Road Journal: INTIX 2018

  • By David Kennedy | Wednesday, January 31st, 2018
Road Journal: INTIX 2018

Our team made the trek to Baltimore last week for the 39th annual INTIX (International Ticketing Association) Conference and Exhibition. With panels, break out discussions, and plenty of networking opportunities, INTIX is the must-attend event for anyone directly or indirectly involved in event ticketing.

This year’s INTIX conference was special because it was our inaugural year as part of the new Patron Technology! Our team sponsored the RFID photo stations present throughout the event, the Red Dot First Timers Mingle, and the Annual Business Meeting Breakfast. Not to mention, our Head of Partnerships, Jason Mastrine, sat on the One for the Vendor 2018 Panel, taking part in a lively discussion on third-party partnerships and buy versus build strategies. Read on for some of our INTIX team’s favorite moments from this year’s conference!

Jason Mastrine at INTIX 2018Jason Mastrine: Head of Partnerships

Another great INTIX conference in the books! As a platinum sponsor of this year’s conference with a massive presence on the exhibition floor, our team had an incredible platform to showcase our people, products, and passion for live events. This was the 13th INTIX conference I’ve attended. For me personally, it was potentially the most satisfying. The event brought out the best in our whole Patron Technology team, from our creative support of the “First Timers” party, to the almost ubiquitous presence of our new photo stations at each of the big events. I believe we helped our colleagues and new friends create memories that will go a long way in establishing us as leaders in this industry.

The ShowClix Team at INTIX 2018Jonathon McCurley: Director of Sales – East Coast

INTIX 2018 in Baltimore was a great experience and conference for me. Having started with the Patron Technology and ShowClix team recently, this year’s conference allowed me the opportunity to talk with the many friends, clients, and industry experts that I have met and worked alongside over the 15 years I have been involved with INTIX. It was a great feeling to be able to introduce myself as a ShowClix team member, and to explain how our platform and growth will continue to leverage us as one of the best event technology and ticketing providers in the market. I had the opportunity to meet many new contacts at INTIX, to which I had the privilege to demonstrate the ShowClix system’s power and depth. Many people I met there reaffirmed my confidence in our path and growth with a few “WOW” comments. I always look forward to INTIX, and to learning about the latest and greatest in the ticketing world. I’m excited for 2019’s INTIX in Grapevine, TX, and for what new and exciting developments our team will be able to share there.

Patron Technology at INTIX 2018Matt Donnelly: Director of Client Support

INTIX 2018 was an exciting conference for ShowClix, as it was the first time we exhibited as part of Patron Technology. Our split booth with PatronManager stayed busy with current clients, partners, and prospects stopping by to learn about what we are up to, and we were joined by representatives from Ticketleap and SeatAdvisor, reinforcing Patron Technology’s strong presence to the industry. We also helped set up a separate booth for Evint, a new event intelligence platform launched by Patron Technology at the conference, and that team saw quite a bit of traffic as well!

In addition to our sponsorship of the photo booth at the INTIX Gala event, we also sponsored a brand new event at this year’s conference. INTIX implemented a Red Dot First Timers’ Mingle event on Monday night that allowed Patron Technology to showcase our RFID technology (and our photo booth, of course). Every attendee was given an RFID wristband that was pre-loaded with two signature drink tokens (the “Patron Saint” margarita), which everyone raved about. The wristband could also be used with our photo booth at that party, on the conference floor, and at the Gala event. It gave our company the opportunity to personally meet every new conference attendee and introduce them to Patron Technology.

Patron Technology Photostation at INTIX 2018Bruce Morrison: General Manager – Canada

While I’m relatively new to ShowClix, I’ve been an INTIX member since 1989, and have attended over 20 of these annual conferences. This year’s conference in Baltimore allowed me to connect with my friends and colleagues in the industry and get caught up on what other suppliers are offering. The trade show allowed us to showcase ShowClix’s products and services, as well as Patron Technology as a whole.

Of course it wasn’t all work – we were proud to sponsor the opening night “Red Dot Mingle” (first-time conference attendees have a red dot on their badge and are referred to as “red dots”) using our RFID technology to offer a complimentary signature cocktail – the “Patron Saint”. Our RFID photo booth popped up at the trade show, as well as at the Red Dot Mingle and the INTIX gala celebration. Rounding out our sponsorship was the opportunity to serve breakfast to conference attendees on Thursday morning and observe the aftermath of the previous night’s gala first hand. All in all, I’m already looking forward to next year’s INTIX conference in Texas.

Amy Kline and Amy Mrazek at INTIX 2018Amy Kline: Senior Manager of Client Support

INTIX 2018 in Baltimore was an amazing opportunity to regroup, refresh, and reconnect with the ShowClix team and with my tribe of ticketing friends from around the world. INTIX conferences are loaded with educational sessions on everything from team management, to managing inventory, to new technology. It’s a highlight of my year! As an INTIX board member, I love seeing the “a-ha!” moments when newcomers recognize that they are not alone in the industry.  Building a network of professionals that support and care about each other is so important in any industry.

One major development highlighted at INTIX was Google’s recent announcement of its Ticket Reseller Certification policy. As of January 29th, Google started requiring event ticket resellers to be certified with Google before they can advertise through AdWords, prohibiting resellers from implying that they are the primary or original provider of event tickets. Ticket resellers must also disclose to customers that their prices may be higher than the original face value. This monumental change will protect both the primary ticket selling companies, the venues, and, most importantly, the customer. I can’t wait to see the results of this new initiative!

If you feel like INTIX is the place for you, be sure to learn more about how to get involved.