On Tuesday, over 1,550 INTIX attendees from 24 countries woke up in the city that doesn’t sleep. As Frank Sinatra famously sang, we all “want to be a part of it in New York, New York.”
There is no better way to channel all that New York energy than by kicking off the conference with opening remarks followed by an inspiring Welcome General Session.
“We're loading in today at our largest INTIX Conference and Exhibition in our 46-year history,” said Maureen Andersen, President & CEO of INTIX. “You all are literally the heartbeat of the conference. We are never more fully alive than when we gather and when we come together to commune and to share and to celebrate one another.”
Gabe Johnson, the INTIX 2025 Conference Chair and Director of Sales and Analytics for Roundabout Theatre Company, took the stage, thanking the local planning committee and welcoming attendees to New York.
“It is such a privilege to host you in this dynamic, energetic city that embodies our industry in all of its forms,” he said. “New York has always been a place of boundless energy and creativity, and I can't think of a more fitting setting for this year's conference. Thank you all for being here.”
Johnson added, “INTIX is so much more than a conference. It is about our community. It is about coming together to share knowledge, to spark ideas and to build relationships that will move this industry forward.”
Margo Malone, Co-Chair of the Conference Program & Education Committee and Special Projects and Account Manager, Client Relations for the San Francisco Giants, thanked the 28 committee members who reviewed and rated 78 submissions for INTIX 2025, which resulted in the 46 incredible workshops being presented in New York.
INTIX is grateful to Protect Group for its collaboration on sustainability and hydration throughout the conference. Jason Mastrine, Global Head of Strategy — Sports & Events Ticketing, spoke about the importance of protecting more than tickets. This is achieved through partnerships with Carbon Click, which drives the carbon offsetting projects in the Protect Group app, and MiiR, which created the reusable mugs included in this year’s Weldon, Williams and Lick (WW&L) conference bag.
“We are here to talk about protecting the planet as well,” said Mastrine. “A few years ago, at a leadership retreat, we asked ourselves what we can do as a company to create positive environmental change … That’s when this idea of serving up carbon offsets through our dynamic ticket protection widget came to life.”
Michael McDermott, General Manager of the Americas for SECUTIX, shared insights on key global trends, opportunities and consumer behaviors. He talked about how AI is changing our world and the relentless pace of change.
“Examples at the top of the list are what we are seeing with the surge and sophistication of bot attacks. They are on a pace not like anything seen before, and it is a technology war that can't be won with technology,” said McDermott. “We need a different lens of how we are going to manage those. There are some things we can look at because the tools being used … like anti-detect browsers and multi-logon systems are cracking the code to these legacy systems that have been in place for years. That arms race is never going to be won, so we have to think outside of the box and come through that.”
Welcome General Session: Feels Like Home
The live experience industry faces ongoing challenges in drawing audiences away from their couches and into venue seats. Andrew Recinos, President & CEO at Tessitura, shared stories of organizations defying the trends and finding success by fostering lasting relationships that make audiences feel truly at home.
As background, Recinos moved to New York from Indiana on Jan. 18, 1995. He was full of hope, but his first day was anything but welcoming. Stepping off the train at Penn Station, Recinos fell victim to a friendly scammer who offered to help get him a cab, then tricked him out of all the cash in his wallet. Upon finally reaching his new apartment, Recinos learned it was an illegal sublet and eviction was imminent. It was hardly the warm welcome he had envisioned.
The next day, Recinos began an internship at Carnegie Hall.
Andrew Recinos began his Carnegie Hall internship at 23.
“When the rest of my life felt like an ongoing train wreck, Carnegie Hall felt like home. Do you have a place like that? A place that isn't in your home, but it feels like home. Maybe it is somewhere you work. Maybe it is somewhere you frequent, like a vacation spot, stadium, pub or theater. Home away from home. What does this conjure? For me, it comes down to three words: warmth, familiarity and connection. Interestingly, this sums up what we are in the business to do. We are all in the business to deliver magic with warmth, familiarity and connection.”
