In Part 1 of this feature, we asked INTIX member-readers one question: “What is your hot ticket as 2025 comes to a close?” Not the hot ticket that they are selling, but the hot ticket they will be buying or have already bought. Responses were as varied as the association’s membership. And when word got out that there was going to be a Part 2, this writer had no problem lining up top talent for the sequel.

Warning: These INTIX Members May Spontaneously Break Into Showtunes

The hottest seats at the close of each year are often in the theaters of the Great White Way. The fourth quarter of 2025 is no different. One INTIX member who will be making the trek to Manhattan for stage magic is Kacy Woody, Box Office Manager for High Point Theatre in central North Carolina. She says, “My husband and I are going to New York City for our anniversary at the end of this month. We have tickets to see ‘Waiting for Godot.’ The theatre kid in me is intrigued at seeing a play that doesn’t get much love. The ‘80s kid in me loves the nostalgia factor of seeing Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter together again. Most excellent, dude!”

Chris Stasiuk knows Woody is being anything but bogus. The totally righteous Head Treasurer of the St. James Theater on Broadway says, “I just saw my hot ticket! I attended the revival of the Broadway musical ‘Mamma Mia’ and sang the entire time. Just last week, I saw ‘Stranger Things’ the Broadway play — it was outstanding. My next hot show is my own, at the James. Tomorrow [Oct. 8], we start previews for Kristin Chenoweth in ‘The Queen of Versaille.’”

Fall Sports … Now That’s the Ticket!

Of course, this time of year, attending various sporting events is very much on the agenda of many INTIX members. HALM Development Co-Founder Jacque Holowaty’s hot ticket is to the home opener of the Professional Women’s Hockey League game in Seattle. “I couldn’t be more excited,” she beams. “It’s a huge moment for professional women’s hockey and for Seattle sports fans. I can’t wait to be part of the energy as history is made on the ice!”

Also getting her sports fix late in the year is Brittany Pallozzi, Director of Patron Relations for Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy, New York: “My husband and I are planning a Buffalo weekend getaway, Nov. 28–30. He convinced me to catch a Buffalo Sabres game on the 28th. There’s a good chance I’ll get to catch up with my INTIX mentor while we’re there, too — being so close to the Canadian border makes it easy! We met up over the summer, and it was such a great opportunity to connect in person.”

Family: The People Who Know You Best and Still Attend Live Events With You

For many of our interviewees, family was the main driver for ticket purchases between now and New Year’s. Bauer Entertainment Marketing President Brian Bauer is taking his father to see Tedeschi Trucks Band. David Damerell, Assistant Director, Ticket Services, for the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Virginia, is looking forward to taking his young son to “The Nutcracker” performed by The Washington Ballet. He states, “It’s been one of my Christmas traditions since 2017. I am excited to finally be able to share this tradition with him.”

Simone Hogan, Director of Ticket Operations for the Dallas Mavericks, will be taking her son to his very first WWE event. She notes, “Working in ticketing often comes with unique perks and experiences, ones that can easily be overlooked in the day-to-day hustle. But moments like this are a powerful reminder of just how meaningful our work is.”

Mike Riddle, Assistant Box Office Supervisor for SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, will be taking his sons to “The Polar Express” in Sacramento. He says, “As a dad of three young boys, it’s incredibly special to watch their faces light up with wonder and joy. Sharing that festive energy and creating lasting memories together makes it the hottest ticket of the season for our family.”

Another family affair will be had by Anwar Nasir, Executive Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. He states, “I'm eagerly anticipating the 8 Seconds Rodeo, a fantastic event celebrating Black cowboy culture and its rich history. This particular rodeo holds a special place for me. It brings back a cherished childhood memory of attending one with my father — an experience I haven't repeated until now. I'll be there with family, ready to forge new memories while sporting a brand-new cowboy hat.”

The end of the year is a super busy one in the household of Project Admission COO Derek Palmer. One daughter plays basketball, while another performs in her school band. He says, “One thing I know we will do is go to a park in Austin to see the Holiday Lights. It’s something we have done every year in whatever city we were living in, and it is a cherished family tradition.”  

Mandi Grimm, Director of Fraud Prevention for Etix, says her big family together time also doesn’t involve a ticket to a concert, show or game. “I'm most excited about my plane ticket to California,” she says. “I'll be flying out there to welcome my youngest nephew into the world and to spend some quality time with my oldest nephew. It's a special trip because he'll be adjusting to becoming a big brother right around his birthday, and I can't wait to be there for that significant family moment.”

So Many Other Events, So Many Other Tickets

And indeed, not every hot ticket is to a live music performance or staged musical or big-time sporting event. Cait Schumann, Vice President, Ticketing for Nationwide Arena & Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment, says, “This might be a bit too political, but I am going to see Seth Meyers in a few weeks. With the current political climate, I feel that it is important to support those entertainers who are willing to speak up and are not afraid to go against the current grain. I am looking forward to a great night of laughter with good friends!”

Some members expressed their hopes for a ticket yet to come. Justin Foo, Director of Sales & Customer Engagement for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, says, “I’m trying desperately to get tickets to one of the Dodgers’ playoffs games. [laughing] And I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for tickets for when they go to the World Series!”

Not to be outdone is JaeTi Randall-Valdes, Assistant Director of Ticketing Services for San Diego Theatres: “I am hoping to get a ticket for ‘& Juliet’ next week! But my next ‘big thing’ is traveling to Ohio for my birthday weekend to check a National Park off my list. I’m trying to hit as many of them as possible … ideally getting them all by age 50.”

‘Vegas, Baby!’ Part 2

And, of course, no article of this nature at this time of the year would be complete without at least a handful of our INTIX members holding tickets for cool events in Las Vegas. One such pro is Josh Ziegenbusch, Senior Director of Ticket and Premium Operations for the A’s organization. He says, “As a proud and fanatic Syracuse University alum and sports fan, I’m excited for the Player’s Era basketball tournament in Las Vegas. The Orange doesn’t get to the Left Coast much, and they are playing multiple games over the course of three days during Thanksgiving week.”

Also making the trek to the Nevada desert is Christina Allen, Senior Manager, Box Office, for the Ottawa Senators. She states, “I have a whole week of fun planned this month! I’m heading to Vegas for a mini vacation where I’ll be catching Alanis Morissette at Caesars. Alanis is my absolute favorite singer, and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to catch her in Vegas. I also happen to love ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ So, since I’m already in Vegas, I’ll be heading to the Sphere to catch a show — and hopefully catch one of those famous apples!”

Stasiuk of the St. James Theater will also eventually be making a trip to Vegas. But even this ticketing pro who is used to paying New York City prices is hesitant to commit to one particular ticket: “I would love to see the Dead at the Sphere … but I’d have to sell a kidney first!”