History of SeatGeek in Timeline

SeatGeek is a mobile-first ticketing platform that allows users to buy and sell tickets for live events such as sports, concerts, and theater. Initially an aggregator for the secondary market, SeatGeek has evolved into a primary ticket provider, directly partnering with sports teams and venues, making it a competitor to established companies like Ticketmaster. The platform offers a marketplace for both primary and secondary tickets through its website and mobile app.

2007: FanSnap Founded

In 2007, FanSnap, an online search engine for live event tickets, was founded in Palo Alto, California. FanSnap aggregated event-level ticket data from event ticket providers.

2008: Similarities with Farecast

In 2008, SeatGeek provided price forecast information in a similar manner to Farecast, an airline ticket aggregation and forecasting site purchased by Microsoft.

2009: SeatGeek Founded and Launched

In 2009, SeatGeek was founded by Russell D’Souza and Jack Groetzinger during their participation in the DreamIt Ventures startup accelerator program. The company launched publicly in September 2009 at the TechCrunch50 conference and was recognized as a top startup by VentureBeat and CNET. In May 2009, SeatGeek received $20,000 in seed funding from DreamIT Ventures, and Eric Waller joined as the first employee and third co-founder.

2010: Seed and Series A Financing

In 2010, SeatGeek raised several rounds of seed and Series A financing to expand its platform.

December 2011: FanSnap Acquired by NexTag

In December 2011, FanSnap was acquired by NexTag.

2011: Financing and Recognition

In 2011, SeatGeek raised several rounds of seed and Series A financing to expand its platform. The company also announced an investment from Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary’s A-Grade Investments, and the co-founders were recognized in Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s “America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs” and Business Insider’s “Silicon Alley 100: New York’s Coolest Tech People.”

November 2013: FanSnap Acquired by SeatGeek

In November 2013, FanSnap was acquired from Nextag/Wize Commerce by SeatGeek, which discontinued the FanSnap ticket search engine and integrated it into SeatGeek's existing ticket search offerings.

2013: Acquisition of FanSnap and Partnership with Telecharge

In 2013, SeatGeek acquired FanSnap, a ticket search engine, and discontinued the FanSnap search engine to integrate it into their existing platform. Later in 2013, SeatGeek announced a partnership with Telecharge, a Broadway ticketing service.

2015: Series C Funding Round

In 2015, SeatGeek secured a $62 million Series C funding round led by Technology Crossover Ventures. This investment facilitated the company’s expansion beyond its original role as a ticket aggregator, positioning it to compete directly with StubHub as a resale ticket marketplace.

2016: Entry into Primary Ticketing Market and MLS Agreement

In 2016, SeatGeek entered the primary ticketing market, becoming a competitor to Ticketmaster. In July 2016, it signed a league-wide agreement with Major League Soccer (MLS) to create an open ticketing network and became the official ticketing provider for Sporting Kansas City.

2017: Expansion of Primary Ticketing and Acquisition of Toptix

In 2017, SeatGeek expanded its primary ticketing business by partnering with Seattle Sounders FC and becoming the primary ticketing provider for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. SeatGeek also acquired Toptix, an Israeli ticketing software company, to enhance its box office technology.

2018: NFL Partnership, Dallas Cowboys, SeatGeek Stadium, Manchester City

In 2018, SeatGeek partnered with the National Football League (NFL) as a distribution partner. SeatGeek also replaced Ticketmaster as the primary box office partner of the Dallas Cowboys, and reached a naming rights agreement with the Chicago Fire’s stadium, renaming it SeatGeek Stadium. Additionally, Manchester City selected SeatGeek as its exclusive ticketing provider.

2018: Fast Company Recognition

In 2018, SeatGeek was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” in the live events category.

2019: Lord's Cricket Ground Partnership

In 2019, SeatGeek became the official ticketing partner of Lord's Cricket Ground in London, marking its entry into the cricket market.

2019: Fast Company Recognition

In 2019, SeatGeek was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” in the live events category.

March 2020: Liverpool F.C. Partnership and Class Action Lawsuit

In March 2020, Liverpool F.C. announced a primary ticketing partnership with SeatGeek. However, the company also faced a class action lawsuit over refunds for events canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was later settled.

2021: Partnerships, New Board Member, and Feature Launches

In 2021, Jujamcyn Theaters selected SeatGeek as its primary ticketing provider, marking the company’s first Broadway partnership. Laurel J. Richie joined SeatGeek's board of directors. SeatGeek launched “Rally,” an in-app platform, and became the primary ticketing partner of the Brooklyn Nets. That year, SeatGeek introduced “SeatGeek Swaps,” a feature allowing ticket holders to return tickets for credit.

2022: New Ticketing Partners and Fast Company Recognition

In 2022, SeatGeek added new primary ticketing partners including the Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, Utah Jazz, and Florida Panthers. That year, the company was also named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” in the live events category for the third time.

2022: SPAC Merger Termination and Series E Funding

In 2022, SeatGeek announced plans to go public through a SPAC merger valued at $1.35 billion, but the deal was later terminated. Instead, SeatGeek raised $238 million in a Series E funding round.

January 2023: End of Barclay's Center Partnership

In January 2023, Brooklyn Sports Entertainment Global ended its partnership with SeatGeek for Barclay's Center due to technical issues. This led Ticketmaster to resume ticketing at Barclays Center.

February 2023: Paciolan and MLB Partnerships

In February 2023, SeatGeek became the official secondary marketplace for Paciolan, and Major League Baseball named SeatGeek its official ticket marketplace.

May 2023: Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces Recognition

In May 2023, SeatGeek was named to Inc. Magazine’s list of Best Workplaces for the second consecutive year.

February 2024: Launch of Next Fan Up

In February 2024, SeatGeek launched Next Fan Up, which included an AI-powered “Smart Pricing” tool for ticket resales.

October 2024: BBB Rating and Customer Reviews

As of October 2024, the Better Business Bureau gave SeatGeek an “F” rating. At the same time, SeatGeek held a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot based on customer reviews.

2025: AFC Bournemouth Partnership

In 2025, Premier League club AFC Bournemouth announced it would transition to SeatGeek’s ticketing system beginning with the 2025–26 season.

2025: Launch of Concourse Maps and Beyond the Seat

In 2025, SeatGeek launched Concourse Maps, a venue navigation tool within its Rally platform, and released Beyond the Seat, a feature designed to enhance ticket listings.

2026: US Golf Association and Philadelphia Union Partnerships

In 2026, The United States Golf Association selected SeatGeek as the official ticketing provider for its championships. Also in 2026, the Philadelphia Union entered into a multi-year partnership with SeatGeek.