SMI to announce ticket deal

UPDATE This rumor is upgraded to 'fact' today. Speedway Motorsports Inc. has chosen Ticketmaster to manage ticket marketing and distribution at its six speedways. They are Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord; Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga.; Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.; Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.; Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas; and Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Financial terms weren't disclosed. Ticketmaster's automated ticketing system will manage advance and onsite tickets, suite ticketing, special ticket packages and group ticketing. Ticketmaster will also manage SMI's ticket sales through the speedways' Web sites and through ticketmaster.com. The California-based company will also provide the six speedways with local and national marketing programs. 04/19/05 Sportsbusinessdaily.com reports that SMI and Ticketmaster will announce today that the ticketing company will become authorized ticket dealer for all six SMI speedways. SMI Exec VP/National Sales & Marketing Marcus Smith said that three of the tracks previously had deals with Tickets.com, two with Ticketmaster and one with Paciolan. The six speedways covered in the agreement are: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.