Sacramento is one of the more underrated travel destinations in America. Not only is it California’s capital city, but it’s a college town thanks to Sacramento State University, an NBA town with the Sacramento Kings and it’s one of America’s best niche beverage markets with more than 50 independent craft breweries. Additionally, it's the temporary home of Major League Baseball's Athletics through 2027, whose ticketing team was awarded the INTIX Ticket Office of the Year for 2026. It’s also known as the “City of Trees,” as it boasts one of the highest per capita tree canopy densities in the world.
In addition, Sacramento has emerged as a great city for ticketing and live events thanks chiefly to three venues situated in the SAFE Credit Union Convention and Performing Arts District: the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and the historic Memorial Auditorium. It is at these sites where Sacramento welcomes trade shows, concert acts, touring stage shows and more.
Mike Riddle
For Riddle, Selling Tickets Is No Joke
INTIX member Mike Riddle has worked for the City of Sacramento for the past nine years. His team handles ticketing for all three venues. He says, “I'm a Sacramento native, and I grew up a Kings fan going to games with my dad. So when I got hired as a part-time ticket seller with the Kings in 2002, it was a dream job as a teenager. Like most of us in ticketing, I started at the window. I ended up staying 10 years, from ticket seller to assistant box office manager and a few years as an interim box office manager.”
Riddle’s official title today is Assistant Box Office Supervisor. “Our team works under the Convention and Cultural Services division of the City of Sacramento,” he states. “Day to day, it's the core box office work our members know well: building events, leading and staffing the box office, and making sure every on-sale and every show night runs clean.”
He continues, “Over the last few years, my focus has also grown into the marketing side of the house, making sure the events and offers we build actually succeed once they're on sale. I manage all of our social media accounts and oversee all of our e-mail campaigns, which has turned the box office into a real partner in driving revenue instead of just processing it. I had the opportunity to attend INTIX and Event and Venue Marketing Conferences this year and came back energized with several campaign ideas we're putting to work, including some for Memorial's 100th anniversary next year.”
A Landmark Auditorium, a Milestone Birthday
Over the course of nearly a century, the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium has become a legacy venue. It opened on Feb. 22, 1927, as a living memorial to the Sacramento County men and women who died in service to the United States. The history inside its walls is remarkable, and, for many, it's personal. Riddle recalls first coming to the venue as a little boy with his father to see magician David Copperfield. Years later, he graduated high school on that same stage.
Today, married and a father of three sons, Riddle remarks, “That's what makes this building special. Generations of Sacramentans graduated there. For many families, three or four generations share that memory. Probably the most famous events at Memorial are the 1965 Rolling Stones concert where Keith Richards was shocked by an ungrounded amplifier, and also the Beach Boys' first live album recorded in 1963 and 1964. Now we host a variety of events from professional boxing, wrestling, opera, civic ceremonies, concerts, comedy, etc.”
The challenges of maintaining such a legacy venue are many, though. Renovations were last completed in 2018, including modernization of the venue’s theatrical rigging system, sound system, and power at the stage as well as the loading dock. “Prior to this addition,” Riddle notes, “I Street, which sits behind the venue, had to be shut down for truck unloading.
Of course, Riddle and his colleagues are planning a host of special offerings in 2027 to commemorate the 100th anniversary year. On Feb. 20, the City of Sacramento is due to hold a festival-style concert featuring local bands, DJs and storytellers. The following day, a community open house will take place. Later in the summer, the venue will feature an exhibit focused on the Tower Records collection and history of rock n’ roll.
Riddle says, “Fall of 2027 will bring a silent movie screening with live musical accompaniment of the venue’s historic municipal pipe organ. The year will wrap up with an outdoor event featuring projections on the venue's historic brick exterior. And there might be a few fun surprises we don’t want to give away yet, also in the works!”
Sacramento: Not San Francisco, Not Los Angeles
Of course, any discussion of Sacramento as a live events town has to also address any potential stigma of it being a “third-tier” market with San Francisco and Los Angeles located in the same state. How much of a challenge is it? And what benefits are there for performances and shows and other events being held in Sacramento as opposed to those two larger markets?
Riddle was quick to answer: “It’s true. We do compete with San Francisco and the Bay Area for events. But in Sacramento, the people here love live events! Sacramento has lower operating costs, easier load-ins, ample parking and a walkable downtown with the convention center, two historic theaters and hotels within a few blocks. Golden 1 Center opened in downtown Sacramento in 2016 and proved Sacramento can support A-list touring at arena scale. Our District proves it at every scale below that.”
In addition, the City of Sacramento approved a Promoter Incentive Program in 2025, which has increased bookings in the various venues. Riddle says the program has especially benefited the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center and the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center. Regarding the former, it features 2,190 fixed seats with a large stage and back-of-house space that can support Broadway shows, symphonic events, ballet, concerts and comedy shows. As for the latter, Riddle says, “It features large open floor spaces for trade shows, two ballrooms and ancillary meeting rooms.
Sacramento Will Continue To Mine Live Events Gold
Sacramento also trades often on its Gold Rush heritage in attracting locals and visitors alike. Riddle believes there is more proverbial gold to be mined in the months and years to come as the city attracts more name acts, big convention clients and Broadway-caliber touring shows. “After almost 25 years in ticketing,” he says, “I still love it. I love the buildup and the creative opportunities that come from working with different promoters to make their events successful in our buildings. And I love show night itself: the thrill of that buzz when fans come through the doors, and the quick pace of balancing resolutions, supporting staff and promoter needs all at once. There's nothing like it.”
He concludes, “I'm grateful too for an organization that supports me and our department in exploring new ideas we bring to the table. We have box office sellers on our team I have worked with for years that aren’t just employees; they’ve become like family. Some of my best friendships were formed through this industry, and the connections keep coming. The shows come and go, but the people stay with you!”
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