Live Nation hearts Ticketmaster

After its new ticket system collapsed during the madness of a Phish reunion on-sale day, Live Nation figured if you can't ruin them, marry them. A merger would create an entertainment monolith, which isn't good for anyone. The giant's proposed name: LIve Nation Ticketmaster. (Why not "Godzilla Eats Your Cash"?) Read about it here.

Comments

[Sarah]

I hate ticketmaster and think they are a monopoly with all of their damn fees and charges. Argh.

[mp]

This is just another sign of the Apocalypse. Ticketmaster was already the Evil Empire and this merger will enable them to gouge customers even more. This is horrible news. I suggest a boycott is in order. Can you say.."MONOPOLY"?

[Kurt]

This is a surprise and a major disappointment. I thought that Live Nation was using CTS Eventim to have it's own ticket system and it was supposed to be the best in the world.

Live Nation was also going to sell their tickets through Blockbuster Video stores to compete with Ticketmaster.

[aquaman]

I hate the Beast as much as anyone, but I would like to understand, Tim, exactly what value does Ticketmaster add to the concert experience? What is it that they do or cause to happen? They obviously sell, print and mail the tickets. What else?

[Bryan]

This is terrible.

[Tim Finn]

Ticketmaster has the infrastructure to avoid debacles like the Phish ticket sale last weekend. Many have tried to re-create what they do; many have failed -- on the big level.

[kcmom]

If you go to Backstreets.com, you can read about the Ticketmaster debacle that resulted when all of Bruce Springsteen's North American dates went on sale this past Monday at 10AM...NOT pretty. There are probably people on there who would argue with you that TM has the infrastructure to handle such a huge sale. : ) (and I mean that in the nicest possible way).

[Tim Finn]

I read about that (and it's cited in the above story we link to). TM is saying it wasn't a heavy-traffic problem; it was a software/computer problem. It's not the first time they've had glitches with a ticket sale, but they are the only company with the system in place to handle mass numbers of phone/outlet/on-line sales.

The other story emerging from the Springsteen shows has to do with Ticketmaster's own brokerage, Ticketsnow, which apparently is holding lots of tickets for re-sale.

[Nancy]

I was one of the people who had trouble with Ticketmaster and Springsteen tickets Monday. When I called them about it, the customer service rep said a "lot of people had a problem Monday" and "that's the chance you take when you order online." When I asked why so many people had trouble, he admitted they didn't have the capability to handle that kind of demand. He did suggest that people who had more resources ("some people probably used 5 computers and you were just using one") were more successful, which I guess explains why there are so many tickets now being sold on their "partner" ticket broker site for 5-6 times face value. Some people just had more computers..

[lucas]

I can't figure out why the venues wouldn't get involved in their own ticketing. It seems that a simple server could handle the volume of single show sales for an indivdual venue. Unless it's the crush of everyone at once that's bringing them down...? Unfortunately, the big arenas and their events are always going to use the BIG provider. States like MO and KS who allow scalping are also to blame for fanning the fire. As long as there are those willing to pay inflated markups for sold out tickets, there will be gouging.

[Tim Finn]

Buying and re-selling tickets is now a full-time business for some people, now that you can sit in a room in Los Angeles and buy tickets to a show in New Jersey.

[what up]

power corrupts.

ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTEY.

[kmoon]

Need to go back to making people show up at the venue in person to buy the tickets.

[aquaman]

In a free market there would be others who innovate and create infrastructure that would support ticket sales for a better price for the artist, venue and fan. Is Ticketmaster's dominance due to having deals with 2 of the three (artists and venues)at the expense of the third, the fan?

[bob]

"I suggest a boycott is in order."

That has been tried and has failed miserably before. They crushed Pearl Jam and SCI. Give in, bow and worship your master.

[Charley.]

Wow. Good for them I guess.

I do like that some local venues around here use Groovetickets.com and Ticketweb.com. You still pay service fees, but not as extravegant as Ticketmaster's though.

[Glow]

Tear.

[what up]

gather round youngsters,
"back in the day".....
we used to camp out, ALL NIGHT, hoping to own front row tickets.

Back then, while Fred Flinstone still worked the rock factory, waaaayy before the internet, and before ticketbastard and before drugs, well,,, OK, there were drugs, but there was no "war on drugs"....anyway I digress..

Anyone remember Capers corner?

My friends and I used wait 12-18 hours to buy tickets to shows that lasted 4 hours. My Dad used to say I was nuts, but to this day "I own it". It IS a different world on the front row.

One of my fav memories was when Boston FINALLY graced KC with it's first concert here, my friend and I camped out, froze our butts off. As we stood guard, I parked my Datsun B210 against the front of the door of Caper's....the next morning as I exited, 4 front row tickets in hand, I found a mob scene,,and the hood of my car caved in....hehhee ...

ALL IN THE NAME OF ROCK!
BUT....
When Sammy Hagar (opening act) came on and screamed "ITS 8 O'clock, time rock" it was all worth it.

