#42 - Tixr’s Story: Tech, AI Resale, and the Future of Live Events

<p>In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with Sara Mertz (VP, Music Partnerships) and Steve Oberman (VP, Partnerships) from <a href="https://www.tixr.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Tixr</a> to discuss the future of independent ticketing, the evolution of the secondary market, and the technology shaping live events.<br>They explore how Tixr has built a customer-driven ticketing platform, why promoters need a strategy for resale, what the Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case could mean for the industry, and how AI is changing everything from marketing to fan discovery.<br>They also discuss the importance of best-of-breed technology, the role of first-party data, and why independent operators need better tools to compete in an increasingly complex market.<br><strong>Inside the episode:</strong><br>• How Tixr built a technology-first ticketing platform for independent promoters<br>• Why the secondary market isn’t going away—and how operators can use it strategically<br>• Key takeaways from the Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case<br>• How AI is changing ticketing, marketing, and event discovery<br>• The role of first-party data in modern live event businesses<br>• Why best-of-breed platforms often outperform all-in-one solutions<br>• How independent venues and promoters can compete more effectively in today’s market</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Episode Timestamps:</strong></p><p>(00:50) <strong>Meet Tixr &amp; the Team</strong> — Tixr&#39;s independent-first origins and approach to long-term venue/promoter/artist partnerships, plus Sara&#39;s path from artist management and labels into ticketing and Steve&#39;s role across partnerships, sales, and promoter financing.</p><p>(07:55) <strong>What Makes Tixr Different</strong> — Tixr&#39;s industry reputation and why promoters gravitate toward its collaborative approach.</p><p>(13:20) <strong>Features &amp; Resale</strong> — Waitlists, integrated resale marketplace, ticket security, and flexible refunds, plus how promoters use secondary markets for discovery while steering fans back to primary.</p><p>(24:25) <strong>The Live Nation/Ticketmaster Debate</strong> — The DOJ antitrust case, industry implications, and what more competition means for promoters.</p><p>(38:34) <strong>AI, Data &amp; Industry Change</strong> — Tixr&#39;s use of AI across ops, marketing, and fan experience, plus making data actionable, responsible adoption, and first-party data advantages.</p><p>(01:03:05) <strong>Prism Insights &amp; Data Transparency</strong> — Matt introduces Prism Insights and how better data helps independents decide smarter.</p><p>(01:08:27) <strong>Surviving &amp; Growing in a Tough Market</strong> — Venue economics, headwinds, the role of NIVA and community, plus revenue strategies via premium experiences, upsells, and referrals.</p><p><br></p><p>Please share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:</p><p>Subscribe <a href="www.prism.fm/podcast/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>More on<a href="www.prism.fm">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Follow us on Instagram (<a href="www.instagram.com/prismfm">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>)</p><p>Follow us on LinkedIn (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/prism-fm/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>)</p><p>Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mford3">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/0jD6mIhjUdWPDaXKPoKHDK?si=8e080025105f44fd">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> (Prism engineer!)</p>