🎵 “Welcome to New York! It's been waiting for you.” 🎵
Taylor Swift's anthem perfectly captures the energy buzzing through every street in New York City. And just like how the Eras Tour brought fans together from across the globe, our conference unites live event and entertainment ticketing professionals from all corners of the world, ready to share their expertise, discover new trends and create memorable experiences.
Monday’s conference activities started at 11 a.m. with the “INTIX Membership Connections & Mentor Program Meet & Greet” sponsored by Stay22. A vibrant crowd of enthusiastic first-timers and veteran conference attendees gathered to hear insights from committee members and engage in multiple rounds of speed networking. Fun fact: first timers make up one-third of our 2025 conference registrants. Welcome!
L-R: Harmony McGivney, Member Connections Co-Chair; David Damerell, Mentor Program Vice Chair; Jenna Winters, Mentor Program Co-Chair; Dawn Zappitello, Member Connections Co-Chair and Jon Secunda, Mentor Program Co-Chair.
Attendees gathered around tables, rolling dice and sharing laughs as they answered the question that matched their roll. Conversations flowed on how they got their start in ticketing and what they hoped to gain from this year’s conference to the best live event they had ever attended, the most challenging (or best) career experience and what was learned from it.
On Tuesday at 2:45 p.m., attendees can learn more about the INTIX Mentor Program in the session “Motivation Station: Next Stop INTIX Mentorship Program!” No matter where you are in your ticketing and career journey, everyone is an expert at something, and you have more to offer than you think. Gain insights from multiple verticals within the ticketing industry and discover ways to enrich your own mentor/mentee experience.
Welcome, INTIX Friends!
Registration sponsored by Paciolan opened at 11:30 a.m., sparking more conversations, hellos and hugs.
As always, Tiffany Kelham is here, greeting everyone with a big smile and her signature INTIX charm. She is joined by a team of amazing volunteers, including Julia Elbaum, Geo Haynes, Josh Klein, Jessica Lee, Brittany Pallozzi, Ashley Voorhees, Kacy Woody and Derek Younger.
The beloved tradition of signature conference bags, sponsored by Weldon, Williams & Lick (WW&L), continues in New York. The bags bring ongoing joy, especially to those who have been collecting these iconic WW&L keepsakes for well over four decades.
INTIX Chair-Elect Ashley Voorhees shows off the WW&L conference bags at the registration desk.
Venue Tours
On Monday afternoon, attendees went behind the scenes at three of New York City’s most iconic and storied venues – Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and the Palace Theatre.
Rebecca Throne and Lulu Jones getting ready to leave the hotel and meet Palace Theatre tour attendees.
At the Palace Theatre, tour participants enjoyed visiting the auditorium and settling into the GA section for a presentation. Representatives from the venue's operations team shared the history of the storied theater and details of the lifting and extensive renovation that have revitalized the space. Attendees also participated in a Q&A session and explored patron areas of the building.
Over at Carnegie Hall, ticketing professionals, including JaeTi Valdes, Assistant Director of Ticketing Services at San Diego Theatres, took a one-hour tour to experience the world-famous national landmark.
Tour guides shared more than 130 years of history, such as legendary music moments, little-known fun facts and secrets about the Hall’s famous acoustics.
“I really appreciated the photos of some artists who have played this space,” says Valdes. “They have one of Benny Goodman's clarinets!”
When it comes to fun facts that would interest their ticketing peers, Valdes shares, “The Ricola sponsorship was fascinating, and something more theaters should do. The amount of steel used in the construction [was interesting to learn]. Such different times.”
Conferencegoers also had the opportunity to visit Madison Square Garden (MSG), the legendary home of the NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers. Known for hosting unforgettable boxing matches, world-class concerts and extraordinary live events, the tour gave attendees a rare glimpse behind the scenes. An expert guide brought the nearly 150-year history of this renowned venue to life. Attendees explored exclusive areas not accessible to the general public, including backstage, luxury suites and the Chase Bridge, which provided a breathtaking view of the venue’s iconic concave ceiling.
