OPTA Annual Survey 2021 Responses

OPTA Annual Survey 2021

Table of Contents Acknowledgements ...... 3 Part 1: Organizational Survey ...... 4 1. What is the primary nature of your organization? ...... 5 2. How many OPTA members are employed by your organization? ...... 5 3. How many Full-time employees are in your ticketing department? ...... 6 4. How many Part-time employees are in your ticketing department? ...... 6 5. How many volunteers are in your ticketing department? ...... 7 6. How many employees are currently furloughed from your ticketing department? ...... 7 7. What ticketing system do you use? ...... 8 8. Is your ticketing department combined with any other departments? ...... 9 9. Is your part-time staff unionized? ...... 10 10. Please list the hourly part-time wages for each level of part-time employee...... 11 11. Which of the following fees does your organization charge? ...... 12 12. Which of the following fees is your organization responsible for setting? ...... 12 13. If your organization is not responsible for setting fees, please list who is...... 13 14. List your fee rates...... 14 15. List your fees’ sales channels ...... 16 16. What accessibility accommodations does your organization offer? ...... 18 17. How much do you charge for support worker or companion seating tickets? ...... 20 18. Which sales channels do you use for accessible tickets? ...... 20 Part 2: Individual Survey ...... 21 1. Are you an OPTA member? ...... 22 2. How many years have you been an OPTA member? ...... 22 3. Are you a member of INTIX? ...... 23 4. Have you attended an INTIX conference in the past five years? ...... 23 5. Employment Status ...... 24 6. How many years have you worked in the ticketing industry? ...... 25 7. My gender is:...... 25 8. My ethnic identity is: ...... 26 9. I am part of the LGBTQIA2 community: ...... 27 10. I have a disability: ...... 27

Acknowledgements

The OPTA Board would like to thank: • Budweiser Gardens • Canadian Opera Company • Canadian Stage • Chatham Capitol Theatre • City of Brampton – Performing Arts • Core Entertainment • FirstClass Group Tickets • Let’s Talk Entertainment • Living Arts Centre, City of Mississauga • National Arts Centre • National Ballet of Canada • Patron Technology • Senators Sports & Entertainment • The Royal Conservatory of Music • TO Live • Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts • Tribute Communities Centre • Young Centre for the Performing Arts • And all individual respondents

Please note that responses have been edited for clarity and consistency of format.

Part 1: Organizational Survey

1. What is the primary nature of your organization? 18 responses, 3 multiple responses.

10% 5% 5% 24%

33%

24%

Arts Service Organization (ASO) with ticketing programs (5%) Event producer managing our own event venue(s) (24%)

Event producer renting event venue(s) (24%)

Event venue (33%)

Ticket Sales Agency (5%)

Ticketing platform (10%)

2. How many OPTA members are employed by your organization? 18 responses

7% 7% 7%

13% 53%

33%

1 (53%) 2 (33%) 3 (13%) 4 (7%) 5 (7%) 6 (7%)

3. How many Full-time employees are in your ticketing department? 17 responses

6% 6%

12% 35%

12% 18%

1 (35%) 2 (12%) 3 (18%) 4 (6%) 5 (6%) 6 (12%) 20 (6%) 25 (6%)

4. How many Part-time employees are in your ticketing department? 18 responses

11% 22%

22% 6%

17%

22%

0 (11%) 1-5 (22%) 6-10 (22%) 11-15 (17%) 16-20 (6%) 21-25 (22%)

Notes from respondents: • “usually 20-25, only 3 at the moment” • “23 (none currently working)”

5. How many volunteers are in your ticketing department? 18 responses

94%

0 (94%) 2 (6%)

6. How many employees are currently furloughed from your ticketing department? 17 responses

6% 18% 18%

24%

35%

0 (18%) 1-5 (24%) 6-10 (35%) 11-15 (18%) 16-25 (6%)

7. What ticketing system do you use? 18 responses, 2 multiple responses

5% 5% 10% 5% 5% 5% 5% 19%

14%

19% 5% 5%

AudienceView/AudienceView Professional (10%) citySPECIAL (5%) Growtix (5%) hipTIX (5%) Paciolan (14%) Showclix (5%) Spektrix (5%) Tessitura (19%) Ticketmaster (19%) Tixhub (5%) White Label Tickets via Ticketpro (5%) n/a (5%)

8. Is your ticketing department combined with any other departments? 17 responses, 1 multiple response

5% 5% 5%

10%

43% 10%

5% 5% 5%

Accounting (5%) Audience & Donor Service (5%) Audience/Patron Services (10%) Building Reception (5%) Front of House (10%) Information Desk (5%) Marketing (5%) Outreach & Awards (5%) No (43%) n/a (5%)

Note: • 18th respondent answered “Yes”.

