Barclaycard launches new exclusive benefits for live entertainment fans

Barclaycard has today announced the launch of a new proposition to bring its customers the best in live entertainment across the UK, with a new partnership with Live Nation and the Academy Music Group.

The range of benefits, offered under the ‘Barclaycard Entertainment’ banner, will see customers enjoy five per cent back on tickets, ten per cent off exclusive presales to some of the UK’s biggest festivals such as Download, The Isle of Wight Festival, and Reading & Leeds, and extra perks like five per cent off food & drink at O2 Academy venues.

The launch of Barclaycard Entertainment coincides with a growing trend to spend on the ‘experience economy’, or leisure time with friends and family, over buying physical goods. Data from Barclaycard reveals spending on entertainment increased 10.1 per cent year-on-year in 2017, with big ticket releases in particular responsible for much of the growth.

With a long history of supporting live entertainment – including sponsorships with ticket agents, arenas and large-scale festivals – the launch of the proposition is a natural next step for Barclaycard to help customers get more from every event. Customers will benefit from perks across all 19 O2 Academy venues and a number of UK festivals, in addition to existing partnerships with AEG and the Ticket Factory.

Drawing on its experience to make purchasing drinks, food and merchandise at entertainment events easier and faster by offering consumers the choice to pay without cash, Barclaycard will leverage these partnerships to further improve the payment experience across the industry. The initial phase will involve more technology, such as contactless terminals, rolled out to venues across the UK so fans can spend less time queuing and more time enjoying the show.

Daniel Mathieson, Head of Experiential Marketing and Partnerships for Barclaycard said: “Today’s consumers want to spend on experiences rather than things, whether that’s a day out at one of the UK’s iconic music festivals or an intimate comedy show by an up-and-coming performer. With Barclaycard Entertainment we can offer cardholders exclusive benefits to help them get more out of every live event.

“In addition to offering new customer benefits, we’re also excited to help more venues across the UK speed up their payments process. With technology changing faster than ever, it’s important to keep up with consumer expectations and we’re keen to use our expertise to ensure the entertainment industry stays competitive – and perhaps becomes a hotbed for innovation in the future.”

Denis Desmond, Chairman, Live Nation UK and Ireland, said: “We want everybody who attends one of our events to have the best possible experience. Whether it’s exclusive access to tickets or perks at a venue, this partnership will benefit live entertainment fans and help create lasting memories.”

Notes to Editors

For more information, please contact Linda Yang, Senior Public Relations Manager, Barclaycard, on +44 (0) 20 3555 5586 or siyuanlinda.yang@barclaycard.co.uk

To be eligible for 5 per cent back on tickets and 10 per cent back on pre-sale tickets, cardholders must purchase ticket(s) using the Barclaycard Entertainment website using their personal Barclaycard(s) or Barclaycard Business card (Mastercard). Unfortunately cardholders cannot use their Corporate card or partner card for this promotion.

To be eligible for saving 5 per cent on selected food and beverage, cardholders must present at the till and pay with their personal Barclaycard(s) or Barclaycard Business card (Mastercard). Unfortunately cardholders cannot use their Corporate or partner card for this promotion.

Full terms and conditions can be found at www.barclaycard.co.uk/entertainment

About Barclaycard

Barclaycard, part of Barclays Bank PLC, is a leading global payment business that helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and take payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit and point-of-sale finance. In 2016 we processed over £250bn in transactions globally. Barclaycard is a pioneer of new forms of payment and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting-edge forms of payment for the future. We also partner with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.

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