Leadership / 01.30.19

INTIX 2019: Highlights From Day 1

Emma Frey

This year marks INTIX’s 40th anniversary, and the organization kicked its milestone birthday off in the best way it knows how: a fantastic Day 1 to its annual conference, INTIX 2019. Let’s explore the highlights from the first day, because this event both identifies and drives industry change.

Keynote: Starting Off on the Right ‘Foot’

INTIX 2019 began with a bang when CEO of the Dallas Mavericks Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall took center stage to deliver the conference keynote speech, “A Ticket to the Dance,” sponsored by Ticketmaster. Marshall, as she shared with the audience, is committed to setting the “NBA global standard for diversity and inclusion.” Diversity and inclusion is an important initiative INTIX is committed to advancing in 2019, and Marshall gave everyone in the organization the solid footing they need to begin furthering the initiative. With an infectious energy, she offered a helpful analogy. “Diversity” means “being invited to the dance,” and “inclusion” means “being asked to dance.”

To bring the parallel to life, Marshall asked everyone in the audience — quite literally — to dance. Picture, if you will, a football stadium-sized room of ticketing professionals learning the “Cupid Shuffle.” And when everyone was sufficiently tuckered out, Marshall prompted all attendees to jot down their core values, her own of which seemingly drive her every move — both personal and professional. The energy was electric, but focused. Marshall’s speech provided attendees the chance to root themselves to core values before embarking on a dynamic, wide-ranging exploration of industry change.

What Ticketing Change Looks Like for 2019

Change is always the focus of the annual conference, and one of this year’s hot topics is the true transition to digital. We’re talking mobile, RFID, NFC and so, so much more. Presenters and vendors alike offered words of wisdom for ticketing professionals looking to raise revenue during this time of tech takeover. As panelist Jason Young, Director of Ticketing Operations for the University of Vermont, says, “Our next step is to bring the customer journey down from six clicks to two clicks.”

It’s now all about ease for the customer — more so than ever before. Throughout the Exhibit Hall, new technology showcased new capabilities for venues. INTIX partner Microcom embedded RFID technology into all conference attendees’ badges, which enabled quick and easy data scanning and recording to the cloud. The grand opening of the Exhibit Hall, presented by AXS, showcased a multitude of new technology solutions: from RFID to mobile delivery to open API technologies and ticketing insurance. The Exhibit Hall runs for three days with 80-plus best-of-breed technology providers.

Honoring Passionate Change Makers

With industry change comes the need for strong, innovative and passionate leaders. While the ticketing industry has those in spades, a few leaders in particular were honored on Day 1 of the conference.

INTIX debuted the “Impact Award” in honor of its 40th anniversary, and the inaugural award was given to Linda Deckard, who has been a champion of the entertainment ticketing industry through multiple decades through her journalistic work at Amusement Business as the founder of VenuesToday, which then became VenuesNow. The award is to be given to an individual who or organization that has shown continuous support and impact to INTIX and the entertainment ticketing industry. This year, the award was presented by INTIX Board Chair Kay Burnham.

In addition to the INTIX Impact Award, the conference also honored four standout industry leaders with VenuesNow Ticket Star Awards. These awards are annually given to outstanding members of the entertainment ticketing industry who demonstrate passion, drive and innovation. The 2019 Ticket Star award winners were:

• Christina Allen; Box Office Manager; Ottawa Senators Hockey Club & Canadian Tire Centre
• Jonathan Lack; Senior Director of Ticketing; Milwaukee Bucks
• Alex Renfrew; Director of Ticketing, Marketing and Sales; Spectra, Tsongas Center, Lowell, Mass., and Northeast and Southeast Box Office Regional for Spectra
• Rebecca Throne; Ticketing Department Manager and Box Office Operations Manager; Burning Man, San Francisco

All winners stepped up to the microphone to share their gratitude, and Throne offered an emotionally charged closing statement: “We are so privileged that we get to facilitate experiences that change people’s lives.”

We couldn’t have said it better than that. Stick around for our Day 2 conference roundup, folks.

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Tags: INTIX 2019