Read the full release here.

We’re pleased that as part of the overall strategy of Etix, the office in Gilbert, Arizona will remain open under the direction of founders, Lynne King Smith and Brad Smith, and the staff will continue to bring the high level of service and support that helped the company create a long-term base of clients with strong retention rates since founding in 2003.

This new relationship provides additional benefits for the clients and growth opportunities for the staff with a far larger entity providing powerful resources, including:

• Additional leadership and talent to provide the highest level of service with multiple locations nationwide: Etix now operates in 6 locations in North America creating a network of support across all time zones
• Expanded resources for in-house development of an exciting powerful ticketing and marketing platform: Clients will have access to additional features, functionality, and service that we believe will improve both the operator experience and that of the ticket buyers
• Improved financial power and resources to ensure long-term success in an ever-changing market: The ticketing market is experiencing consolidation and Etix is leading the way with smart expansion and bringing brands together successfully over the past several years.

Says Co-founder and CEO, Lynne King Smith of the news, “We are extremely excited about this new partnership and the opportunities it brings! We hope you join Brad and I and the whole TicketForce team in celebrating this happy news as we look forward to serving the industry we love so much for many more years ahead of as part of the growing Etix family. With change and great opportunity ahead, we are so thankful for the sixteen-year era of grit, endurance and commitment of a small group of people in Gilbert, Arizona who found success in big ways.”

About Etix

Founded in 2000, Etix is a web-based ticketing service provider, processing more than 50 million tickets per year in 40 countries.  Etix has provided flexible and secure ticketing solutions, digital marketing services, and robust e-commerce fulfillment for nearly two decades, and is proud to work with thousands of venues, including casinos, theaters, arenas, music clubs, festivals, fairs and performing arts centers.  Headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, Etix has six ticketing offices across the US as well as offices in Austria, China, Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan, as well as Rockhouse Partners, a full-service digital marketing agency.

Gilbert, AZ (October 22, 2019) – Legendary motorsports facility, Pacific Raceways, has decided to empower their ticketing by partnering with TicketForce. This 2.25 mile, nine turn course hosts the NHRA Northwest National annually, as well as numerous race events and is proud to be the training ground for law enforcement agencies throughout the Northwest. The track, which originally opened in 1960, is still family-owned and operated.  When asked about the partnership, Pacific Raceways General Manager, John Ramsey said, “Ticketing is the coin of the realm for motorsports venues and having the right partner can make or break your season.  We are looking forward to working with TicketForce and taking our ticketing to a whole new level.”

TicketForce National Sales Manager, Scott Greeban was particularly excited about adding Pacific Raceways to the family and said, “I am thrilled to have Pacific Raceways join the TicketForce family!  I spent most of my life in the Puget Sound region and have been to Pacific Raceways countless times as a patron.  It is a privilege to have Pacific Raceways as a client and we will work hard to assist them making the Northwest Nationals a continued success!”

For more than 15 years, TicketForce has been a leading provider of ticketing solutions for multiple industries, including music, arts, casinos, racing, festivals, fairs, theatres and more. In 2018, TicketForce clients sold more than $107 million in tickets.

To learn more about Pacific Raceways, visit www.pacificraceways.com.

 About TicketForce, LLC

TicketForce is creating super fans by understanding what the audience wants and constantly puts insight into action that will set venues and events apart. Customers love the interactive seat maps, Dynamic Mobile Tickets, Invite-A-Friend™, social sharing, Full House™, season tickets, dashboard reports, and more. We believe in bringing good ideas to life in a way that empowers our partners to go beyond and engage the audience in new and better ways. By understanding today’s challenges, we collaborate with all our partners, to provide a customizable, full-service ticketing and box office management platform, that includes a call center, gate sales, access control, payment processing, management tools, and total data control. TicketForce is the most powerful ticketing solution! For more information, visit www.ticketforce.com.

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– If live TV is king, then the live event is emperor – it is still the foundation of everything we do

– Pay attention to trends that don’t necessarily correlate with your event – technology and the cell phone are going to be HUGE coming up, social media and 5G are the future

– People are coming to events for the IMMERSIVE opportunity

– The evolution of the fan experience is going to be the immersion of technology with the current traditional product and then turning that technology into something that the patron can’t replicate at home

– Make the front porch BIGGER! Make the live event more comfortable for all patrons

– Millennial’s are going to be the most sought-after demographic for the next couple of years

– Events are going to have to start engaging in ‘culture collision’ to bring in a new demographic

– “Why would the customer say no and what can I control?” – You can’t control everything, but what you can control, make it count

If you missed the webinar, the recording is live on our YouTube channel – here.

Donations are important to any nonprofits mission, and the TicketForce team is always looking for ways to help our clients grow their business. A few of us sat down to talk donations and came up with some easy tips to help you achieve your capital campaign goals. Check them out below: 

Be Specific. Patrons are more likely to donate to your organization if they know how the donation will be used. For example, they may be compelled to give a little more if they know the funds will be used to supply equipment for your education program or renovate concessions. 

