Comcast-Spectator makes strategic investment with Paciolan

COMPANY FORMS NEW TICKETING VENTURE — NEW ERA TICKETS

DEAL FIRMLY ANCHORS PACIOLAN IN THE PRO SPORTS AND ARENA MARKETS
IRVINE – November 9, 2004 – Paciolan, the leading provider of in-house ticketing solutions, today announced that Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment conglomerates, has selected Paciolan’s technology platform to provide in-house ticketing solutions for the Wachovia Complex and its Patron Solutions ticket management business. Patron Solutions will now be called New Era Tickets. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor has made a minority investment in Paciolan. In return, Comcast-Spectacor Ventures President, Peter Luukko, will join Paciolan’s Board of Directors.

With this relationship, the Paciolan platform will provide in-house ticketing solutions to New Era Tickets at the Wachovia Complex in Philadelphia and its primary tenants; the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers, upon the expiration of their existing ticketing agreement. In addition, New Era Tickets will now offer Paciolan technology to its customers.

With Paciolan’s technology empowering this new venture, New Era Tickets will provide customized ticketing, database marketing and access management functionality to clients, enabling them to sell and manage their own tickets thereby eliminating the need for third-party distributors. New Era Tickets will immediately begin creating similar opportunities for other sports teams, entertainment venues and multi-purpose arenas, stadiums and convention centers.
“In house ticketing solutions are rapidly becoming the preferred business model for leading sports and entertainment venues enabling them to grow their fan and patron relationships which ultimately drives revenues,” said Luukko. “We’re excited to team with Paciolan to allow our venues to make more money by controlling their brands and fostering intimate and profitable customer relationships. Paciolan is the best partner to execute this vision.”

“Partnering with one of the largest and fastest growing sports and entertainment companies in North American provides Paciolan with a firm stronghold in the pro sports and arena space and will continue to open business opportunities to help accelerate our growth,” said Paciolan President and CEO John Hnanicek. “Over the last 18-24 months Paciolan has realized considerable success in the NHL, NBA, MLB as well as the arena market. Our newly created relationship with Comcast-Spectacor represents yet another milestone of Paciolan’s continued market acceptance amongst sports and entertainment venues across the country.”

By adopting in-house solutions, venues’ interactions with their patrons is completely controlled and branded allowing them to build and manage life-long relationships. Paciolan’s patron-centric solution revolves around a single database giving venues easy-to-access purchasing, donation, demographic and attendance information on each customer.

Fred Maglione, a 25-year veteran of the sports and entertainment industry, and formerly President of Patron Solutions, will head New Era Tickets. Dave Homan, a former executive of Ticketmaster and formerly Vice President of Patron Solutions, will serve as Chief Operating Officer.
About Paciolan
Founded in 1980, Paciolan is a leading ticketing enabler, providing ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions for top venues across North America. Paciolan provides a wholly integrated infrastructure that puts venues in direct control of their customer relationships, brands and revenue potential. Primary markets include performing arts, college athletics, professional sports, museums, and arenas. Collectively, Paciolan clients sell over 100 million tickets annually representing approximately 25% of all live event tickets sold in the US. Paciolan is a privately held corporation based in Irvine, California.
About Comcast-Spectacor
Comcast-Spectacor is the Philadelphia based sports and entertainment firm which owns the Philadelphia Flyers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Wachovia Center, the Wachovia Spectrum, Flyers Skate Zone, community ice skating and ice hockey facilities, Comcast SportsNet, and three minor league affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles. Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more than 40 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage service provider; and New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities.
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Paciolan Editorial Contact
Shaw Taylor
949.476.1212
Marketing Director
staylor@paciolan.com

Ike Richman
Vice President, PR
Comcast-Spectacor
(215) 389-9552
irichman@comcast-spectacor.com