MasterCard Partners With SFX To “Reach The EDM Generation”
Born in an era when sponsorship is as a stamp of approval rather than a sell-out, EDM is embrassing coporate sponsorship with increasing zeal. Yesterday, MasterCard and SFX Entertainment have announced a major global partnership.
Acting as a technology partner, MasterCard says it will simplify the way hundreds of millions of electronic dance music (EDM) fans worldwide can access SFX events. Through its Priceless platform, MasterCard will also create new fan experiences, starting this fall. In addition, MasterCard becomes the exclusive financial services sponsor for all of SFX’s platforms.
According to the announcement:
- Through a single sign-on solution powered by MasterCard, SFX fans will be able to book and access events, navigate venues, download content, order merchandise, manage their personal loyalty profile and interact with fellow community members.
- Starting this September, MasterCard cardholders will have access to unique "Priceless" experiences.
- Over the coming months, the two partners will also start rolling out a suite of enhanced user experiences for SFX fans, leveraging MasterPass, MasterCard’s digital payment solution.
SFX produced and promoted over 1,600 events in 23 countries in 2013 alone, Tomorrowland, the world’s largest dance music festival franchise, with events in Belgium and Atlanta (TomorrowWorld) returning in 2014 and a date set in São Paulo for 2015. Other properties include Mysteryland in the Netherlands, New York, and Chile, the Stereosonic festival in Australia, and the Sensation tour with upcoming stops in Dubai and Toronto. It also operates Beatport, a leading electronic dance music site with 240,000 registered DJs and approximately 50 million unique visitors in the last 12 months.
