A Day In The Life Of A Booking Manager At Kia Forum
A Booking Manager at LA Clippers/Kia Forum experiences two distinct schedules: show days and non-show days, where show days revolve around being the liaison between the tour and venue, ensuring everyone has a good experience and that the promoter receives necessary support, whereas non-show days are more administrative, involving contract management, coordinating with production and box office for upcoming announcements to ensure smooth ticket sales, and collaborating with marketing to review and allocate budgets for shows.
Event Management, Contract Negotiation, Client Relations, Logistics Coordination, Financial Reconciliation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Arden Baker
Booking Manager
LA Clippers/Kia Forum
Dickinson College
UCLA Anderson (MBA)
Environmental & Related Sciences
Sports & Fitness
Sales and Client Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Show day responsibilities include meeting with promoters, addressing their needs (venue introductions, ticket requests), reviewing show expenses, and acting as a liaison between the tour and the venue to ensure a positive experience for agents and managers.
2. Non-show days are more administrative, involving contract work and collaborating with the production and box office teams to prepare for upcoming announcements and ensure shows are correctly set up on Ticketmaster, including seat pricing and artist/marketing holds.
3. The daily schedule is heavily dependent on whether it's a show day or a non-show day, and on the number of upcoming shows and on-sales scheduled, requiring adaptability and prioritization of tasks.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a booking manager look like?
There are two very different schedules: a show day schedule and a non-show day schedule. I'll discuss the show day first.
A show day is when we have a tour on-site and are actively working on a concert. This means we're loading in and setting up the show for that day.
On show days, I usually arrive at the venue around noon. The first step is meeting with the show's promoter to ensure they have everything they need. If it's a promoter new to the venue, this might involve introducing them to our VIP teams or showing them where the box office is. We also confirm they've received any requested comp tickets.
Prior to the show, we send the promoter a preliminary show settlement. This document outlines their production costs and expected payout at the end of the show. We'll then go over any questions they have about these expenses.
Once the show begins, it involves meeting with the agents or managers on-site. My role is to ensure everyone has a positive experience, acting as a liaison between the tour and the venue. I facilitate any questions they might have and make sure they have everything they need, aiming for them to have a great experience and want to return.
As the show nears its end and the box office closes, we pull final reports. We then officially close out the show with the promoter. This is when we both sign off on the expenses, and the promoter is informed of their profit from the show.
For a non-show day, the work is much more administrative. I typically arrive at a normal work hour, around 9:30 AM.
The day's tasks often depend on upcoming announcements. If there are announcements in the works, I collaborate with our production and box office teams. We ensure we have all necessary information from promoters to put the show on sale in Ticketmaster. This includes correctly building the event, pricing seats as the promoter wishes, and placing any artist or marketing holds.
I also handle venue contracts, which involves a significant amount of administrative work. Additionally, I sometimes review upcoming shows with the marketing team to determine if budget allocation is needed for shows that aren't selling well. My day's focus is based on the number of shows and on-sales we have.
Advizer Personal Links