You might say Danielle Pope was born to be in ticketing. She got her start as a teenager at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, the same place where her mother, aunt and best friend were working. She recalls the venue as a special place.
“It was a family affair,” she says, “we spent every New Year’s Eve there, hosted baby showers, birthday parties and one of my cousins got married there. I met some of the coolest people, not to mention some of the artists who played. It is a wonderful place. It still is, we just are not there anymore.”
Danielle, right, and her aunt with Joan Rivers.
Danielle spent the next seven years in the box office at Celebrity Theatre, working part-time while still in high school and college. She studied mathematics at Glendale Community College, then graduated from Union University with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics in 2006. And because of her work ethic, she was able to graduate debt-free, which she calls one of her greatest achievements.
From 2007 to 2015, Danielle held down multiple jobs. While spending eight years in customer service with Gaylord Entertainment and almost five years in ticket sales with the Nashville Predators, she also worked as a Street View Driver for Google and as a substitute teacher. Balancing so many roles at once required excellent time management and the professional discipline that has become a hallmark of her career. Then in 2015, Danielle turned her attention to ticketing full-time, first as a box office manager for Spectra at Pueblo Memorial Hall & Convention Center and Liacouras Center, and then in her current position as Regional Director of Ticketing for Oak View Group at the Augusta Entertainment Complex.
Danielle using the parking equipment in the box office at Celebrity Theatre.
Danielle says her analytical mind brings strength and structure to her ticketing work. “I think I was drawn to math because I was good at it. I enjoyed my teachers in school and had wanted to be a teacher, but decided that math was going to be my focus because it can be applied to multiple things,” she says. “No, we aren’t using the Pythagorean theorem to sell tickets, but math can help with budgeting, money management, scaling shows, data analysis, time management and more. How do you determine how many people can fit on a GA floor or how much change is needed on a cash sale? Oh, right, math! It’s funny because I typically say I am not using my degree at my job, but it is just not on the level I thought I would be using it.”
Her love for her job and the industry as a whole is rooted in its power to unify. “I love that music, entertainment and sport bring us together,” Danielle remarks. “We come from different places, walks of life and backgrounds, but we share that love of the same thing. There is something so pure about that.”
Danielle and her Oak View Group colleagues at Toronto Pride in 2022.
She continues, “I enjoy an event night when you see your hard work come to fruition. When you go out into the bowl and see the fans taking it all in. The best thing is when the artist on stage has the crowd sing along, and everyone is singing in unison. Everyone is enjoying life in that moment.”
One such unifying moment she will never forget is the reopening of the Grand Ole Opry after the Nashville flood in 2010. “The Opry (show) had gone on at various places throughout Nashville, including where it used to take place: War Memorial and the Ryman Auditorium. September 28, 2010, was the day it returned home. I remember everyone being so happy to see each other, crying happy (and a little sad) tears. I remember walking into the box office and getting hit with a rush of emotions. It was a great show, too. That night, Trace Adkins asked Blake Shelton to be the newest member of the Opry family.”
Danielle’s work ethic is grounded in values she holds dear, including empathy, integrity, respectfulness, transparency and humor. “Accountability and integrity are huge for me,” she says. “I want to be able to count on and rely on my colleagues.”
She applies those same values to leadership. “I want to be clear and sincere in my interactions, and I would like my leader to do the same,” says Danielle. “Empathy is also a great quality. If you can empathize with someone, you create a more inclusive space.”
Inclusion and accessibility are more than buzzwords to Danielle; they are guiding principles. “I wholeheartedly believe in inclusivity. I want everyone to be able to have the same kind of access to enjoy whatever it is they want to enjoy. In our industry, that is live entertainment.”
Danielle and her mom with Garth Brooks, who participated in spring training with the Kansas City Royals in 2004 to promote his charity.
Inspired by her grandfather, who lost both legs later in life, she advocates for access and creating a welcoming environment for everyone. “[My grandfather’s experience] made me realize how inaccessible some places are in the world. For me, it started small, with making sure we were compliant with pricing for our shows and making sure we had enough accessible seating. I requested that the old arena add more accessible seats. This required the removal of permanent seating [at James Brown Arena], which was welcomed.”
Danielle continues, “With the new [Augusta Arena] build, I am pushing to add a sensory room for those patrons who want to enjoy themselves but might not be able to fully experience the noises or sounds at full tilt. I encourage people to read more about ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance and how they can make sure they are doing all they can as well.”
She sees wellness and mental health as important areas of focus, too. “We all took a hit in 2020. Layoffs, furloughs and survivor’s guilt all seemed to be themes,” she recalls. “We didn’t know when we were coming back and what it was going to look like, but one thing that came out of it for me was the importance of my mental stability. What we are doing is not life or death. Nothing is as important as your health, and mental health is health. Take your sick days. Put down your phone. Don’t reply to that email immediately. I receive encouragement and encourage others to actually be on vacation when you are on vacation.”
Danielle at the NHL Winter Classic.
Danielle credits INTIX with playing a pivotal role in her career. “I’m a member of INTIX because it helps forge connections in the industry I might not have gotten otherwise, particularly at conferences. We meet all sorts of people from around the world with a common interest and goal. This industry is like mathematics – universal.”
She first attended an INTIX conference in 2018 on a grant, where she reconnected with a former colleague simply because he heard her voice during a session. “I have said it before, but I don’t know if I would be in the position I have if not for INTIX. I got my first job with OVG (then Spectra) by applying to a job posting I saw back in 2015.”
Danielle, left, at her first INTIX conference with Kathryn Howell and Jacque Holowaty.
Danielle adds, “INTIX gives me ideas I can implement at my venue. Whether it is an accessibility adjustment, or a leadership or wellness addition, hearing ideas from peers helps me think about what more I can do in my own work and life.”
