StubHub becomes 'ExperienceHub' with Latest Venture

StubHub, your go-to vendor for all entertainment genre ticket sales, is planning to branch out to create 'experience'-buying opportunities for consumers. With their latest venture, the ever popular company owned by Ebay, is teaming up with San Francisco-based company BandPage to not only sell tickets but merchandise, VIP meet and greets, and even visits to recording studios to interact face-to-face with artists. The partnership comes at a time when musicians increasingly rely on the live events business and T-shirt sales as revenue from CDs and downloads continues to fall.

These types of offers create an experience and memories that consumers can't get anywhere else. Particularly, in-person meetings, whether backstage or at the recording studio, can be a huge draw for music fans. The two companies are hoping people will want to take advantage of the online offers ahead of the show instead of waiting to stand in the long merch lines at the venue or trying to win their way into meeting different artists through radio contest. BandPage's founder and chief executive, J Sider, thinks directing fans to online merchandise and opportunities to interact with artists can significantly boost revenue for the music industry. BandPage, which employs 35 people, powers artists' online stores already on websites and apps such as Spotify, YouTube and Shazam, taking a 10-15% cut of merchandise sales through those outlets. So this pact with StubHub will help them succeed even more.

The program starts testing this month with offers from alt-rock band Switchfoot, funk godfather George Clinton and alternative rockers OK Go. Customers searching for tickets to Clinton's upcoming shows will be offered $175 VIP meet-and-greet tickets, for example. We're excited to see what's in store for these two companies and wish StubHub and BandPage the best of luck devouring the details of this new venture!