Have the world ever experienced a success story similar to the England and Wales Cricket Board's tournament The Hundred? Probably not.
The Hundred is a professional franchise 100-ball cricket tournament involving eight men's and eight women's teams located in major cities across England and Wales. The tournament is run by the England and Wales Cricket Board and took place for the first time in July and August 2021. In record time this cricket tournament has risen from nothing to a ticket volume of more than half a million each year, massive merchandise sales and packed stands with an audience where the majority probably never had visited a cricket match before The Hundred was launched two years ago.
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From the start an up until June 2023, Manal Smith was Head of Ticketing at The Hundred. She started her ticketing career at the London 2012 Olympics and progressed from there to AXS Europe before she took the position as Ticketing Manager at the European Tour of DP World Tour. She then left this position in favour of The Hundred in September 2019, where she first had to handle a cancelled season due to the pandemic before she successfully delivered two seasons and laid the foundation for this year's equally successful tournament. She then set sail for yet another exciting challenge in June this year, as she left The Hundred in favour of the position as Head of Ticketing for SailGP.
In this episode of TicketingPodcast.com, Manal paints a vivid picture of how ticketing impacts every department in an organisation and the meticulous planning required for event day delivery. Hold on tight as we explore the digital transformation in sports and event ticketing, from the physical to the digital realm. Manal shares the unique challenges of launching a new ticketing system in the UK and her subsequent role as ticketing manager for DP World Tour. Her experiences with giant clients like the O2, Wembley, and the ATP tennis championships offer a unique perspective on the transition to digital tickets.
In the final leg of the interview, we delve into the success of The Hundred and the critical role of local activations in its success. Manal enlightens us on the power of social media and importance of collaborations when organising matches and marketing. We wrap up with a sneak peek into Manal's new role at Sale GP, their upcoming races, and what it means to create loyalty for a brand new brand. This episode is a goldmine for anyone interested in ticketing, sports management, or the business side of sports, so buckle up for a roller-coaster ride into the thrilling world of ticketing with Manal Smith.
The episode was recorded on 24 May 2023.
The thrilling world of ticketing
Some choose the safe path, others a more daring one. Manal Smith is of the last category. Her ticketing career started at the London 2012 Olympics, and since then she has taken on huge challenges at both AXS, GP World Tour, and The Hundred before she recently was appointed Head of Ticketing at SailGP.
In this bonus episode of TicketingPodcast.com, Manal transports us back to when she got her first taste of the ticketing world, followed by her swift transition into the heart of ticketing operations.
With a dash of humour, Manal shares intriguing anecdotes about the extremes people will go to secure tickets, and her secret hacks to securing tickets for sell-out events. We uncover the magic woven by Manal into the end-to-end customer journey that begins with a ticket purchase. She shares her invaluable insights into ticketing strategy, pricing, and system building.
The episode was recorded on 24 May 2023.
TicketingPodcast.com is powered and sponsored by TicketCo and hosted by TicketCo’s CEO, Carl-Erik Michalsen Moberg.