Recinos went on to share the stories of three organizations that have excelled in creating a sense of belonging and connection. One such organization, Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre, faced a daunting challenge when its venue required such extensive repairs that demolition and rebuilding became the only viable option. The announcement was made with genuine warmth, inviting the community to bid farewell to the beloved space. Patrons were encouraged to sit in their favorite seats one last time, and the send-off culminated in a funeral-style procession as the community followed the bulldozer down the street. This heartfelt gesture provided a sense of closure and togetherness before the demolition. When the venue reopened to critical and audience acclaim, it truly felt like coming home.
Recinos also highlighted Ballet Austin, which transformed first-time attendees into loyal patrons by fostering a sense of familiarity before the performance even began. Ninety minutes before curtain, the experience started with a unique touch. When new guests scanned their tickets, the scanners chimed like a doorbell, signaling staff to guide them to a variety of engaging activities. From mini ballet lessons and themed photo areas to specialty food and beverage offerings, each element was designed to create a memorable, inviting atmosphere that kept audiences coming back.
“We are all competing with the couch,” Recinos said as his session concluded. “We all have the same goal to get people to come out, fill our venues and experience something wonderful … This is our noble work to deliver this magic with warmth, familiarity and connection. At the end of the day, this is what makes what you do every single day so incredible and so irreplaceable. It may be up to the celebrities to make the magic, but it is up to us to make it feel like home. And that makes all the difference.”
After the general session, attendees gathered for a networking coffee break thanks to sponsor FEVO.
INTIX Villages
Mara Hazzard-Wallingford, Chief Growth Officer at Tessitura, and John Jakovich, Chief Innovation Officer, led the Tessitura Presents Arts Village workshop titled “Harnessing AI as a Force for Good.” They began by helping attendees understand the current AI landscape and the key factors driving its rapid adoption. The session then delved into real-world case studies showing how arts and entertainment organizations are creatively leveraging AI.
John Jakovich addresses Tessitura Presents Arts Village attendees.
Examples included marketers using AI to develop creative concepts more efficiently, significantly reducing the number of revisions needed during the production of that campaign. A fundraising team was also spotlighted for using AI to predict the likelihood of donor contributions based on engagement data. In one case, AI identified 1,100 entirely new potential prospects.
Tessitura itself has embraced AI for internal use, such as generating voiceovers and transcriptions for training materials, transforming what was once a labor-intensive process into a task completed in just 15 minutes. They also shared the story of an organization that used AI to create a virtual box office assistant. This AI-powered concierge helps reduce phone wait times by being available to provide customers with instant answers to common inquiries, such as parking details, show start times and age recommendations for performances.
In the Ticketmaster Presents Sports Village, “Beyond the Ticket: Driving Revenue Through Innovative Event Experiences,” attendees learned how New York area venues are transforming event experiences to drive revenue and build deeper customer connections. Panelists shared stories on the popularity of new spaces, adding an experiential layer onto seat purchases, buying a dollar value that can be redeemed through the season and more.
Ticketmaster Presents Sports Village.
The TodayTix Presents Entertainment Village, “ROS: Return on Innovation,” featured an interactive discussion on changing audiences, competing tools, and the challenges of conflicting data, where the line between innovation and distraction isn’t always clear.
In the Spektrix Presents Global Village, the session “Join the Audience Revolution!” explored the big questions facing our industry, including what’s going wrong for patrons, what a great experience should look like and what can be learned by looking outwards to industries and experts around the world.
In parallel, Kay Burnham, CEO of Perceiving Possibilities, educated attendees on leading a neurodiverse team. This workshop covering the invisible part of DEIA was presented by Tixly in the UpLevel Leadership track.
INTIX UPLevel Leadership in partnership with Tixly.
