Sports Technology

New Zealand company TicketDirect has used its newly won contract with the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby to showcase its technology to the world.

TicketDirect Managing Director Matthew Davey, explains that part of the company's overall marketing strategy when it won the prestigious contract to provide ticketing services to both the Crusaders franchise and the Canterbury Rugby Union was to unveil 11 unmanned automated kiosks utilising technology similar but more advanced than at airport check-ins.

Davey explained "we now have these kiosks in all 11 Warehouse outlets throughout Canterbury, the West Coast and South Canterbury.

"Winning the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby's ticketing contract was extremely big for us. It gives us additional recognition and enhanced credibility and is an entrey on to the world stage.

"Kiosks allow sporting organisations to put ticketing in front of customers where they are making their buying decisions. It also allows much more targeted and effective ticket marketing and early indications are that it is extremely successful and well accepted by the purchasing public."

TicketDirect worked with Christchurch's Shape Technology for the kiosk hardware and Wellington's Intergen to design the software, along with TicketDirect's own team in Dunedin.

Hamish Riach, Chief Executive of the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby, said that TicketDirect has played an integral part in his two organisations' recent and successful season ticket campaigns, as well as contributing significantly to the ticket sales growth that the Crusaders have enjoyed in 2010.

Riach stated "on average, more than 20,000 tickets have been sold for each of the Crusaders' six home games so far this season, a 40% increase on last year.

"This is the result of a series of new Crusaders marketing initiatives, the opening of the new Deans Stand and because of TicketDirect's new Warehouse-based kiosks. Their innovation and technology has allowed us to take our ticketing products to the customer, in an environment where they are comfortable spending money, rather than the traditional approach of forcing customers on line, or to purchasing via one or two retail outlets.

"We couldn't be more delighted with TicketDirect."

Already the provider of ticketing services to 80 venues across New Zealand and Australia, TicketDirect is now confidently targeting Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the USA.

TicketDirect, which prints over 2,000,000 tickets a year, can be contacted on 021 873 777, E: matthew@ticketdirect.co.nz, www.ticketdirect.co.nz 

25th January 2010 - AMI STADIUM UNVEILS SHOWPIECE DEANS STAND