WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 7, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ticketmaster (Nasdaq:TKTM) and Yahoo!, Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) today announced a partnership that makes it easier than ever for Yahoo! users to find tickets to live events. Yahoo! will provide links to ticket sales alongside event information on Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Music, and Upcoming for sporting events and concerts in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. Ticketing options include direct sale options through Ticketmaster and its North America and UK resale partner sites, TicketsNow, and GetMeIn. This agreement allies Yahoo!, which has the Internet's largest sports and entertainment audience of more than 50 million users, with Ticketmaster, the premier distributor of live event tickets, and further solidifies Yahoo!'s position as a must-stop destination for sports and music fans. The integration represents the first time that Yahoo! users are able to purchase tickets directly from Yahoo!'s sites.
"Yahoo!'s sports and music audiences are comprised of passionate fans who are ideally suited for ticketing options within our site," said Jimmy Pitaro, vice president of Yahoo! Sports and Entertainment. "This agreement is a great example of how opening up Yahoo! improves our audience's experience by putting what they want most, in this case Ticketmaster's live ticket sales, one mouse click away."
By partnering with Ticketmaster and its affiliate companies, Yahoo! will offer its users access to the largest inventory of primary and resale tickets to live entertainment events. Whether buying tickets to their favorite band's upcoming concert or finding a last-minute ticket to a ballgame, Yahoo! Music and Yahoo! Sports fans will now have direct access to thousands of events.
"Ticketmaster, TicketsNow, and GetMeIn have the widest coverage of live event options for Yahoo! audiences across all genres; music, sports, and family entertainment," said Greg Consiglio, Ticketmaster's senior vice president, Business Development. "We want to reach fans interested in live events wherever they are online through strategic partnerships. Our alliance with Yahoo! is just the latest example of Ticketmaster's growing affiliate efforts to ensure live event fans can find tickets to the hottest events anywhere."
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Yahoo!, Yahoo! Blueprint, Yahoo! Go, Yahoo! oneSearch, Yahoo! oneConnect, and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
About Ticketmaster
As the world's leading live entertainment ticketing and marketing company, Ticketmaster connects the world to live entertainment. Ticketmaster operates in 20 global markets, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the Internet; approximately 6,700 retail outlets; and 21 worldwide call centers. Established in 1976, Ticketmaster serves more than 10,000 clients worldwide across multiple event categories, providing exclusive ticketing services for leading arenas, stadiums, professional sports franchises and leagues, college sports teams, performing arts venues, museums, and theaters. In 2007, the company sold more than 141 million tickets valued at over $8.3 billion on behalf of its clients. Ticketmaster is headquartered in West Hollywood, California (Nasdaq:TKTM).
Yahoo! Carrie Davis +1-310-907-3774 carried@yahoo-inc.com