TicketNetwork Blog

Is it May already? This month, concert festivals really kick it into high gear, and many artists launch their summer tours. The NBA Playoffs are under way, and now that the weather is nicer, it's time for the The Players Championship.

Although no new Broadway shows are opening this month, many will likely flock to see the productions recently nominated for Tony Awards, including Pippin and I'll Eat You Last. Plus, there are plenty of touring shows around the country. So in addition to some May flowers, here are the month's upcoming events in concerts, sports, and theater:

Concerts

The Package Tour: Can't get enough of boy bands? Thankfully, you don't have to, as New Kids on the Block, 98 Degress, and Boyz II Men launch their tour May 28.

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Brad Paisley's Beat This Summer Tour: The first leg of this tour kicks off May 9 in St. Louis, Mo. From there, it will hit more than 29 cities in the U.S. and Canada.

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Warped Tour: Part-music fest, part-extreme sports fest, Warped Tour starts May 28 and runs all through August 4.

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The film "42" was released yesterday in movie theaters across the U.S. It tells the story of Brooklyn Dodgers manager Branch Rickey and the legendary Jackie Robinson. Robinson, the first black baseball player in the MLB, began as a first baseman in April 1947. The Dodgers effectively ended racial segregation that had made black players play the sport on separate leagues. But it wasn’t easy, and "42" sheds light on the struggle Robinson faced, and the risk Rickey took in making him part of the team. In honor of not only the film, but Jackie Robinson himself, here are 10 facts about the beloved baseball star who changed sports forever.

The following is a guest post by Trent.

Two weeks ago we saw the long awaited battle between George St. Pierre and Nick Diaz.  And now that the event is over, what is up next for these two fighters who are still very much in their prime?

George St. Pierre

George St. Pierre is, by most standards, is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world (sans Anderson Silva). After beating Nick Diaz so convincingly (albeit a little boringly), the logical next step is to take on the number 1 contender in the weight class, Johny Hendricks. Hendricks, the most explosive yet underrated fighter in the Welterweight division, has been waiting all too long for the title shot. By beating Carlos Condit in a unanimous decision, Hendricks has shown that he deserves the shot more than anyone. But aside from defending his title, most people will want to see a fight between George St. Pierre and Anderson "The Spider" Silva, before they both get too old. But getting the two to fight is going to be hard.

In the concert world, April marks the beginnings of festival season, which lasts all summer long. Crossroads Guitar Festival is a great opportunity for music buffs to commemorate the fun summer of music ahead.

Meanwhile, in sports, the MLB seasons starts! April is also big for theater, and most of Broadway's plays will be opening this month — including (finally) Tom Hanks in his role as Mike McAlary.

While we may not be looking forward to the April showers, we're totally looking forward to the warmer weather, as well as these upcoming events in concerts, sports, and theater:

Concerts

Dave Matthews Band: Though the band toured frequently in the '90s, DMB hasn't toured since 2011. Now they're back with a tour that begins April 6 in Alabama; just a few weeks later, on April 28, they'll headline the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

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Beyonce: Beyonce last toured in 2009 following her I Am... album. Although the Mrs. Carter album has yet to be released, The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour kicks off April 24.

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Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival: After three years, the Crossroads Festival is back! This two-day festival is scheduled for April 12 and April 13 in New York, NY.

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Other Concerts in April:

• Fleetwood Mac begins April 4.
• The Postal Service begins April 9.
• Rush begins April 23.
• John Mayer begins April 25.
• Jimmy Buffett begins April 27.

Every year, one of the most popular events on TicketNetwork.com has been the family-friendly, high-octane, car-crushing Monster Jam Truck series, which hits countless stadiums and arenas across the U.S. annually. This year is no exception.

So far in 2013, Monster Jam has accounted for an incredible 33% of all tickets sold for sports events through TicketNetwork.com. That's more than NBA tickets sold, more than NHL tickets sold, more than MLB tickets sold. It's more than any other sport genre by a landslide. Which raises the question, what makes Monster Jam such a popular pick among our customers? Well, there are a few good reasons actually.

First, the are lots (LOTS) of Monster Jam shows scheduled. Events hosted in 79 different venues have sold through our marketplace, all of varying sizes. Two of the largest venues that will host events this year are Reliant Stadium and Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Those two stadiums, which are normally home to NFL football games, account for 20% of all the Monster Jam tickets sold on TicketNetwork.com in 2013. Many of the venues, both big and small, will be hosting multiple events, with more to be announced.

Second, Monster Jam tickets are selling for a much more affordable price than most other events. The average price per ticket sold through TicketNetwork.com is $44, exactly half of the $88 average price of all other sports event tickets. Plus, tickets for many of the Monster Jam shows, on average, cost far lower than $44, like those available for the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, SC, where tickets averaged just $17. The highest average? MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, home of the New York Giants and Jets, which will host Monster Jam on June 15. So far that show has had an average ticket price of $89.

Another reason why Monster Jam sells so much? Monster Jam is great family event that most people will be entertained by. I mean, who wouldn't like to watch huge monster trucks flying through the air, crushing other cars in its way?

All ticket data is from 2 p.m. on 3/5/2013. Ticket prices are subject to change.