We don’t generally think of the ticketing and live events business as a “family business.” Family businesses are usually reserved for smaller operations like restaurants, landscapers, and moving companies. But I recently spoke with two members of a three-generation ticketing family, and the insights they shared were fascinating.
Audrey Arseneau is the Director of Ticketing for Oak View Group (OVG) in Hamilton, Ontario, servicing such venues as the Hamilton Arena and the FirstOntario Concert Hall. She says, “I am responsible for the creation and maintenance of all of our events. I also oversee my part-time staff on event nights.” Her son, Tyler “Ty” Murray, is an Account Executive with Cirque du Soleil’s touring shows division. His primary duties and responsibilities include selling group tickets and VIP experiences.
Arseneau’s mother-in-law and Ty’s grandmother, Mary Murray, inspired Audrey early on her career path. She started in the phone room for Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. Her daughter-in-law recalls, “She spent a few years there before she moved into the position of Executive Assistant to the CEO. She was still in that position when I started in the box office but retired shortly after I had my second son in 2009.”
Audrey Arseneau
So, how well known are these generational family ties among Audrey and Ty’s peers and colleagues? And what are people’s reactions when they first hear of the lineage? Arseneau replies, “Ty’s adventure in ticketing is still relatively new. But when I inform my colleagues that my son has begun working in ticketing, the first reaction is usually ‘Well, of course he has!’ No one is really surprised.”
Murray adds, “Echoing what my mom said, it is almost never shocking to anyone that I’ve spoken to that I have ended up in ticketing or at Cirque du Soleil. I grew up with entertainment being so much my ‘every day’ that it just felt like a natural switch.”
Both agree that there are a few common threads with regards to ticketing and live events that have appealed to each generation and will continue to do so. Murray says, “The mystery of what goes on behind the scenes is really what draws me in, and it’s what my peers show the most curiosity about, too. Everyone wants to know what’s going on behind that curtain.”
Arseneau concurs, adding, “I think this industry will continue to appeal to each ‘next generation’ because ... who doesn’t like entertainment? It can be perceived as glamorous from the outside.”
She believes and is heartened by the fact that the industry has evolved so much that it has continued to attract the interest of each generation. Technology is one of the big areas where she has seen significant innovation since first getting involved. She states, “Technology is constantly evolving. And for us older generations, it’s important that we rely on the younger generation to keep us up to date on the newest gadgets and how to effectively use them.”
So, the question was posed to both mother and son: “Is there a fourth generation waiting in the wings?” Arseneau, with a chuckle, was the first to answer: “I’m not ready to accept that my babies are adults! So, uh, let’s circle back on this question.”
Murray was equally bashful in concluding, “Hey, I just showed up, so I want to make my way through those aforementioned wings first. But I’m sure this industry has not seen the end of any of the Murray-Arseneau gang!”
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