Online auction operation eBay is teaming up with UltimateBid.com to launch “Tickets and
Experiences,” a co-branded theme page on eBay that will market one-of-a-kind
experiences with celebs of all kinds.
More conventional ticket sales also will be conducted there. The new area “is
expected to be a premier online destination for the buying and selling of
tickets, experiences and lifestyle activities,” eBay said.
eBay members can bid for UltimateBid’s proprietary experiences — such as
getting behind the scenes on the set of television’s “ER” or gaining
exclusive access to the cast party and final performance of “Cats” on
Broadway.
At launch the new venture is offering packages for fans to join Grammy
Award-winning artist Christina Aguilera on stage during her summer concert
tour. Next week, UltimateBid will offer exclusive access to a star-studded
“New York Tennis Bash” hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum.
Upcoming items will
include Lance Armstrong presenting his 1999 Tour de France bike and jersey to
the highest bidder and an offer to be a crew member for NASCAR driver Jeff
Burton at a race this fall.
These once-in-a-lifetime experiences offered by UltimateBid are complementary
to the thousands of tickets and experiences items listed regularly by eBay
sellers, the companies said. Such items on eBay have grown organically and
now will be more prominent. Financial arrangements between the companies were
not disclosed.
UltimateBid, supported by its primary content partners SFX Entertainment and
IMG, plans to market the “Tickets and Experiences” area in SFX entertainment
venues and at IMG sports events.
The co-branded area will have prominent placement on the eBay site, with
specialized searches and enhanced features for both buyers and sellers. The
theme page will highlight the vast variety of tickets already available for
sale at eBay — organized by artist, genre, and type of ticket.
“This will be an active marketplace, with something for every interest,” said
Andrew Jody Gessow, co-founder and chairman of UltimateBid. “Whether it’s
local concert tickets, a boat charter or a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet
your hero, now there’s a convenient and extraordinary place to buy it or sell
it.”
UltimateBid was launched last February 2000 with the aim of providing
consumers access to previously unavailable or difficult-to-obtain
experiences.