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FAQs About the Leap Streaming Service Sunset: https://help.pm.leapevent.tech/a/2059853
Leap will retire the Streaming Service, which is used for Virtual Events in PatronManager, on June 22, 2026.
From that date forward:
- You will no longer be able to host RTMP Livestreams using the service.
- VOD content will need to be hosted on a different platform.
- You will no longer be able to access or download previously stored streaming content, including past livestreams and video-on-demand files.
This is not the end of Virtual Events! PatronManager is developing a new feature that will allow you continue selling tickets to virtual events hosted on external platforms.
Below you'll find frequently asked questions about the Streaming Service sunset and the transition to the new version of Virtual Events.
If you have questions that aren't answered here, please submit a case via the Client Community. We’re here to help you plan next steps and avoid disruption.
We are sunsetting this feature because we are no longer able to support it in its current iteration.
PatronManager is currently developing a new version of Virtual Events that will allow you to continue selling tickets to virtual content (both Livestreams and VODs) hosted on external platforms such as Vimeo or YouTube.
What's staying the same?
- You'll sell Livestream and VOD tickets through PatronManager
- Ticket buyers will receive a unique ticket link that grants them access to a livestream starting one hour before it begins, or access to VOD content on the Video Availability Start Date
- You can change the Livestream link up to an hour before the stream
- You can update a VOD anytime, either by uploading a new video at the same link, or by changing the link to the VOD on the Event Instance
- You'll still be able to track attendance in the same way you can for virtual events today - the Ticket Order Item will be marked as "Attended" and have the Entry Date populated when they click through to view the virtual event
What's changing?
- You'll host your content on an external platform, such as Vimeo or Youtube, rather than on the Leap Streaming Service
- Access control is less strict:
- Ticket buyers will have their ticket validated when they click to view your content. If their ticket is not valid, they won't be able to access the link to your livestream or VOD
- If their ticket is valid, they'll then be able to click through to view the Livestream or VOD on the external platform. Nothing prevents them from then sharing that link.
Anywhere you'd like! Many PatronManager clients use services like Vimeo and YouTube, which both support unlisted links so that folks won't stumble across your content without buying a ticket. Some clients host content on their own websites.
The Virtual Event topic in the Client Community is a great place to discuss this with other clients who do virtual events, to see what's working well for them.
If you've hosted RTMP Livestreams or Video on Demand content with the Leap Streaming Service recently, you can download those recordings before June 22.
Head to your "Video on Demand" or "Livestream (RTMP)" Event Instance via the Event Inventory and the Ticketable Event. Once there, scroll down to the Virtual Event Information section, and click on the Control Panel button:
Scroll to the bottom of the page where you'll see the option to download your recording(s):
If any files exist to download, they will be visible here. If there are no files available, it may be because the event happened too long ago, or you may have removed them previously.
Use the "Livestream (External)" Content Format. You can set up that Event Instance and start selling tickets anytime! You'll send new ticket links to your buyers after the sunset date, using an Automated Communications ad-hoc alert.
The ad-hoc template you'll use will need to contain the normal Mobile Ticket Link merge field (not the "VirtualEventAccessLink" merge field, which is only valid for the Streaming Service).
If you haven't yet set up Automated Communications, we recommend doing so now so that you're ready to go with that ad-hoc alert.
No problem! Now is a good time to upload your video to the external service you plan to use after the sunset (e.g. Vimeo), and get the unlisted link ready.
Once the sunset occurs, you'll add that video link to your existing Video on Demand Event Instance, then send your buyers new ticket links using an Automated Communications ad-hoc alert.
The ad-hoc template you'll use will need to contain the normal Mobile Ticket Link merge field (not the "VirtualEventAccessLink" merge field, which is only valid for the Streaming Service).
If you haven't yet set up Automated Communications, we recommend doing so now so that you're ready to go with that ad-hoc alert.
No worries! Set up your Video on Demand Event Instance as you normally would, with the Video Availability Start Date set to the future. You can start selling tickets now!
Once you have your video, you'll upload it to the external platform of your choice (e.g. Vimeo) and after the sunset you'll be able to add the video link to your existing Video on Demand Event Instance. Once that's done, you can send your buyers new ticket links using an Automated Communications ad-hoc alert.
The ad-hoc template you'll use will need to contain the normal Mobile Ticket Link merge field (not the "VirtualEventAccessLink" merge field, which is only valid for the Streaming Service).
If you haven't yet set up Automated Communications, we recommend doing so now so that you're ready to go with that ad-hoc alert.
Yes, you can continue to sell virtual events just like any other kind of ticket in PatronManager, including as part of a subscription if you'd like.
Not in the same way it works today, but you have alternatives.
To sell tickets to the recording of the livestream, you can create a separate Video on Demand Event Instance. You can even have it on sale at the same time as the livestream, just set the Video Availability Start Date late enough that you'll have time to upload the video.
To allow patrons who purchased tickets to the livestream to access the recording after the fact, you could use PatronManager's post-show email feature to send them the direct link to the recording you upload after the livestream. Or, you could send them a 100% off discount code for a ticket to the Video on Demand Event Instance if you choose to sell that separately.
Probably not, though it may depend on where you host your stream (for example, if you host on your own website, you may have more flexibility, though that would be up to your website developer).
Instead, we recommend encouraging donations during the livestream or at the start/end of your VOD, in the recording itself, and linking to a simple Donation Form in the video description field on the platform you use.
We are not able to provide any legal advice, but it is worth noting that if you used the Leap Streaming Service, you were still contractually obligated to have full legal rights to the content you hosted there.
If you struggle with platforms like YouTube flagging your videos despite having all the necessary rights to show the content, you might try a different platform like Vimeo, or reach out to your peers on the Virtual Events topic in the Client Community to see what has worked for them!