy Stampfer, highlighted the company’s commitment to Australian sport.

“We recognise the transformative power of connectivity in sports broadcasting and are committed to delivering the high-performance network solutions that will power FA’s vision for the future of football streaming.”

“Our exclusive sponsorship of the Hahn Australia Cup and our connectivity partnership with Football Australia underscores our dedication to supporting the growth and innovation of Australian grassroots sport,” Stampfer said via official FA press release.

This is a huge new step for Australian Football at all levels giving all clubs in the country and competitions support with the streamlined viewership nationally to enhance the game at little cost for the clubs.

For businesses such as Superloop, the football community is an untapped industry for them to help develop, market and stand out.

The footballing environment creates great publicity for the company and enduring respect in the community for future endeavours.

The strategic relationship promises a new era of digital engagement with the beautiful game, from suburban pitches to national showcases.

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