On FanSnap, searching fans rarely select a single sports, concert, or theatre ticket.  They pick two, four, …or more tickets.

Of course this makes sense - the best thing about going to events is sharing the experience with your family, friends, or colleagues.

Equally obvious, when several fans go to an event together, they don’t each buy a ticket.  One buys them all.  The “organizer.”  The most trusted member of the group (maybe the designated-driver as well?)  Often this person checks out the options and gains approval from the group before buying.

One day, if a track record of outstanding seat recommendations has been built up, this paragon of fandom is given the proxy for the group.  Yes - they are authorized to buy on behalf of the group.  Post-purchase, they let the group know where they will be sitting.  Now that’s trust.  (For family purchases, it goes without saying that mom usually handles everything.)

Which are you?  The organizer.  The “empowered” organizer?  Mom?  Or are you the lucky beneficiary of the efforts of one of these wonderful people?  It doesn’t matter.  FanSnap has a great feature to make life easy for you all.

Sharing!

Just by clicking on the icons, you can share a single ticket set, your “short list” of tickets, or all the tickets for an event.  And on FanSnap you have lots of ways to share - Facebook, Twitter, Email, MySpace, and Digg.

Need a group “thumbs up” for your selection?  You can click on any of the sharing icons at the top right of the ticket selection page to share all of the ticket choices you see for an event, or just your narrowed list of tickets.  You will also find sharing icons next to each individual ticket set, in case you would like to share a particularly high potential listing.

After you have found the perfect tickets on FanSnap, and purchased them from one of our dozens of ticket partners, we give you one final opportunity to share that information as well.

As one of the other fans in the group receiving this information, you can easily click on the link and see the ticket information!  No confusion.  No more asking “where are the tickets again?” or “did you get good ones?”

The FanSnap team is hard at work, making it as easy as possible for you (and your group) to find - and share - the perfect tickets. Let us know how we are doing, and what you want us to work on next!

Mike

I had the privilege to deliver the keynote at the World Ticket Conference last week.  FanSnap partners with most of the largest ticket companies in America, and this conference, along with the Ticket Summit which is also held in Las Vegas during the same week, provide great opportunities to spend time with our partners and learn the latest news.

In my keynote, I outlined the incredible progress the multi-billion dollar ticket market has made in the past decade, as well as the opportunities we have to make the market for sports tickets, concert tickets, and theatre tickets even bigger.  Fans have an incredible number of choices these days where to purchase tickets; that is why we started FanSnap of course!

Finally, for those who may think that our industry has already peaked, I summarized the top ten reasons why I think our best days are ahead of us!

Ten Trends That are Great for Ticket Sellers and Resellers

• Focus on Family and Friends

In this economic environment, there is a renewed focus on what is most important - family and friends. Fans rarely buy only one ticket - they buy two, four, or more.  Family and friends  are the most likely groups to attend sports, concert and theatre events together.

• Focus on Experiences vs. Possessions

Never have people more agreed with the sentiment “you can’t take it with you.”  The popularity of concepts like the “bucket list” suggest that consumers will increasingly look to travel and other experiences to improve their lives.  Going to live events provide memories that last a lifetime.

• People are Busier than Ever Before

One of the major reasons that the ticket market has grown is that not only can fans get access to the tickets they desire, they can purchase them when they desire.  The motivation for buying tickets “on demand” is no different than what drives demand for the iPod or Tivo - the ability for fans to control their own schedules.

• Consumers Value Choice and Flexibility

Consumers have come to expect goods and services that give them the power - custom configurations and personalization. The ticket market means fans no longer can only purchase weeks or months in advance - and they can safely get their tickets to another fan if their plans change.

• Fans are Online

In the last decade, almost all fans have moved online.  An amazing number of sites cater to sports, concert and theatre fans - hosting news, blogs, statistics, video, photos, and fantasy or community-based activities.  Now that they are online, ticket companies have more ways than ever to reach those fans.

• Tickets Can be Delivered in More Ways than Ever Before

While many fans strongly prefer card stock tickets that serve as momentos, innovations like e-tickets, and even paperless tickets, provide the possibility or promise to facilitate convenient transfer right up to the event time.

• Delighted Fans Have More Ways to Tell their Friends and Colleagues Than Ever Before

Fans that are considering going to events, or sharing memories afterward, have more ways to share their experiences than ever before, thanks to the rise of web 2.0 communities like Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr and Twitter.  They also can also give credit to the ticket company who helped them get there.

