Adelaide Festival Centre swaps BASS ticket agency for Ticketek

For the first time in more than 40 years the Adelaide Festival Centre is changing the way tickets are sold at all of its venues.

The Adelaide Festival Centre is getting rid of its BASS ticket agency after 44 years as the exclusive sales outlet for shows at its venues.

All shows at the centre’s venues, which include the Festival Theatre, Dunstan Playhouse, Space Theatre and Her Majesty’s Theatre, will in future be sold through national agency Ticketek.

Eight permanent and two temporary BASS staff will be offered employment at Ticketek’s Adelaide office, while 12 casual staff will be offered work with Ticketek’s casual pool.

Festival Centre chief executive Douglas Gautier said the need for technological upgrades and the impact of Covid-19 prompted the change.

“We are excited about what this partnership means for the future of live entertainment in

South Australia, particularly the opportunity to attract even more great shows for our valued patrons,” Mr Gautier said.

Adelaide Festival Centre chief executive Douglas Gautier. Picture: Matt Turner

In the past, many touring productions had used Ticketek around the country, but were required to use BASS for Adelaide Festival Centre shows.

The transition will take three months as existing BASS outlets are changed over to Ticketek.

A dedicated call centre for Adelaide Festival Centre venues will continue to operate with the current 131 246 phone number.

Ticketek is operated by TEG Pty Ltd, which was purchased for an estimated $1 billion in 2019 by multinational technology investment firm Silver Lake, which in turn sold a minority stake to Mercury Capital.

Kerry Packer’s PBL Media started Ticketek in 1979 to sell tickets for World Series Cricket, and later joined forces with concert tour promoters Paul Dainty and Garry Van Egmond to form TEG.

TEG chief executive Geoff Jones said Ticketek would bring “world-leading ticketing technology” to Festival Centre venues.

“As such we will bring exciting innovations to the centre, making it easier than ever to access great shows,” Mr Jones said.

BASS – which took its name from Best Available Seating Service – was established by the Adelaide Festival Centre in 1977 and later became the first internet ticketing website in Australia to offer real-time sales online.

Further information for ticketholders can be found online at https://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/tickets-info/ticketek-faqs/