Sport is big business. It is crucial that these events are managed in a controlled environment, especially in today’s world of intense media focus and strict regulations. It is therefore vital that tickets are distributed to bona fide supporters/customers. There is growing concern that controls over ticket sales at sports events, especially those with a high profile, are not as strong as they should be. Clubs maybe unaware of exactly who is in attendance, whether they have paid or if they are legitimate for any specific event. The integrity over the distribution of tickets can present a serious business issue, not just from adverse publicity, but also from the effect on legitimate fans.

There are obvious challenges around large quantity ticket sales, but how do you face the following key issues:

• Do you know the names of all ticket holders at your matches, especially for match day tickets?
• How do you know that you are only selling tickets to people you want in your ground?
• How do you know that individuals are not bulk buying tickets for distribution outside of official channels?
• Are you selling tickets at inflated/deflated prices?
• Ticket price variances for specific ticket types?
• Are you sure you’re not selling multiple tickets for the same seat ?

Our specialised Data Quality team have worked with a number of top sports clubs to provide in-depth analysis of ticket sales, both for specific events and over complete seasons establishing patterns, highlighting problem areas and providing vital information to help resolve potential issues or inefficiencies that may be apparent in the way that tickets are sold.