Get yer tickets here

The city's expected naming of Ticketmaster Friday to be the new ticket outlet for the Chevrolet Centre is more than just a cutting of ties with former management team Global Entertainment.

It is also a step closer to the big time.

With regional and national offices, Ticketmaster is a well known name in the field and with a database of what I was told was over a million customers in a 200-mile radius around Youngstown, there are now ways to make a larger audience aware of shows at the facility then there was under GetTix.net, which was part of Global.

To attract customers from outside the general area, however, a niche act is needed, to get people to drive here. But at least now there is a way to let those people know instanly, through email and other means, that an act like that is in the area, through that database.

The convenience factor was also cited. Ticketmaster is in a well known grocery chain and other places as well. In fact, Ticketmaster is where I got all of my tickets to concerts and sporting events at the Southern Park Mall, when I actually went places before I had children.

A national firm like Ticketmaster expressing interest also may bode well for the arena. It speaks well of it that a national, respected entity would want to do business here.

Now, if they can only do something about the Steelhounds being down 3-0 in their playoff series.