• Concert and Theatre Markets are Just Starting to Accept the Resale Market

The benefits of the ticket market have yet to be fully realized by the concert and theatre industries, like they have been in sports.  Early endorsement deals (such Madonna and Jersey Boys) are similar to the pioneering sports deals several years ago, before the teams and leagues fully embraced and supported fans desire to buy and sell tickets.

• Concert Touring is Exploding

Artists are touring more to drive ticket and merchandise revenues, since they are earning less selling music.  The average music fan, who goes to two events a year, will have more choices than ever before and will need tickets.

• Limited Awareness of Legitimate Resale Market

Despite the marketing, partnership, and public relations gains of the last five years, many fans still believe “sold out” means “sold out.” Many also wrongly believe that there are restrictions against ticket reselling in their particular state.  While the ticket market has clearly gone mainstream, not everyone has received the message yet.

…

What do you think?  Am I right?  What am I missing?

Mike

It’s the beginning of the year.  Everyone is undefeated.  Everyone has a shot at playing for the BCS National Championship in Pasadena.  Who is pumped?  Well, let’s have a look at what teams college football fans are searching for most already on FanSnap… (and their hottest home game!)

1.  Ohio State tickets:  vs. USC 1,000+ tickets from $295*

2.  Notre Dame tickets:  vs. USC 2,000+ tickets from $249

3.  Penn State tickets:  vs. Ohio State 1,000+ tickets from $55

4.  Florida tickets:  vs. Georgia 1,000+ tickets from $230

5.  Texas tickets:  vs. Oklahoma 3,000+ tickets from $195

6.  Oklahoma tickets:  vs. Okla State 3,000+ tickets from $133

7.  USC tickets:  vs. UCLA 1,000+ tickets from $119

Changing to a playoff format so we can crown a real champion is long overdue.  But who cares?  Flip the coin and let’s get this season underway!

Mike

* price = ticket price + commission as of Jul 22 @ 11:30PM

Growing up in Seattle, it’s the law.  You have to love Pearl Jam.  And I do.  I may have listened to Yellow Ledbetter more than any song ever written.

Lots of grunge fans feel the same way, and are looking forward to getting Pearl Jam tickets to see Eddie and the boys’ new tour.  The great news is that, thanks to the ticket market, there are plenty of tickets available for their first announced shows!

Toronto Pearl Jam tickets, Aug 21:  800+ tickets from $100*

Chicago Pearl Jam tickets, Aug 23, 24:  1,900+ tickets from $38

Seattle Pearl Jam tickets, Sep 21, 22:  2,000+ tickets from $75

Hollywood Pearl Jam tickets, Sep 30 & Oct 1,6,7:  3,900+ tickets from $100

San Diego Pearl Jam tickets, Oct 9:  1,000+ tickets from $85

Philadelphia Pearl Jam tickets, Oct 28, 30:  2,000 tickets from $109

Ready to feel “Alive”?  Get your “Even Flow” On?

Mike

* price = ticket price + commission as of July 22 11PM PST

ESPN asked the question on SportsCenter last night - “Who are this year’s Tampa Bay Rays?” - the cinderella team of 2009?   The leading candidates just might be the San Francisco Giants, who are currently ten games over .500 and smack in the middle of the wild card chase, led by their super pitching staff.

Everyone knows the Giants have pitching. 2008 Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. Young stud Matt Cain. Three hundred game winner Randy Johnson. Even Barry Zito, after a grueling offseason program, is returning to his old form. Quick, who is the #5 flame thrower on the Giants staff? I bet you didn’t know. No one did, until last night.

Jonathan Sanchez tossed the MLB’s first no-hitter of 2009, the first in AT&T Park, and the first for a Giant since 1976. Great, Giants opponents are thinking, now there are no nights off against these guys!

The Bay Area was mesmerized last night during the game. Giants fans were texting, IM’g, tweeting, and phoning each other to turn on the TV. It was the most excitement Bay Area sports fans have had since the Warriors “We Believe” post season run a few years ago.

Making the story all the more fun was that Sanchez had just been inserted back into the rotation, replacing the injured “Big Unit.” An erratic few starts had led to his recent demotion to the bullpen. There were even trade rumors. My guess is he’s feeling better now.

To top it off, in a true “Field of Dreams” moment, Jonathan’s father, up from Puerto Rico to see his son start a Giants game for the first time ever, was on hand to “hug it out” after the game.

