Veterans of political conventions will tell you that even if the programming is scheduled down to the minute, it's a free-for-all when it comes to snagging tickets to the dozens of private events. Event Farm, the online ticketing and guest registration platform, is partnering with Bloomberg Government to offer free software and an app to consolidate the ticketing process for the meetings and parties happening during the Democratic and Republican national conventions this summer.
The partners debuted the service at an educational event for Washington-based planners last week at Bloomberg's offices, and will release the app to convention attendees during a series of parties the first week of August, according to Event Farm co-founder and C.E.O. Ryan Costello. The company has also held conference calls with political party officials who plan convention events.
"What the challenge is, these are hundreds of independently produced events that happen to be in conjunction with the [convention] floor," said Costello. "It's not like going to a conference and getting tickets to all my breakout sessions."
Planners can use the software distribute tickets, invitations, and sponsor blocks, while attendees can use the apps—called myRNC and myDNC—to organize their schedules, provide maps to venues, and transfer extra tickets. The app also syncs with social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook so guests know when friends or connections arrive.
The app is free for planners and attendees because of the sponsorship deal with Bloomberg Government, which will stream political content and news to the app.
Despite the high-tech organization, Costello predicted that most events will still offer some kind of physical credential, whether it's a V.I.P. pass or a commemorative badge. The difference from past years, though, is that no one has to pick them up in advance.
