Football fans around the country will now have the ability to purchase game tickets through a text using ReplyBuy.
ReplyBuy is a mobile commerce platform that allows customers to purchase items through a text message.
In October 2014, the company launched their sports and entertainment platform focused on ticket sales for professional and collegiate sports teams and have seen a 500 percent growth just in the last six months-making ReplyBuy the market leader in enabling mobile ticket sales, Manley said.
“We’ve been referred to as the Uber for ticketing by the Boston Celtics,” Manley said.
Brandon O’ Halloran, vice president sales and marketing said they have integrated their platform with 50 sport teams across the US that include NFL, NHL, NBA and major universities, with the most recent being University of Arizona and San Francisco 49ers.
Arizona teams on the platform include Phoenix Suns, Arizona Coyotes and Phoenix Mercury.
“It’s all about convenience,” O’Halloran said. “We are an extension of the team’s marketing and sales arm and making it super simple to complete a transaction.”
The University of Arizona Athletics announced on Twitter “Excited to announce partnership with ReplyBuy and the launch of Arizona Text 4 Tix.”
Manley said this collegiate partnership is in conjunction with ReplyBuy’s new large partnership with Comcast’s Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement.
How it works…
Visit ReplyBuy.com and select your team. If you don’t see your team on there, put in a request with the company.
Fill out the team fan page with preferences.
When tickets come available, ReplyBuy will notify you via text. If you want the tickets, simply type the reply message given, press send, and your credit card will be charged.
There are “no links to click, no apps, no second steps, just replying to a text message,” Manley said.
Follow the link given to receive your e-tickets and scan at the game.
For security purposes ReplyBuy does not keep any credit card information. The transaction itself is handled by a third-party, the same company that manages UBER and LivingSocial, Manley said.
Manley said their motto for ReplyBuy is “Speed, simplicity and convenience.”
With thousands of tickets sold, the company is looking ahead to help teams sell additional products such as fan gear. “Nineteen percent of all fans that make at least one purchase on ReplyBuy make an additional purchase…it’s the stickiness factor,” Manley said.
READ: ReplyBuy shares $1.5 million pot
For now, with the interest they are receiving from teams, O’Halloran projects their platform will be integrated into 20 new colleges and a large chunk of NHL and NBA teams by the end of 2016.
ReplyBuy was a winner in the ACA Innovation Challenge and raised $690,000 in angel funding.
Mobile commerce is “starting to become a no brainer for teams,” O’Halloran said.
We’ve been following ReplyBuy from the beginning, read up on this company here.
Read about more AZ startups at AZ Tech Beat.
Graphics provided by ReplyBuy
The article has been clarified from original post for launch date and Uber quote from Manley
