HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (February 28, 2024) – Paciolan's annual community conference, PACnet, once again brought together hundreds of live entertainment clients to share ideas, uncover best practices, and unlock opportunities. This year, over 700 attendees from multiple genres, including college athletics, performing arts, professional sports, and arenas, participated in the event.
The conference featured senior executives tackling significant topics in live entertainment, covering areas such as breaking barriers, the evolving landscape of college athletics, and turning strategy into action with functional sessions spanning ticketing, fundraising, marketing, sales, and Paciolan product-focused content.
"PACnet is a special event for our community. It is a privilege to host our partners and come together to share ideas, technologies, and strategies to help unlock new opportunities and build upon the incredible momentum in our industry." Deana Barnes, President of Paciolan
The conference commenced on Monday, with Deana Barnes, President of Paciolan, and Keith White, Paciolan's Chief Technology and Product Officer, taking the stage to introduce the theme of "Imagine What's Next." This theme highlighted the incredible market momentum in the live entertainment industry, including record-setting demand, sales, attendance, events and technology innovation.
Monday's afternoon sessions included an empowering "Breaking Down Barriers and Building Legacies" panel discussion featuring esteemed women athletic directors Candice Storey Lee from Vanderbilt University, Jen Cohen from the University of Southern California, and Nina King from Duke University, interviewed by Kim Damron, President of Learfield Sports Properties. Additionally, keynote speaker Ben Nemtin, a best-selling author, TV personality, and top-rated motivational speaker, inspired attendees with his message of achieving radical possibilities, urging them to pursue their personal goals.
The sessions on Tuesday further delved into strategy and action, featuring functional sessions spanning various aspects of live entertainment operations. Attendees had the opportunity to learn from Paciolan experts and innovative clients, who shared their stories of success and provided tips to elevate success in their respective areas.
PACnet also featured the prestigious 18th annual Star Awards, acknowledging excellence and achievement during the previous year. The winners included:
Newcomer of the Year: Harvard University for fully embracing PAC technology and services.
Innovation of the Year: National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) for pushing the envelope in ticketing and transforming its ticketing process to enhance the customer experience.
Event of the Year: University of Nebraska for their exceptional Volleyball Day in Nebraska event, which boasted world-class service and drew an astonishing 92,003 attendees, marking the largest women's global sporting event in history.
Star of the Year: University of Colorado for embracing innovative strategies, making bold changes to their business, launching new technology and driving revenue.
As the curtains close on PACnet '24, attendees depart with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration gained from insightful discussions, engaging presentations, and valuable networking opportunities. The momentum generated at this year's conference is poised to drive innovation and excellence in the live entertainment industry, setting the stage for an exciting future ahead. PACnet '25 will be held in Huntington Beach, CA on February 23rd – 26th.
