Revisiting Scalpers: Cue QCue
In a recent post I talked about scalpers and Batman.
Turns out there is a company called QCue that is actually helping sports teams counter scalpers’ ability to capture value they don’t create, using its own demand-based pricing algorithm.
An article in the CIO Journal talks about how QCue has helped the San Francisco Giants (their CIO is quoted below) sell-out 140 straight games:
The flexible pricing system, which employs an algorithm run by the Austin,Texas-based ticket pricing firm QCue, can price the same nosebleed seats for $7 or $60 depending on the current popularity of opposing teams, and interest in pitcher match-ups.For the past three years the team has used data on the popularity of opposing teams, and prices from online secondary ticket markets, to calculate the price for 20 different seating areas, according to (Giants CIO, Bill) Schlough. He said prices or seats in those areas rise and fall, based on the data.
Analytics: 1, Scalpers: 0
Glad to see you followed up on my tip.
This is exactly what I was referring to!
I thought so…I was very impressed with this. I wonder if they are hiring…