UK: I’m Brian and so’s my Wife. - Confident you Know your Spectators’ True Identity?

Sport is big business. It is crucial that games are played in a controlled environment, especially in today’s world of improved governance. It is therefore vital that tickets are distributed to bona fide supporters.

There is growing concern that controls over ticket sales at sports matches, especially those with a high profile, are not as strong as they should be. Clubs may be unaware of exactly who is in the ground on match day. The integrity over the distribution of tickets can present a serious business issue, not just from adverse publicity effects, but from the effect on legitimate fans.

There are obvious challenges around large quantity ticket sales, but how do you face the following key issues:

• Do you know the names of all ticket holders at your matches, especially for match day tickets?

• How do you know that you are only selling tickets to people you want in your ground?

• How do you know that individuals are not bulk buying tickets for distribution outside of official channels?

• Are you selling tickets at inflated/deflated prices?

• Are you sure you’re not selling multiple tickets for the same seat?

With a strong Data Management team, Deloitte can provide in-depth analysis of ticket sales for individual games or over a complete season. Our team can establish patterns which can be used to highlight problem areas and provide the following information:

• Individuals who have purchased a large number of tickets.

• Individuals who have made several purchase transactions.

• Tickets purchased without a name assigned to a seat.

• Multiple sales to the same address.

• Large numbers of tickets allocated to specific staff members.

• Tickets that have blank or unknown data fields with no way of tracing the purchaser.

• Ticket price variances for specific ticket types.

• Tickets marked for match day collection.

• Cancelled or refunded tickets where there is a possibility that two tickets may have been sold for the same seat.

• Individuals common to a number of the above analysis.

By looking at data from your own or third party ticketing systems in a different way, Deloitte will provide you with the necessary management information to identify and resolve potential issues or inefficiencies that may be apparent in the way tickets are sold.

Understanding and harnessing your ticket sales data and taking any necessary corrective action can demonstrate your club’s attitude towards ticket sales and help avoid potential adverse publicity and related issues.

Deloitte works with a number of the top Sports Clubs providing data analysis over ticketing. Deloitte is known and trusted by key stakeholders, including Boards, Audit Committees and, ultimately, the markets. 

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.