SM Prime brings Ticketmaster to the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — SM Prime Holdings Inc. has partnered with global ticketing giant Ticketmaster to launch “SM Ticketmaster,” marking the latter’s entry into the Philippines as demand for live entertainment continues to grow.

In a statement, the Sy family-led firm said the new venture will take over the ticketing services currently offered through SM Tickets, combining Ticketmaster’s global ticketing technology and fraud prevention tools with SM Prime’s local operating experience.

SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said the partnership aims to improve the ticket-buying experience for Filipino consumers amid rising demand for concerts, sports events, and other live experiences.

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“Our goal is to make the ticket-buying experience more reliable, secure, and convenient for customers,” Lim said.

SM Ticketmaster will serve third-party venues, promoters and organizers, alongside SM Prime’s own venues such as the SM Mall of Asia Arena, SMDC Festival Grounds and the upcoming SM Seaside Cebu Arena.

Ticketmaster APAC regional vice president Jim Kotsonis described the Philippines as an “important new market” for the company’s international expansion plans, citing strong demand for live events ranging from international tours to local concerts and sports shows.

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The venture will be led by Mike Mangubat and will offer end-to-end ticketing services, including event operations, marketing and customer service support for promoters and venues.

Over the next few weeks, SM Tickets users will transition to the new SM Ticketmaster platform. —Emmanuel John B. Abris /atm