Ticketing & Tech: Adapt or Die Trying
Adapting to Technology is Not an Option For Live Events
My mind often drifts back to my time at San Diego Repertory Theater. Fourteen years is a long span, so I’ll focus on a more specific period: 2009 through the early days of COVID-19. Before leaving The Rep in 2017 to join the ticketing software company we were using at the time, I had advanced to the roles of Assistant Patron Services Manager and IT Manager, eventually taking on senior responsibilities. I oversaw Box Office operations, while Front of House had a separate manager.
Despite having a cutting-edge ticketing system, we never implemented digital ticket scanners—largely due to resistance from the House Manager. This wasn’t the late '90s; we’re talking about 2012 to 2017. I consistently pushed for digital transformation, emphasizing the shift toward a mobile-first society. Yet we remained one of the few venues in the city not scanning tickets. Admittedly, that was a time when QR codes were still misunderstood or dismissed as well. But for someone who believes in embracing available technology, the situation was both frustrating and embarrassing.
The reasoning behind this resistance seemed rooted in concern over older patrons and ushers adapting to new tools. Yet other major venues and arts organizations in town had already made the transition. Beyond efficiency and guest experience, this refusal had deeper implications—most notably, the inability to accurately track real-time attendance. That data is essential not just for internal reporting and funding metrics, but also for safety and emergency protocols. Lacking a digital check-in process, we had to estimate audience counts by manually subtracting unclaimed will-call tickets. It was a poor fit for the scale of our organization.
When we prepared to reopen in the COVID/post-COVID era—and I finally had oversight of house operations—my first requirement for the new Front of House team was to adopt ticket scanners. Unfortunately, this win was short-lived. San Diego Rep closed its doors in 2022.
After exploring various roles across different organizations, I now find myself back in the ticketing world. The mission hasn’t changed: advance the technology. Today’s patrons expect it. They want intuitive online information, fast and flexible purchasing options, seamless entry experiences, and instant access to their accounts. They expect their credit card on file, email preferences managed in seconds, and efficient service whether buying a ticket or making a donation.
From a development standpoint, accurate, accessible data is the foundation of donor trust and long-term stewardship. Technology isn’t optional anymore—it’s the standard. Larger arts organizations, universities, and even tech and sports institutions are consolidating venue management, and companies like Live Nation are vertically integrating artists, venues, and ticketing platforms. (Live Nation alone recently added 18 more venues to its portfolio.)
To survive—let alone thrive—in this environment, organizations must invest in robust systems, infrastructure, and the digital tools that support them. Ticketing is technology now. There’s no going back.
In a recent CNBC interview, Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, while discussing the United States’ software global dominance with CNBC, made this statement that I believe to be true and applicable to our subject…
…You actually can have things function in a way where the outputs are much greater than the inputs. And people who ignore this are going to be washed away.
Though this quote was part of a much broader conversation, one statement continues to resonate deeply for arts organizations and venues: Adapt or die. Regardless of your personal views on figures like Alex Karp, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and their contemporaries, they are undeniably the titans of today’s Fourth Industrial Revolution—much like Carnegie, Ford, and Rockefeller were in theirs. These leaders have shaped not only technology but also education, philanthropy, and societal structures. Ironically, many arts institutions now rely on funding from their foundations and those inspired by them. History has never universally embraced its disruptors, but their impact is undeniable. For good and bad, they move us forward.
The key takeaway is this: everything is consolidating, and technology is the driving force. For managers and directors in the arts and live events space, the option to sit on the sidelines no longer exists. AI is already reshaping the ticketing and philanthropic landscape. The tools are here, and growing more powerful by the day exponentially. As Karp warned, those who ignore this shift “will be washed away.”
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