Donna Collins-Hertner and Pam David from Canadian Tire Centre and the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club shared some photos and memorable moments from the tour.
“This (photo above) is a plaque that commemorates the first EVER UFC fight that took place at MSG, Nov. 12, 2016,” they shared. “Until this day, this event produced the highest grossing revenue for MSG of all time. All around the concourse, MSG has plaques for every month/year to commemorate unique events that have taken place. There are a total of 360 plaques all around the concourse with varying events being identified.”
They added, “Another memorable event was the ‘Fight of the Century’ that took place at MSG between Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier in 1971. The match went 15 rounds with Frazier winning the heavyweight title and handing Ali his first defeat. The story goes that Frank Sinatra wanted to have ringside seats, but these were reserved for media. His people contacted a magazine that had a spot reserved for photos. They agreed to give their two seats to Sinatra. In exchange, they gave him a camera and instructed him to take photos of the event.”
Party Time!
INTIX teamed up with SeatGeek to co-host the official kick-off party for INTIX 2025. The Opening Buzzer Happy Hour took place at SeatGeek’s NYC headquarters in the vibrant Flatiron District, just 15 minutes from the Hilton Midtown. Guests enjoyed a festive atmosphere with delicious appetizers, craft cocktails, wine and beer on tap. Adding to the fun were live event-themed photo booths, custom swag and plenty of moments to set the tone for a conference to remember.
You know the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words? We believe it because it sure was hard to pick just a few photos to help tell this story!
Derek Zhou, Head of SeatGeekIQ at SeatGeek, will join Delanie Foley, Vice President of Event Booking for the Dallas Cowboys, in a panel titled “AI Meets Box Office: The Future of Ticket Pricing” on Tuesday at 2:45 p.m.
INTIX Gives Back
Our 2025 charitable partner for the Community Give Back program is City Harvest, New York’s first and largest food rescue organization. City Harvest will rescue more than 81 million pounds of high-quality, nutritious food this year. It will be distributed to hundreds of food pantries and soup kitchens across New York’s five boroughs to help feed people experiencing food insecurity.
There are several ways that conference attendees can support this initiative, including food donations at registration or the INTIX booth on the balcony of the Exhibit Hall (see most wanted items on the list below). Attendees can also make virtual food donations or cash donations.
“At INTIX, we believe in the power of community to tackle big challenges,” says Maureen Andersen, President and CEO of INTIX. “Food insecurity is an issue that impacts so many, and our generous community has already stepped up with donations at registration. If you haven’t had a chance to contribute, there is still time to make a difference by visiting a nearby store or market to pick up items from City Harvest’s highest needs list. Attendees can also consider making a virtual donation to support this important cause.”
Andersen adds, “We are grateful to longtime INTIX members Roger Jones and Ken Solky for their ongoing generosity in support of the INTIX Philanthropy Program. Please take a moment to connect with them and express thanks for their service, dedication and support of INTIX.”
INTIX President & CEO Maureen Andersen with INTIX Chair-Elect Ashley Voorhees.
In the News
No INTIX conference is ever complete without breaking news from ticketing industry circles.
AXS announced the global launch of a new biometric authentication feature for its mobile app on Jan. 27. Hailed as a ticketing industry first, it will give users a secure and convenient way to access their accounts and tickets while reducing fraud and improving the overall ticketing experience.
We can’t wait to see everyone on Tuesday for our welcome general session with Andrew Recinos, President and CEO for Tessitura, the INTIX Villages and breakouts by venue type. The opening keynote is an inspiring fireside chat featuring Daniel Zausner, Chief Operating Officer at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and hosted by Marla Ostroff, Managing Director of North America for the keynote’s sponsor, Ticketmaster. There will also be a full slate of educational workshops, the Exhibit Hall grand opening and more.
Editor’s Note: One-day on-site registration for INTIX 2025 is still available, as are tickets to the Tuesday reception and Exhibit Hall grand opening. Ticketing pros can also purchase passes to the Exhibit Hall open hours on Wednesday and Thursday. Click here to register or come to the registration desk on the second floor at the New York Hilton Midtown to register on-site.
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