Director of Ticketing & Fan Experience

Background
Location: Chicago, IL (preferred), otherwise remote
Type: Full-time, permanent position
Division: Marketing
Reports to: Chief Marketing Officer

Overview
The Association of Pickleball Players | The APP Tour (APP) is dedicated to providing the best pickleball tournament experience for all. The APP, owned by Intersport, was founded in 2019 and serves professionals, senior professionals, and amateurs in the fastest-growing sport in the country. The first and only tour officially sanctioned by USA Pickleball, the APP Tour boasts tournament stops, as well as Showcase Series, International, and Collegiate Series events. The APP also prides itself on developing the next generation of champions through its APP Next Series and other youth initiatives. You can view the 2026 Tour schedule here:

The Position
In 2026, the APP is transforming its events from tournament-first competitions into experience-first pickleball festivals. These events combine elite professional competition with participation, lifestyle programming, and community-driven entertainment.

The Director of Ticketing & Fan Experience (Director) sits at the intersection of revenue, experience, and community. The Director will help define how fans engage with APP events, from first click to final match point, and play a key role in shaping the future of live pickleball as a cultural and lifestyle experience.

The Director is responsible for creating and executing ticket sales strategies while designing and delivering exceptional fan experiences across all APP events. Responsibilities span revenue generation, data-driven ticketing operations, and end-to-end fan journey design – from ticket purchase through post-event engagement. As such, the ideal candidate is both analytically minded and fan-obsessed, with a passion for live sports, experiential marketing, and operational excellence.

This is a senior, revenue-critical role, responsible for designing, selling, and operating ticketing experiences that maximize attendance, dwell time, per-capita spend, and fan satisfaction across a national calendar of APP events. The Director owns the full ticketing ecosystem, from pre-event sales strategy and packaging, to on-site ticket operations and fan journey design, to post-event analysis and optimization.

Further, the Director will:

• Perform a senior role in the team transforming APP events into must-attend pickleball festivals
• Drive sell-through of GA, VIP, and experiential products
• Create frictionless, welcoming, and upgrade-friendly fan journeys
• Build scalable ticketing frameworks across markets
• Use data to continuously optimize pricing, product, and conversion

Responsibilities
General

• Embody and reflects the APP’s performance-based culture and commits him/herself and team to the highest standards for all work
• Work effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver executional excellence

Experience-First Ticket Strategy and Revenue Growth

• Develop and execute ticketing strategies for all APP events, including pricing, packaging, promotions, and inventory management
• Design and oversee the end-to-end fan experience at APP events, from arrival to departure
• Own ticketing strategy aligned with the experience-first festival model
• Design ticket products that support participation, discovery, and social engagement
• Lead pricing, bundling, and packaging across GA, VIP, clinics, add-ons and hospitality experiences that enhance value for fans, partners, and players
• Forecast ticket revenue, manage ticketing-related budgets, and manage performance against targets
• Partner with Marketing on audience-led ticket messaging

Pre-Event Sales Planning and Optimization

• ​​​​​​​ Execute ticket on-sale strategies for each APP event
• Manage inventory, pricing tiers, discounting, and releases
• Monitor sales velocity and adjust tactics, as needed
• Support experiential storytelling in purchase flows
• Align ticketing with sponsor and community goals

On-Site Ticket Operations and Fan Journey

• Own relationships with ticketing platforms and vendors; oversee system setup, reporting, and troubleshooting
• Establish service standards for fan-facing touchpoints including entry, seating, hospitality, premium areas, and customer service
• Partner with operations, sponsorship, and broadcast teams to integrate fan activations, signage, and interactive experiences
• Lead on-site ticketing and access operations
• Design festival-style entry and upgrade flows
• Oversee box office, scanning, credentials, trouble-shooting, and issue resolution
• Actively promote on-site upsells and upgrades
• Ensure ticketing enhances the overall event experience
• Serve as the primary on-site lead for ticketing and fan experience execution at tournaments.
• Manage on-site staff, volunteers, and vendors related to ticketing, access control, and fan services
• Ensure seamless coordination with security, venue partners, and local stakeholders
• Create and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for ticketing and fan experience operations

Fan Data, Insights & Continuous Improvement

• Analyze ticket sales data, attendance trends, and customer insights to optimize revenue and fan access
• Own ticketing data, reporting, and insights
• Analyze fan behavior and purchase patterns and lead fan feedback initiatives and implement continuous improvements based on insights and data
• Deliver post-event performance reports
• Build and evolve a scalable ticketing “playbook”

Cross-Functional and Partner Leadership

• Serve as internal authority on ticketing
• Collaborate with Competition, Marketing, Sales and Partnerships, and Operations to align ticket sales campaigns with brand and audience growth goals
• Support sponsor and partner ticketing needs
• Manage ticketing platform and service partners

Salary and Benefits
The targeted salary range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000. This position includes medical, dental, vision, parental leave benefits and 401(k) with company match for qualified employees.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years’ full-time experience in in sports, music, or festival ticketing, inclusive of both strategy and execution
• Proven success managing pre-event sales and on-site ticket operations
• Experience selling premium and experiential ticket products
• Proven track record of driving ticket sales revenue and improving fan satisfaction
• Strong understanding of ticketing platforms and access control
• Experience managing ticketing platforms (e.g., Ticketmaster, Paciolan, SeatGeek, or similar)
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable strategies
• Data-driven mindset with strong operational skills
• Willingness to travel extensively and work nights/weekends during events
• Flexibility to work both independently and collaboratively in an entrepreneurial environment
• Festival, experiential event, multi-event tour, and/or league background a plus
• On-site upsell and fan-journey expertise a plus
• Leadership experience within ticketing or event operations a plus
• Knowledge of pickleball or strong interest in the sport a plus

The APP is an Equal Opportunity Employer