Welcome Lunch
Sponsored by accesso, the INTIX 2025 Welcome Lunch showcased speakers, fundraising initiatives to support INTIX Professional Development Grants through the PD&E fund, VenuesNow Ticketing Star award winners and more.
Linda Forlini, Amy Kline and the team are back with 50/50 sales to benefit the PD&E fund. Tickets are priced at $5 for one, $10 for three and $20 for seven. And don’t forget, Linda Forlini famously does not give change!
The INTIX Surprise Boxes are also back for 2025. A big thank you to Cedar Packaging for once again creating a slick, reusable folder to hold the prizes and to Roger Jones and Ken Solky for generously underwriting the philanthropy program. Bringing back the excitement of an in-person first-day sale back in the day, INTIX attendees can line up on the Exhibit Hall balcony ahead of the highly anticipated Wednesday 3 p.m. on-sale.
George Hambleton, VP of Sales for accesso, briefly introduced the company’s ShoWare product before energizing the audience with an interactive six-question game. Using Kahoot!, attendees competed in real time, tracking the leaderboard on the big screens as the game unfolded. Prizes were awarded to the top three finishers, and the lively engagement left the audience buzzing with excitement.
VenuesNow Ticketing Stars
INTIX has a fantastic ongoing partnership with VenuesNow. The publication’s editorial team has recognized many of our industry’s best and brightest for almost two decades with the VenuesNow Ticketing Star Awards, which are nominated and voted on by the industry. Ryan Borba, Managing Editor at Pollstar and VenuesNow, and Rich DiGiacomo, Account Executive, joined us to present the class of 2025. The recipients are:
- Laura Bryer, Vice President, Wizards Ticket Operations, Monumental Sports & Entertainment
- Katie Goldberg, Senior Ticketing Manager, AEG Presents Global Touring (Editor’s Choice)
- Alan Kass, Vice President, Box Office, MetLife Stadium
- Rick Katz, Senior Director, Ticketing Operations, Prudential Center
- Kari Belson, Director of Ticketing, Adams Center
- Jeff Weinhold, Senior Director of Ticketing, Live Nation, Capital Region
After lunch, ticketing pros attended various breakout sessions organized by venue type. These were followed by a networking break sponsored by Jampack.
Opening Keynote
Since INTIX 2018 in Baltimore, Ticketmaster has been INTIX’s collaborative partner for the opening keynote. Each year, the planning team begins with a wide range of possibilities, much like casting for a show. Ultimately, it comes down to the wisdom, focus and relationships that shape the path forward.
At INTIX 2025, attendees were captivated by a fireside chat with live entertainment titan Daniel Zausner, Chief Operating Officer at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hosted by Marla Ostroff, Managing Director of North America, Ticketmaster.
“Today’s keynote is unique,” said Andersen as she prepared to introduce Zausner and Ostroff. “It honors the journeys we take, the vital role ticketing plays in shaping our careers, and most importantly, the relationships we forge along the way. In this industry, we work side by side, building bridges, navigating competition and ultimately forming lasting friendships. The connections we make in ticketing are strong and deeply intertwined, especially here in the greater New York area.”
She continued, “Today’s keynote is quintessentially New York, featuring two true legends of the industry who have shared this journey for over three decades. Marla and Danny are not only colleagues but mentors, friends and the people behind countless success stories in ticketing. Many of the individuals who call them ‘colleague,’ ‘mentor’ or ‘best boss ever’ are here in the room today.”
Daniel Zausner joined the USTA in 2001, where he’s played a key role in driving operations, programming, and strategy for the world’s highest-attended sporting event, the U.S. Open. His career has been equally impressive, with stints at Tri-Cities Opera, the Capitol Theatre, Grateful Dead Touring, Woodstock ’94 and concert promotion at some of the world’s most iconic venues.
