New Givex Uptix(TM) Ticket Technology Helps Teams Beat the Recession

News provided by

Jun 27, 2010, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, June 27 /PRNewswire/ - Like the rest of the economy, game attendance is recovering from the hit it took during the recession. Some teams are pulling fans back into stadiums and ballparks using proven promotions and technology that retailers, hotels and restaurants have used to weather the downturn.

Professional teams from all across the U.S. are offering stored value tickets to their fans. Unlike regular tickets, these tickets also serve as a form of payment and come with bonus value from the team, usually $5 to $10. Ticketholders present their tickets at a stadium point-of-purchase to pay for concessions and branded merchandise. Ticket prices haven't increased and fans are now able to put that extra $5 or $10 towards food or a souvenir hat or ball. For years, retailers and restaurants have used the same technology for gift cards and rewards programs, creating an industry worth over $97 billion today.

Teams may just be scratching the surface but are already seeing big returns. Since the San Francisco Giants started their program in early 2009, fans have expressed their approval by increasing season ticket renewals by over 30%, despite the recession. The Boston Red Sox are also very happy with their stored value tickets.

Both teams use Uptix ticketing technology from Givex, a global provider of customer retention solutions, including gift and loyalty programs. Givex is in town this week, showcasing its stored value ticketing platform to sports teams attending the Association of Luxury Suite Directors Conference.

"Fan response has been amazing," says Ron Bumgarner, Senior Vice President for Ticketing, Boston Red Sox. "Many people love the convenience of using their ticket to pay and not having to worry about carrying cash or credit."

"It's a small gift to give the fans something extra and thank our season ticket holders," says Russ Stanley, Vice President of Ticket Sales for the Giants. "They really like it. With stored value, we've seen a solid surge in renewals, even for seats which historically had weak renewal rates."

About Givex

Givex is known for innovative stored-value technology that has driven customer acquisition and retention programs for clients in 35 countries since 1999. Givex provides a broad range of profit enhancing processes that seamlessly integrate gift cards, loyalty engines, e-couponing and targeted email campaigns. This innovation is also backed up by years of experience and the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines our technology and client support. Find out more at www.givex.com

SOURCE Givex