A picture is worth a thousand words. Use a great image that provokes emotion and explains the cause. 

Make it easy. The easier it is to donate, the more the likely your patrons will feel compelled to contribute to your campaign. TicketForce features such as Round-up Donations and Donations at Checkout allow your patrons to easily add a suggested donation of any size while they are completing a ticket transaction. 

Follow up! Thank your new donors and share the success when your funding goal is met. Your patrons will feel great when they see what you have accomplished with their donation and will be more likely to donate again in the future. 

Share the excitement. You’re excited about your capital campaigns – make sure your box office staff is excited too. Insider Tip: Create a quick pitch for your staff to better explain how the donation will be used and why it’s important. TicketForce also allows you to quickly collect donations at the box office or over the phone.  

If you have any questions about donations or how TicketForce can help you, reach out to our Customer Success Manager, Dan Michalegko at dan@ticketforce.com

Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, and while living there, I managed a $3.5 million music store for over 10 years. At the same time, I was a professional musician writing and recording hard rock music and touring throughout the Midwest with a brief stop in LA.

Once Napster arrived along with MP3s, I knew my store and chain had little time left, and so I decided to move to Phoenix, AZ. I had no job or contacts but was fortunate to land work and lend my skills to multiple non-profit organizations in Phoenix. From guest relations manager in a museum to stints in box office management for multiple theatres, I learned a lot and met great people along the way. Even though I have been living in Arizona for 20 years, I am still in touch with my original band and we put out music and play live to this day. Life in the arts and entertainment industry is good!

Q: What brought you to TicketForce?

I have been off the radar for almost five years as a full-time stay-at-home Dad of 3 children. Because school was starting soon, I had a chance to get back into the workforce. The box office community in Phoenix is tight, and while working and speaking with other people in my field, TicketForce was often mentioned. I looked into TicketForce years ago and was impressed by the company. As I started looking for work again, I was thrilled to see that TicketForce was hiring, and jumped at the chance to interview with them. Their company culture and the longevity of the employees speaks volumes, so once I was offered the job in business development, it was a no brainer!

Q: What’s your experience with arts and live events?

My experience of the arts started at a very young age when my parents moved in with my grandmother after she lost her husband. My grandmother was the head pianists for the Youngstown Symphony, and she served on many boards for the arts community while I was growing up in her home. She rehearsed at home with many conductors and musicians and I became addicted to music and performing. Before getting bitten by the rock & roll bug, I attended the symphony, opera, and ballet with my Grandmother, and those are some of my fondest memories.

I started writing, recording, and touring in an all-original rock/metal band around 1989 and I am still very involved in that scene today. My two personal highlights in that area are the mention my band received in Entertainment Weekly Magazine in 1994, which landed us two distribution deals overseas. Coming full circle, my same band performed in April 2019 to a sold-out crowd at the world-famous Whisky A Go Go opening for our band’s largest influence, Dokken. Interestingly enough, Dokken’s longtime producer also worked on our album, so that made the show even more special to us.

After leaving a store manager position of a multi-million-dollar music store in the Ohio/Pennsylvania area in 1999, I was very fortunate to land on my feet in the performing arts in Phoenix, Arizona. I handled and was involved in many aspects of the live theatre companies I worked for. The bulk of my work was box office management, but I was involved in marketing and development at times as well. Managing a box office for live theatre was awesome because it allowed me to have a behind-the-scenes view of what it takes to produce a show between administration, development, production, and artistic direction.

Q: What was the most memorable live event you’ve attended?

Over the years I have had tickets and backstage passes for many shows between working at a music store and performing in a band. I have many great live memories, but seeing the Struts recently in Tempe, AZ was maybe one of the best live rock shows I have seen in over 10 years.

My all-time favorite event was when NIN and David Bowie toured together in the mid 90s. I was very fortunate to have passes for a meet and greet with David Bowie. I was with a very small group of people from our local music stores and he allowed us to take a photo with him and was very kind and sincere to chat with. I don’t think there are many people who can say they had the chance to meet him before he passed, and it was an awesome experience.

I’m not a pilot, but I am a frequent flyer and every time I land, I’m not certain how the jet is going to be set down. Some seem to drop quickly and hit the ground with bumps and knocks, finally coming to a quick stop that requires a little holding on. Others come in almost floating and the wheels hit the ground softly, more like a butterfly landing gently on a flower than the massive machine it is going from 500 miles per hour to zero in a few seconds.

I’m sure there are many factors to how the landings go, but I do know I feel a sense of awe when it’s the calm and floaty kind.

Returning to work after time off requires a landing as well. And just like the planes, all too often they feel bumpy, fast, and sudden. If the point of time off is to get rested and refreshed, consideration about the return seems just as important as the leaving.

We spend a significant amount of time (especially most women) planning for the exit. Pre-planning work, finishing up projects, leaving instructions for those who will fill in while we’re out, pet care, kid care, house sitters, food for those we may be leaving behind, so there’s an incredible amount of work to do just to get out the door and on that plane.