Ostroff is a 30-year veteran of Ticketmaster, and her impact on this industry is nothing short of legendary. She has been instrumental in driving trends, seizing opportunities and ensuring the success of Ticketmaster’s venues, teams and clients. Above all, she is passionate about the people in the trenches — those who make this industry work every day.
The fireside chat began with Zausner sharing how his fandom for Bruce Springsteen gave him tunnel vision — he was determined to find a way into the live events industry. That drive led him to begin working in ticketing after graduating from college.
The duo discussed other career moments, including Zausner’s comfort working with the Meadowlands Arena as a promoter. He also shared a story about a moment he will never forget.
“We were doing two sold-out Frank Sinatra shows at the Meadowlands, and on the first night, we were there on the early side, and Mr. Sinatra came to do a soundcheck. His son, Frank Jr., was the conductor for the orchestra. Mr. Sinatra asked Frank Jr. to put this particular song up so they could rehearse it, and Frank Jr. had to tell his dad that the sheet music didn't show up for that song. With that, Mr. Sinatra left the stage, got into his limo, and pulled out. At that point, his manager turned to us and said, ‘He's not coming back.’ We were like, ‘What do you mean he's not coming back?’ The manager said, ‘No, believe me, I've worked with him for a long time. He's not coming back.’”
Zausner said the most iconic part of the story was not just issuing refunds but the overwhelming volume of calls from women requesting reimbursements for various expenses beyond the ticket itself. These included costs for getting their hair done, retrieving mink stoles from storage, gas expenses, and even dry cleaning bills. The incident highlighted that live events are never just about the ticket. It’s about the entire event experience.
And for those wondering, yes, Frank Sinatra did perform on the second night.
Another standout story Zausner shared was about the Grey Goose Honey Deuce, the US Open’s signature cocktail. It blends vodka, lemonade and raspberry liqueur, topped with three signature honeydew melon balls designed to resemble the tennis balls used on the courts. This partnership has been elevated to an incredible level. In the first year, the U.S. Open sold 25,000 Honey Deuce drinks. Last year, sales were 600,000 at $23 each.
“The fans wanted to come out and take their pictures with a Honey Deuce in their hands so they could show everybody back home, wherever they were from, that they had that incredibly unique experience,” Zausner said.
Gateway to Innovation
The INTIX Exhibit Hall Grand Opening Reception, sponsored by Victory Live, kicked off with excitement, bringing together vendors and industry professionals seeking to discover the very best solutions our industry has to offer. This dynamic space is the ultimate destination for discovering the tools and technologies that keep ticket offices, organizations and venues running smoothly and profitably.
A Night to Remember
As the evening progressed, attendees were eager to mix and mingle, and the Eventim Late Night was the perfect place to connect with old friends and meet new ones. A big thank you to our friends at Eventim for hosting this gathering and for your partnership.
In the News
True Tickets announced a partnership with Steppenwolf Theatre, the internationally acclaimed ensemble theatre company based in Chicago, on Jan. 28. The collaboration brings True Tickets' digital ticketing solutions to Steppenwolf’s legendary stage, enhancing convenience, security and data-driven engagement for patrons.
SECUTIX unveiled new strategic alliances to tackle organizational digital transformation. A new two-way, real-time Salesforce integration will manage patrons and memberships while offering a 360-degree view of customers throughout their lifecycle. SECUTIX will leverage JCA for cultural arts and attractions and Cogny for sports.
Australia’s Untitled Group is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a look back at a groundbreaking 2024 while gearing up for an even bigger 2025. Kicking off the new year, the team is already celebrating major wins from their New Year’s festival run, featuring Beyond the Valley and Wildlands as well as experiencing sell-out results across the board with AO Live.
The INTIX 2025 conference continues on Wednesday with more opportunities to learn, connect and ignite success. Attendees will gain insights on successfully navigating and leading change in the INTIX Leadership Town Hall, connect with top vendors in the Exhibit Hall, engage in learning during conference workshops, celebrate colleagues at the annual INTIX Awards Lunch, and more.
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