9. Is your part-time staff unionized? 18 responses, 2 multiple responses

26%

79%

No (79%) Yes (26%)

Notes from respondents: • “Box Office Attendants are unionized, Duty Managers are not” • “Yes at my theatre, no at my arena”

10. Please list the hourly part-time wages for each level of part-time employee.

Box Office Box Office Supervisor/Duty Attendant/CSR Attendant/CSR/ Keyholder Manager /PSR (starting PSR (wage wage) increase) Budweiser Gardens $14.25 Canadian Opera $16.00 $19.00 Company Canadian Stage $22.00 $25.00 Chatham Capitol $15.00 Theatre City of Brampton - $16.25 Performing Arts Core Entertainment $14.25 FirstClass Group n/a Tickets Let's Talk $16.00 Entertainment Living Arts Centre, City $16.05 $18.64 of Mississauga National Arts Centre $20.00 National Ballet of $16.00 Canada The Royal $14.25 $15.30 $18.00 Conservatory of Music TO Live $14.25 $14.60 (after $20.40 probationary period) Tribute Communities $14.25 $14.55-15.55 Centre (based on years of service, up to 5 years) Young Centre for the $15.76 $17.86 Performing Arts

11. Which of the following fees does your organization charge? 18 responses

18 16 16 14 14 12 12 11 10 8 8 6 6 6 Organizations 4 3 2 1 0

Fee Type

12. Which of the following fees is your organization responsible for setting? 18 responses

14 13 12 11 10 10 9 8 6 5 5 5 4 Organizations 2 2 0

Fee Type

13. If your organization is not responsible for setting fees, please list who is. 10 responses Canadian Stage On our productions in a rental venue that venue sets a per-ticket service charge Chatham Capitol Theatre Municipal government sets or approves some fees and rental rates City of Brampton - Performing We are responsible for setting the fees, but they must be Arts approved by City Council FirstClass Group Tickets n/a National Ballet of Canada The Four Seasons Centre (owned by the COC) Senators Sports & Entertainment Fees are mutually agreed upon by venue and Ticketmaster. The Royal Conservatory of n/a Music TO Live Ticketmaster sets the service charges and delivery fees. Toronto Alliance for the Per-transaction is from Stripe Performing Arts (TAPA) Tribute Communities Centre Promoter sets own bump, credit card fees charged at 3%

14. List your fee rates 18 responses

Facility Fee Per-Ticket Service Per- Delivery Subscription Consignment Exchange Charge Transaction Fee Fee Fee Fee Service Charge Budweiser $3.00 (can $3.00 Mail - n/a n/a n/a Gardens vary) $5.00 Canadian $3.25 $9.00 n/a n/a $16.00 per n/a Single Opera package Tickets - Company $10.00 Some Subscription - $6.00 subscribers Canadian $2.65 Subscription ticket $5.00 Stage $2.65 Single ticket $5.65 Rental event in our venue $4.50 Chatham $1.00-$2.00 Mail - $1.00 per $1.50 Capitol $1.25 ticket in Theatre contract City of $2.00 on tickets $1.16 $3.25 Regular $5.75 per $5.00 per Brampton - over $6.00 Mail - subscription order Performing $3.25 order Arts Core $3.50 Various based on $6.50 Mail - $3.00 per $5.00 per Entertainment ticket price $3.25 ticket ticket Will Call - $5.00 FirstClass n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Group Tickets

Let's Talk Various $2.00 n/a n/a n/a Entertainment

Living Arts In person - $2.00 Phone order Mail - $6.00 per $2.00 per $5.00 per Centre, City of Phone Orders under of tickets $3.00 ticket in ticket issued ticket Mississauga $20.00 - $3.00 under subscription $1.00 per Online/Phone orders $20.00 - ticket returned over $20.00 - $5.00 $2.00 $1.00 per Phone order ticket reprinted of tickets over $20.00/ Online - $3.00 National Arts $3.50 $5.00-$9.00 $4.50 $3.00 $3.00 Centre National Ballet $3.75 on tickets n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $10.00 per of Canada over $25.00 ticket