For most of the year, Giants tickets have been going for as little as $7 on the ticket providers searched by FanSnap.  If the Bay Area Boys, led by “Big Panda,” keep this up after the All Star Game, this may very well change. Right now, a ticket to see these guys may be the best bargain in baseball.   Let’s Go Giants!

Mike

(UPDATE: July 8, 2009)

Prices WERE dropping until the players were announced.

Demand for tickets to the MLB All Star Game jumped since last Thursday. Get-in prices for tickets to the mid-summer classic in St. Louis went up more than $100 in less than a week while the average price for a ticket has also increased. The Home Run Derby also looks to be a hot ticket this weekend.

MLB All Star Weekend - Futures and Legends Game (July 12)  4,000+ tickets from $14*

MLB All Star Weekend - Home Run Derby (July 13)  3,000+ tickets from $241*

MLB All Star Game tickets (July 14)  3,000+ tickets from $495*

* prices and availability as of July 8, 2:00PM PT.

—-

As Major League Baseball’s 2009 All Star Game, being held at the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis, approaches, this week the average market price of tickets to the game has finally started to drop - over 7% in the last few days, to about $900.

FanSnap searches dozens of ticket sites for available listings and has been monitoring asking prices and availability of tickets for the game for weeks.  Average asking prices have stayed firm, even increasing in recent weeks.  Baseball fans continue to have a tremendous array of ticket choices all over the stadium, from behind home plate in the “cell phone seats,” to the deepest reaches of the bleachers where only Albert Pujols can go yard.

In the past week, All Star Game ticket listings have actually increased to over 4,400.  As the game nears and ticket sellers need to move their tickets they are doing the logical thing - starting to drop their asking prices!

Don’t forget the other great weekend events.  Real baseball fans know that the winner of this game gets home field advantage on the World Series.  That’s critical.  More importantly, someone always wins a new house, based on who wins the Home Run Derby.  Now that’s drama!

It is a great weekend of events, and look at all the ticket choices!

Futures and Legends Games (July 12) * 5000+ tickets from $10*

Home Run Derby (July 13) * 5000+ tickets from $184

All Star Game (July 14) * 4000+ tickets from $359

St. Louis is a great place to visit.  It’s not too late…

* prices and availability as of July 2, 10PM PT.

The Dodgers-Padres game in San Diego tonight marks the return of Manny Ramirez, after his suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing substances.

Do you think fans hold a grudge?  Not according to the big changes in available ticket listings and asking prices the past few days as it was confirmed tonight would be his return.

FanSnap searches dozens of ticket sites for available tickets.  In the past week, check out the swing in Dodgers-Padres tickets prices for tonight’s game:

June 26:  862 tickets, $86.90 average asking price*

June 27:  781 tickets, $86.90 average

June 28:  472 tickets, $97.50 average

June 29:  394 tickets, $102.85 average

June 30:  324 tickets, $110.00 average

July 1:  521 tickets, $118.80 average

July 2:  465 tickets, $112.20 average

I guess baseball fans just think it was Manny being Manny!  There still are lots of tickets available for the weekend series.

* asking price equals ticket price + commission

Mike

Start spreading the news…

Lovers of the nation’s pastime, driven by the great choices and values to be had, have been all over FanSnap this summer searching for MLB tickets.  Vacationing fans are visiting ballparks.  Baseball fans are sitting in seats they never thought they could afford.

What teams are baseball fans searching for most?  And where are they playing on July 4th?

1.  New York Yankees tickets:  Jays @ Yankees, 8,000+ tickets from $16*

2.  Boston Red Sox tickets:  Mariners @ Red Sox, 2,000+ tickets from $16

3.  New York Mets tickets:  Mets @ Phillies, 4000+ tickets from $19

4.  LA Angels tickets:  Orioles @ Angels, 3,000+ tickets from $14

5.  Chicago Cubs tickets:  Brewers @ Cubs, 6000+ tickets from $20

6.  SF Giants tickets:  Astros @ Giants, 2,000 tickets from $11

7.  Chicago White Sox tickets:  White Sox @ Royals, 700+ tickets from $6

8.  LA Dodgers tickets:  Dodgers @ Padres, 1000+ tickets from $20

Most interesting as they are both in the Big Apple and have new ballparks, Yankees searches outnumber Mets searches two to one…

Me?  I am going to SF’s AT&T Park Saturday to see Cy Young winning phenom Timmy Lincecum blow away Astros!  Happy Fourth of July!

Mike

* ticket availability and price (ticket + commission) as of July 2, 2PM PT