Melbourne Park appoints AXS as year-round ticketing provider

Melbourne Park has appointed AXS as its ticketing provider for year-round events outside the Australian Open, covering several of the precinct's main venues.

The partnership spans Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park, John Cain Arena and Margaret Court Arena. It will bring in new digital platforms and ticketing technology aimed at improving the buying process, accessibility and the overall customer experience.

The deal gives AXS a prominent role at one of Australia's busiest sports and entertainment precincts. Melbourne Park hosts hundreds of events each year and attracts millions of visitors across tennis, live music and other major sporting fixtures.

For AXS, the agreement adds another high-profile venue group to its international roster. It works with more than 1,600 brands across sport and entertainment and has ticketing relationships with venues including The O2 in London, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Its event portfolio also includes the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. In Australia and New Zealand, AXS has handled ticketing for parts of Ed Sheeran's Loop Stadium tour, Robbie Williams' BRITPOP tour and the Foo Fighters' regional tour.

Venue reach

Melbourne Park is managed by the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust on behalf of the Victorian Government. Beyond the Australian Open, the precinct includes major indoor and outdoor venues used for concerts, domestic sport and international events.

Adding a new ticketing supplier is significant because it affects a broad calendar rather than a single team, tournament or venue. The change extends across a cluster of large venues serving different promoters and audiences throughout the year.

Chief executive John Harnden AM said the change reflects Melbourne Park's focus on the fan experience. "This partnership with AXS continues our focus on elevating the fan experience at Melbourne Park, delivering a world-class ticketing journey to match our world-class sports, music and entertainment experiences," he said.

Market position

Competition among ticketing providers has intensified as venues and promoters seek greater control over digital sales, resale tools and mobile entry. Large venue precincts are especially important because they can combine concerts, sport and special events under a single operator relationship.

AXS has been expanding in Asia-Pacific as part of that broader contest. The Melbourne Park contract gives it a larger foothold in Australia's major venue market and links its systems to a site with a steady stream of national and international events.

Andrew Travis, chief executive of AXS Australia and New Zealand, said the appointment reflects Melbourne Park's status as a major live events destination. "Melbourne Park is an iconic live events destination, and we are excited by the opportunity this partnership offers in bringing our flexible, connected ticketing approach to life in support of a truly world-class fan experience," he said.

Melbourne Park spans 40 hectares on the banks of the Birrarung, also known as the Yarra River, and serves as both an events precinct and public space. Its venues are central to Victoria's live entertainment and sporting calendar, making ticketing operations there an important part of how audiences access some of the state's largest events.