This ticketing professional’s travel bucket list is as ambitious as her career path. Danielle has attended four Summer Olympics (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Paris 2024) and experienced unforgettable adventures during those trips. “My best friend and I go and seeing the host country and all the athletes put on a show for the entire world, and meeting people from all over, have been some of the most unbelievable times. Of course, we see other parts of that city/country, so it is not all Olympics. I took a fun champagne tour last year in France, where we went to three different wineries/champagne houses to learn the process and taste the product.”
Danielle has also been to Spain and the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. “Seeing them was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she recalls. Closer to home, she cherishes visits to New England for lobster rolls and clam chowder, and New York for Broadway shows.
Danielle, left, and a friend in Pamplona.
When asked about her travel favorites, both places she loves now and those still on her wish list, Danielle doesn’t hesitate. “Arizona is my favorite place to visit,” she adds. “My family lives there, so I enjoy going home when I can. I really want to go to Australia and was planning to go in 2020, but things happened. It is still on the list, but I need time to really explore. I also want to visit every MLB ballpark for a baseball game, preferably when the Diamondbacks are playing. I still have a few to go — Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston, Anaheim, Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Arlington — but I have done well so far!”
When talk turns to dream destinations, not just to visit, but to settle down, Danielle’s choice is clear: “San Diego. The weather there is top-notch! It’s like 75 degrees year-round. Plus, the beach is there and the mountains are close. It is all the best things. And it is close to Arizona, so it would be easy to visit my family, or for them to visit me.”
Danielle’s musical tastes are just as diverse as her travels. “My love of The Chicks is unwavering. I love their songs and what they stand for. I have a tattoo of the lyrics of ‘Landslide,’ ‘time makes you bolder.’” She names Kelly Clarkson as her “home girl,” and says, “She seems so genuine and can sing literally any song and make it better.”
And her favorite venues? It is a toss-up between the Ryman and Red Rocks. “I love the history and the acoustics of Ryman, and you can’t beat the view at Red Rocks,” Danielle says. “I would love to see shows at The Gorge, Hollywood Bowl and Royal Albert Hall. All iconic.”
A lifelong fan of storytelling, Danielle’s list of favorite writers is long and varied, including everyone from Roald Dahl, RL Stine, Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss to Nicholas Sparks, Tess Gerritsen and Richard Castle, adding, “if you know, you know.” But she puts a different kind of writer at the top of her list. “Honestly, I think I prefer songwriters to authors,” she remarks. “Stevie Nicks is a phenomenal storyteller. She writes from personal experiences, but they are relatable. I guess that is what songs should do. Also, imagine writing a song about your ex, and then every night, your ex has to sing it with you. What a boss move.”
She also raves about Carole King: “Growing up, my family was big on her music, and even though it had been out for several years before I was born, I remember singing along and dancing to her Tapestry album. Also, if you haven’t seen the musical Beautiful, I highly recommend it.”
Outside of work, Danielle finds inspiration in women like Ilona Maher, an advocate for women in sport and body positivity. She is also quick to name her mom again, calling her “a dreamer,” “an incredibly hard worker,” and a mentor. “My mom inspires me with her creativity and has worn many hats throughout her career, including ticketing, and I owe my start in the industry to her and my Aunt Alycia, who taught me how to sell a ticket when I was 16.”
Danielle also continues to draw strength and guidance from friend and mentor Jacque Holowaty. “Jacque has played an integral role in my growth in the company I work for and as a person. She is intelligent and quick-witted and is equally passionate about the same things I am. Happy to call her a friend.”
These types of meaningful relationships are at the heart of Danielle’s life, and that includes the entire circle of friends she cherishes. “My friends are supportive and love me as I am. Qualities I like most in people are what I value most in my friends — they are kind and generous. They love to laugh. They hold me accountable. We can sit in silence, and it isn’t weird. They are my biggest cheerleaders.”
That same delight she finds in the people closest to her shines through in the passions that make her happiest. Who or what is the greatest love of her life? “Is it me? It should be me, right? Can I say traveling? I love being on the go. New places. Frequent places. I haven’t been everywhere, but it is on my list.”
When asked what brings her the most joy, Danielle responds, “Traveling or singing along with my favorite artists in concert (that I don’t have to work, of course).”
With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that the one talent she would most like to have is the ability to read music and play an instrument.
But Danielle seems to love sports as much as music. “Ken Griffey Jr. is the greatest baseball player to me, and I will forever love my Arizona home state sports teams — the D-Backs, Cardinals, Suns, Mercury, and (RIP) Yotes (NHL team that has since been sold and moved to Salt Lake City) … I got to go to the NFC Championship game in 2009 when the Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles to go to the Super Bowl. My family and I tailgated outside before the game, and seeing the win at home was awesome! The energy was insane. Unfortunately, they lost to the other Pennsylvania team in the Super Bowl, which fell on my birthday.”
Danielle at the NFC Championship game in 2009.
Danielle may not have everything figured out, but she knows what matters: connection, inclusion and living life with laughter and purpose. Asked what advice she would give her younger self, she reflects, “You don’t have to do and be everything. Don’t be afraid to study abroad and get that Spanish degree. Take time to coast. Care less, but not about the world. You need to care about that.”Top of Form
And if she had three wishes? “First, having more time with my grandma,” who gave Danielle her most treasured possession, a Celtic cross that she wears every day. Her other two wishes are for universal healthcare and unlimited frequent flyer miles, “so I can go wherever I want with whomever I want at any time.”
For Danielle, every ticket sold, every journey taken, and every friendship treasured is part of the same goal — bringing people together for the moments that matter most.
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