Patron $1.00-$3.00 $8.00- Technology $10.00

Senators $4.00 Various $3.75 Sports & Entertainment

Facility Fee Per-Ticket Service Per- Delivery Subscription Consignment Exchange Charge Transaction Fee Fee Fee Fee Service Charge The Royal Koerner Hall - Koerner Hall - $8.00 N/A N/A N/A Koerner Hall - $2.50 per Conservatory $3.00 Mazzoleni Hall - $8.00 per ticket of Music Mazzoleni Hall - $5.00 ticket $2.00 Temerty Theatre - Mazzoleni Hall Temerty Theatre $5.00 - $5.00 per - $2.00 Offisite venues - ticket Offsite venues - $4.00 Temerty $0 Streaming/Digital - Theatre - $2.00 $5.00 per ticket TO Live Meridian Hall - Tickets $0.01-$10.00 $4.50 Regular $5.00-$13.50 $1.00 per n/a $3.39 - $1.25 Mail - per ticket up to a Meridian Arts $10.01-$20.00 - $4.50 subscription set limit (set by Centre (George $1.75 UPS/ venue size) Weston Recital $20.01-$30.00 - XpressP $2.00 per Hall and Lyric $3.25 ost - ticket for Theatre) - $3.39 $30.01-$40.00 - $16.00 additional Meridian Arts $4.75 orders Centre $40.01-$50.00 - (Greenwin $6.25 Theatre and $50.01-$60.00 - Studio Theatre) $8.00 - $1.70 $60.01-$70.00 - St Lawrence $9.75 Centre (Bluma $70.01-$80.00 - Appel Theatre $10.70 and Jane Mallett $80.01-$90.00 - Theatre) - $3.39 $11.25 All venues $90.01+ - $11.75 (tickets under $15.00) - $1.13 Toronto Tickets $5.00 - $1.50 Alliance for the Tickets $25.00 - Performing $4.50 Arts (TAPA)

Tribute $2.50 Tickets $0.00-$14.99 $3.50 Will Call - $5.00 per Communities - $2.30 $2.00 transaction Centre $15.00-$29.99 - Mail - $4.40 $5.00 $30.00-$49.99 - Express $5.95 Courier - $50.00-$89.99 - $20.00 $7.15 $90.00+ - $8.70 Young Centre $4.23 on tickets Tickets $0.00-$5.00 - n/a Mail - $5.00 per for the over $5.00 $0.00 $2.00 ticket Performing $5.00-$25.00 - $2.83 Courier - Arts $25.00+ - $6.22 $25.00

15. List your fees’ sales channels Facility Fee – 10 responses • All Sales Channels - 10 Per-Ticket Service Charge – 12 responses

0 All Channels In Person Online Phone Per-Transaction Service Charge – 11 responses

0 In person Online Phone

Delivery Fee – 3 responses

0 All Channels Online

Subscription Fee – 2 responses • All Sales Channels – 2 Consignment Fee – 5 responses

0 All channels Box Office Phone

Exchange Fee – 8 responses

0 All channels Box Office Phone

16. What accessibility accommodations does your organization offer? 14 responses

Impaired Mobility Visual Impairment Hearing Autism Spectrum Other Accommodations Impairment and similar needs

Budweiser Fully accessible Interpreters on Listening assistance Gardens venue request devices available

Canadian 3 of our 4 venues None 2 of our 4 venues None Stage are accessible. have hearing assist systems. Live online events have not been captioned, but any pre-recorded material or recordings of live events available after the fact have been captioned during the pandemic. Chatham Ushers to assist None Hearing Assist None None - can consider Capitol with walkers etc. devices requests on an individual Theatre Elevator basis

City of Accessible seating None Hearing assist Accessible seating Currently under review Brampton - Barrier free seating devices if requested Performing Arts Core Accessible seating Seating assistance Hearing assist Quiet room Entertainment at purchase, devices available including use of house seats. FirstClass n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Group Tickets Let's Talk Discounted pricing Reserved seats Venue-specific None n/a Entertainment near front

Living Arts Complimentary use Hearing Assisted Centre, City of of wheelchair at the Devices Mississauga Information Desk National Arts Wheelchair Closer seats Closer seats None None Centre accessible seating Sign language interpreter National Ballet Accessible seating Assisted hearing Upcoming - first of Canada locations through devices available relaxed the hall at different first come, first performance in price levels serve March 2022