We do it all so that we can truly rest, play, and detach without anxiety or stress about what’s going on at home.

However, what if we gave the same thought and planning to our return?

Here’s my favorite ways to ensure a soft landing after the precious vacation time!

Add a buffer day (or 2). For many years, my husband and I believed in stretching out the vacation time as long as possible; often returning late on the night before we head to work the next morning, leaving little time for resting, catching our breath and resetting our minds for the new week.

But over more recent years, we love to add what I call a buffer day – it’s a least a day (more if there’s jetlag) between returning home and returning to work. I don’t do much activity, but it does give me time to reset, unpack, get food, and mostly, prepare my mind for a good return.

Practice gratitude. “Coming down” from vacation can be pretty rough for some. Rather than focusing on being sad that vacation is over and dreading returning to work, a little gratitude goes a long way. Grateful for the time and money to take a trip. Savor the memories you made. Remember what you love about your home and where you live. Look forward to seeing the people you work with that you may have missed. Seeing your pets or others who were left behind. Treasure the feeling of your own home – and bed.

Clear your schedule Day 1. Whenever possible, keep your first day back free from meetings and scheduled calls. It’s tempting to offer these times up when you know you’re going to be gone – but a day free of obligations allows for great catch up, and a softer landing with adjusting to the workday after the free schedule on vacation.

Go to bed early. I love my bed – even when staying at beautiful hotels or sleeping with ocean breezes, there’s nothing like my own bed to come home to. So, I look forward to getting between the sheets and even if I’m not tired, spend time reading until I drift off. Even an extra hour of sleep makes getting up on time the next day so much easier.

Schedule a little pampering. Today is my first day back, to the heat of Arizona summer, after a beautiful week at the beach with my family. I had the forethought to schedule an after-work massage and facial and now think it’s the best idea ever. Knowing that’s waiting for me at the end of my day is a great little treat.

Slowing down the return is like landing the plane softly. I’m so sad when I hear folks talk about hating getting back to work or having a rough transition from vacation. Give the soft landing a try and let me know in the comments how it works for you!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I’ve only recently moved to the Phoenix area after living in Northwestern Ohio my entire life. My household consists of myself, my partner, my housemate and a small zoo of animals, but at least now we have enough room that everyone’s comfortable! I went to BGSU for college and have two BFA degrees (Digital Arts & Creative Writing), but in my professional life I’ve discovered that I best do creative work as occasional freelancing rather than as a steady day job. Customer Service is really where my skills lie, and being able to join TicketForce’s team right as I moved to the area is shaping up to feel like it was “meant to be.”

Q: What brought you to TicketForce?

I was looking for Customer Service call center opportunities in general, but once I stumbled upon TicketForce’s listing and did a little research I frankly fell in love. The team’s culture, enthusiasm, and integrity seemed too good to be true until I saw it for myself, and I really feel like my life has seriously changed for the better now that I’m here.

Q: What’s your experience with arts and live events?

When growing up my family mainly took me to symphony performances until I got to high school, where I began going on yearly school trips to see musicals in Chicago during the Thanksgiving holiday. As an adult I occasionally still go to see symphony performances, but I also seek out tickets to plays, musicals, and stand-up comedians as well. My romantic partner is a trained stage manager, too, so I’ve not only seen many plays and musicals with him but have also seen his work. Now that we’re in the Phoenix area, we’re also likely going to take advantage of my other housemate’s ties to the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.

Q: What was the most memorable live event you’ve attended?

Certain people at my university alma mater had ridiculously amazing taste. As a freshman in college I was able to see Greg Proops and Chip Esten (of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” fame) live at the Student Union, and then half a decade later I saw the comedian Gabriel Iglesias live at the campus’s indoor stadium. These both were dreams come true, but 2018 topped them when I received Hamilton tickets as a gift from my mother for a show in Chicago.

“The most” is supposed to refer to a single event, I know, but I’ve been too lucky to only have one.

Q: Anything else you want to add? Random fact about yourself?

I don’t do well in warm weather, but being in Arizona has made coping with it a whole lot easier. Now, people actually agree with me when I say it’s too hot!

A: I’m an Arizona native, born and raised in the valley. Attending festivals and conventions are some of my favorite activities as well as playing games with friends, trying new foods, watching show after show on tv, and going out and exploring new places.

Q: What brought you to TicketForce?

A: I was told about how great of a company it is to work for and as someone who loves live events, it’ll be nice to have a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes.

Q: What’s your experience with arts and live events?

A: As long as I can remember I’ve been going to concerts, festivals, plays, and conventions and they’re some of my favorite memories.

Q: What was the most memorable live event you’ve attended?

A: The most memorable live event I’ve ever attended has to be EDC 2019

Q: Anything else you want to add? Random fact about yourself?

A: I used to throw knives, to the point I threw them blindfolded and could throw a bullseye