Buying Broadway tickets is now easier with TodayTix , a new app that works similar to Uber and AirBNB. The mobile app was created by Brian Fenty and Merritt Baer, former Broadway producers.
The app has successfully launched in New York City and is now building a similar popularity in London .
Instead of long lines on the same day of a show or limited price options, TodayTix offers users immediate access to direct ticket sales. This means that more price options are available in real time.
“Most people think, and we’ve done focus groups, most people assume that Broadway tickets are $100 to $150. But the fact is if you look on the app, a vast majority of shows have tickets in the 30, 35, 40 dollar region,” said Baer.
Baer also added that 19 percent of Broadway tickets go unsold . The new app is intended to bridge theater goers to Broadway tickets in a more modern-friendly manner. Almost everyone has a cellphone, and most people are living their lives easily off of mobile apps. The convenience alone increases the chances of ticket sales going up.
For tourists in the New York City area, Broadway is an automatic stop. However, prices can seem daunting for same-day planners. People who are not sure what show to attend or what their other traveling stops may be rely on easy access to same-day availability. Unfortunately, most tourists end up on a line somewhere in Times Square, waiting for Broadway tickets all day and making rushed decisions to get on with their day or night. TodayTix avoids all of that by giving buyers access to the information right on their mobile devices. They can see the shows that still have available tickets and know the prices before making any commitments to purchase.
The goal of TodayTix is to make Broadway theater an affordable luxury and to change the thinking that a night at the theater is out of a reasonable budget.
Benefiting the Broadway shows themselves, TodayTix focuses on sales no more than seven days in advance. This new app enables users to purchase the unsold tickets at face value or at discounts of up to 50 percent off.
One of the unique features of the TodayTix app is that a concierge service will deliver the purchased tickets in front of the theater. This makes buying convenient and less time-consuming by avoiding the will call lines at the theater before show time.
Fenty and Baer target users in their 30s, which also increases the population to Broadway shows. The average age of theater goers is 44. The new app may find a balance between increasing Broadway ticket sales and theater popularity.
[Photo courtesy of Business Insider ]