Impaired Mobility Visual Impairment Hearing Autism Spectrum Other Accommodations Impairment and similar needs The Royal 8 removable chair Magnifying sheets Listening devices A quiet room in Accredited service Conservatory locations to may be borrowed Koerner Hall, Animals are welcome of Music accommodate Large print separated from the We encourage a scent impaired mobility programs are audience, for free environment 4 wheelchairs to available on request people with sensory assist patrons considerations, Lower counters at those on the autism the box office and spectrum, bars ADD/ADAHD, or a Elevator access to learning disability is each floor available to patrons upon request. Concerts are watched through a glass window, with controllable volume. TO Live Removable seating Limited braille on Complimentary None None for patrons using signage hearing aids wheelchairs Captioning for Adaptable seating select online for patrons requiring performances barrier-free access Wheelchairs available for patron use Advance seating Tribute Accessible seating Blindsquare app Hearing assistive Sensory kits with a Accessibility coordinator Communities Wheelchair Braille signage devices range of items who manages accessible Centre accessible counter Type magnifying ASL-trained staff including noise accommodation heights devices at the Box cancelling customer service and Office headphones, tinted identifies areas of glasses, fidget toys, accessible amenity ear plugs, vocab improvements boards continuously. Young Centre Soulpepper offers None - looking into During the last 2 There is a Visual for the an ODSP price Audio Description seasons of Guide about getting Performing for some shows Soulpepper, at least to and around the Arts 3 shows had building, for the past performances with 2 seasons, ASL interpreters Soulpepper has offered Relaxed Performances for 3 of their productions. During these shows there is a Quiet Room available for patrons.

17. How much do you charge for support worker or companion seating tickets? 16 responses, 1 multiple response

6% 18%

47% 29%

Complimentary (18%) Discounted (29%) Full Price (47%) n/a (6%)

Notes from respondents: • “Companion pays full price but is able to sit in accessible or barrier free section with guest. Support workers, with Access 2 program card, are complimentary” • “Pricing decided by rental client; majority charge full price” • “Discounted, For CNIB companions in LAC presents – 50% off” 18. Which sales channels do you use for accessible tickets? 16 responses

6 Organizations 4

0 In person Online Phone Sales Channel

Part 2: Individual Survey

1. Are you an OPTA member? 43 responses

98%

Yes (98%) No (2%)

2. How many years have you been an OPTA member? 42 responses

12% 12%

26%

40%

1 (12%) 2-5 (26%) 6-10 (40%) 11-15 (7%) 16-20 (12%) 21+ (2%)

3. Are you a member of INTIX? 42 responses

31%

69%

Yes (31%) No (69%)

4. Have you attended an INTIX conference in the past five years? 43 responses

35%

65%

Yes (35%) No (65%)

5. Employment Status 43 responses, 3 multiple responses

I am currently: 2%

2%2% 4% 4%

13%

64%

Consultant in ticketing and other industries (2%)

Employed full time in combined ticketing and ticketing-adjacent position (4%) Employed full-time in ticketing (64%)

Employed in a ticketing-adjacent profession (13%)

Furloughed from a ticketing position (7%)

Retired/Semi-Retired (4%)

Self-employed ticketing agency, temporarily closed (2%)

Working in another industry (2%)

6. How many years have you worked in the ticketing industry? 43 responses

5% 7% 5%

12% 23%

9% 28%

1-5 (7%) 6-10 (23%) 11-15 (28%) 16-20 (9%) 21-25 (9%) 26-30 (12%) 31-35 (5%) 36-40 (5%) 41-45 (2%)

7. My gender is: 43 responses

30%

67%

Female (67%) Male (30%) Queer Woman (2%)

8. My ethnic identity is: 40 responses

3% 3% 3% 5% 8%

80%

Canadian (5%) Desi (3%) European (80%) Middle Eastern (3%) Mixed Race (8%) POC (3%)

Notes: Responses included under “European” category: • Anglo-Saxon • Canadian - Caucasian • Canadian – white • Caucasian • European – Irish/Dutch • European Canadian • Portuguese-Canadian • White • White/Jewish Responses included under “Mixed Race” category: • Bi-racial • Mixed Race (Chinese and white) • White/latinx/indigenous

9. I am part of the LGBTQIA2 community: 43 responses

26%

74%

Yes (26%) No (74%)

10. I have a disability: 43 responses

95%

Yes (5%) No (95%)