Get in on Leafs Playoff Action with FanXchange

The time has come. For the first time in nine years, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally made the playoffs. Tickets are hot, but Toronto-based, young professional owned and operated FanXchange offers a promising option to score these golden tickets for yourself. The online ticket marketplace offers one of the largest selections of event tickets across North America, allowing fans to buy and sell tickets in a secure and user-friendly platform. It’s where you can gain access to coveted shows and games (like the NHL playoffs), even ones that are sold out.

Founded in January 2009, FanXchange is privately owned and led by Toronto YPs Brandon Koffler, President, and Shawn Brookes, Director of Operations. In its first three years of operation, FanXchange.com has grown in scope from several hundred thousand to several million ticket listings. We caught up with Zachary Lewis, FanXchange’s Strategic Marketing Manager, who offered insight on the FanXchange business model, advice for fellow YP business owners, and why we will never stop seeing sporting events.

Can you describe FanXchange in a nutshell?
FanXchange is a Canadian online ticket marketplace allowing fans to buy and sell tickets to all sports, concert, and theatre events across North America. Launched in January 2009, FanXchange was modelled after other successful online secondary ticket marketplaces in the United States. The founders recognized a need to provide Canadians with a marketplace of their own where the other American players were solely focused on the U.S. with little to no marketing being done in Canada.

What is your business model?
The FanXchange business model was originally developed to create a true marketplace where fans could connect anonymously with other fans to buy and sell tickets to any event across Canada and the United States. We are different from Craigslist, Kijiji or Ebay. Our fans never interact; we provide all the customer service and all transactions are done safely and securely. FanXchange is not a ticket broker or scalper, we are a service provider that offers fans access to millions of tickets and an enjoyable user experience! All prices are listed in Canadian dollars, our fees are less than all the American competitors, and our site offers one of the largest selections of event tickets across North America.

What was the biggest challenge in launching the company?
Every day is a challenge when launching a business from the ground up. It has taken a lot of time, patience and dedication over the past four and a half years, but it has also been a very rewarding experience. Mistakes have been made along the way but we have learned from them and are a stronger company better equipped to face future challenges because of the lessons we have learned.

Do you have any advice for young people wishing to start their own company?
It is very important to be able to adapt to your surroundings. Being a tech company operating a website, we constantly have to be adaptable to our changing business environment. We always need to keep an eye on our competition and try to be as innovative as possible. It is important to listen to your customers and take their advice and recommendations on how to improve the experience. Things move very quickly in our industry and we are constantly enhancing our platform to ensure the best possible user experience. Our developers and programmers work tirelessly to ensure our site is working at the highest, most efficient levels as everything happens in real-time. We have found it very important to always be working towards enhancing the buying and selling process and creating a more streamlined navigation for our users, making the entire experience faster and more efficient. We continue to create brand awareness and educate consumers on this safe, secure option for buying tickets on the secondary market.

Why do you think that, even in trying economic times, people still spend money on things like concerts, theatre and sporting events?
Even during tough economic times, people still need an escape from reality and want to be entertained. The experience of being at a live event is something that cannot be matched watching on your TV at home. To feel the energy of the crowd and the athletes or performers is an amazing rush. Tickets for events on FanXchange often sell below face value, so the website is a great option for people who are looking to save some money and find a great deal leading up to game/show time.            

Why do you think that catching a sporting event like a Leafs or Jays game is a good way to interact with clients? Co-workers?
Taking a client or co-worker out to a Leafs or Blue Jays game can be a great way of impressing them. Sporting events bring people together; it takes a lot of the pressure off the professional relationship and can help people interact on a more personal level. The expectations for the Leafs and Jays are quite high right now. Tickets for both teams are hot and everyone in the city would love to see the action live and in person. This is a perfect way to show them a good time and could lead to future business down the road. 

What’s next for FanXchange? 
FanXchange continues to grow as a business on a daily basis. More and more people continue to find out about the service and are hooked after they experience it themselves either as a buyer or seller. The future is bright for FanXchange as we continue to be an innovative leader in our space and improve the overall user experience for all our loyal customers. 

Interested in grabbing your own Leafs tickets? Click here and use promo code Notable50 (save $50) when purchasing playoffs tickets!