LONDON, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Everton Football Club has agreed a three-year partnership with US-based StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace.  

The groundbreaking partnership is the largest commercial deal, excluding shirt sponsorship and retail, in the Club's history and secures StubHub, owned by eBay, as the official secondary ticket partner.

Under the new deal, Season Ticket holders will have an official channel to sell their seat for any home fixtures that they are unable to attend.  

The partnership with the Blues is one of StubHub's first forays into the Barclays Premier League and the UK, but they bring a wealth of experience after successfully working alongside over 65 of the most prominent brands in music, media, ticketing and sport - including baseball's Boston Red Sox.

It also marks an industry-first as there are no restrictions on pricing set by the Club or StubHub - it will be the only official marketplace where Evertonians can purchase tickets directly from other Evertonians.

Previously in the secondary ticket market, purchases were severely limited and were sold on at face value, plus service fees, but the deal allows Season Ticket holders to choose the price that they list their seat.

The Club are working closely with StubHub to offer a seamless secondary ticket selling, buying and match day experience for Blues fans. A special StubHub box-office will be set up at Goodison Park, with dedicated customer advisors, where buyers can collect their ticket on the day of the match.

Dave Biggar, Commercial Director at Everton Football Club, said: "StubHub enters the UK market with a great track record working with major sports brands in the US. It was important for us to find a partner who takes the fan experience as seriously as we do. StubHub's focus on service, plus the support provided online, over the phone and in person at the stadium, made it the natural choice for us."

Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, International General Manager at StubHub said: "As a new entrant to the UK market, we are always keen to team up with powerful brands such as Everton who enjoy a passionate supporter base.  We share their passion for serving fans and we look forward to working with the club to bring a best-in-class marketplace and experience to their supporters.

"This deal is ground-breaking in the industry as it removes restrictions on sales, putting the power back into the hands of the fans. We are confident that our approach to ticketing and e-commerce will be beneficial to the club, the industry, and most importantly, supporters."

About StubHub

StubHub is a ticket marketplace that connects buyers to sellers, however, unlike current UK competitors, the company does not buy or sell tickets itself or charge customers additional service fees at the point of purchase - a first for the industry.

StubHub, which launched in the US in 2000, consistently holds the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the entire ticketing industry, and boasts one of the highest scores in all of e-commerce. Every purchase made through the site is backed by StubHub's FanProtect™ Guarantee which guards against fraud and ensures that buyers get what they pay for.

StubHub will be offering a full suite of mobile applications, and also opening the first-ever central London retail outlet for fans to buy, pick up or drop off their tickets. The first hub will open in Summer 2012 on Great Portland Street, and additional pop-up locations are planned across the country. These will be conveniently located close to major venues, meaning fans will never have to worry about getting in at the last minute.

The company has also opened a UK-based call centre opened from 09:00 - 21:00, seven days a week, to handle any and all customer queries (0800 358 8585).

The StubHub UK site: http://www.stubhub.co.uk

Notes to editors:

For more information about the partnership or StubHub please contact:

Julia Morgan, Ketchum Pleon, +44(0)20-7611-3513, julia.morgan@ketchumpleon.com

Luke Campbell, Ketchum Pleon, +44(0)20-7611-3735, luke.campbell@ketchumpleon.com

For more information about the partnership or Everton Football Club please contact: Helen Mayo, Press & PR Officer for Everton Football Club, +44(0)151-530-5322, +44(0)7805-777697, helen.mayo@evertonfc.com

SOURCE StubHub