There is no place like front row, esp when you earn it....

Since those days I have more money than time,
so I deal with scalpers, but now, even that is now too much hassle...

Once you tatse the fruit of front row,,, it ruins you.

I would not trade those days for anything, and I think it helps me still feel 22 years old,,even though I am 96.

the moral?..I dont know.

But I do know this scam with ticketmaster is bad for everyone, even the ones making 1/4 the ticket price for doing nothing, it is bad karma for them....

[what up]

TES!!!!

FINALLY!!!

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) today requested that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division investigate Ticketmaster’s relationship with its subsidiary company, TicketsNow

see the link

I hope they breakup ATT,
oops I mean breakup ticketbastard!!

http://pascrell.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj08_pascrell/pr2320092.shtml

[KevRocket]

I too used to camp out for tickets upon occasion. Twas the early 80’s at Capers Corner on Mission Road or Tiger Records. I saw The Kinks many times, U2 at the Uptown and Memorial Hall, The Clash at Starlight, Costello, etc. Those were the days when the most dedicated fans simply got the best seats more or less. Simple. I believe the service fee was an odd amount printed on the ticket, under $1 perhaps. The small service fee probably recouped the printing fee, distribution fee and made a little profit for the ticket service. Scalpers or excuse me, “ticket brokers” were few and far between.

Currently I like the convenience of being able to sit at home and obtain tickets on-line. I begrudgingly put up with the service fee simply because you don’t have a choice other than driving to the venue to obtain tickets.

However, this latest development with ticketmaster being directly involved with ticket brokers/scalpers is the last straw. It certainly appears to be a scam, plain and simple. They were already gouging the public with their service fee’s and now this? Kansas has allowed legal scalping for as long as I can remember however Missouri just approved this within the past year or so. I KNEW it was simply a matter of time before the change in Missouri law in regards to scalping would work against the purchaser/consumer. I believe the person spearheading this change was a lawmaker from Lee’s Summit. As I recall he was requested by the professional sports teams in Missouri to get this law changed so they could legally resell the tickets. Nice job Mr. Lawmaker. Were we looking out for the general public or the vastly overpaid “professional” sports teams?

If I can’t pay the base fee for a ticket plus the %#^%*! service fee then I simply won’t purchase the ticket.

[whatup]

I said, 2 weeks ago, when someone said, that day of show AC/DC tickets had popped on on ticketmaster, ...

I scramblked,, and looked..BUT...as I said then (and it is on the AC/DC thread) that I went to the ticketmaster site, and there were no tickets..BUT THERE WAS A LINK to a sister site,,a scalper site.

I ASKED THEN what the FK!!!

but I dont stay angry (more or less ;) so I dropped it, cuz no one else seemed to care..

BUT IF CONGRESS investigates this ...RIGHT ON!!!

PS

I admit that I buy from scalpers,,,what I meant was..if you have front row, I will buy,,I dont buy crap seats from scalpers....and the paperless deal on the AC/DC tickets juts got wierd

What was that "paperless" BS all about anyway?...so I did not go to AC/DC..and I am still sad.... but oh well..

You know my fav type of show?

show that few people are smart enough to go attend.

Like Joan Jett with evil Stig on the boulevared, or when SHooting Star played the uptown Christmas show, and 100 people were there..

I like a "private show"

I HATE the sprint center,,it is run like crap..with all the BS ....e.g. strip searchers..and long concesssion line tended to by uncaring counter workers..

I want to see Slash play the Lone Star again..

I would live my life again,,and I would change nothing...what a party....

but I digress...

BRING ON THE ticketmaster investigation
I trust that greedy fks..ALWAYS GET PROPER KARMA....

[Steve]

The merger might be to survive. Stock was $27 in August, now it's $6 before today's news shot it up to $7. Then read about big concerts like Langerado Music Festival in Miami off due to ticket sales.

[aquaman]

Great post, Whatup. I'm with you on the Sprint Center and will take it even further - the whole P&L area filled a need that didn't exist and Cordish is trying to renig on their tax obligation. Isn't it awesome that we subsidize this fake plastic area while other authentic KC venues and entertainment districts suffer because of it? Is it really worth losing local businesses so that we can have Dancing with the Stars and a bunch of past their prime pop/rock stars bring their overpriced arthritic shows through here? With this economy the place will probably be a downtown Bannister Mall in a few years anyway.

[onthemark]

A Letter to Our Fans:
We know there was much confusion regarding Ticketmaster and TicketsNow during last Monday's on-sale dates. We were as confused as you were, as we were given no advance notice of the major changes in the Ticketmaster-TicketsNow world. (Bear in mind that we are not clients of any ticketing company, and that all those arrangements are between venues and ticketing companies.)
Last Monday, we were informed that Ticketmaster was redirecting your log-in requests for tickets at face value, to their secondary site TicketsNow, which specializes in up-selling tickets at above face value. They did this even when other seats remained available at face value. We condemn this practice.
We perceive this as a pure conflict of interest. Ticketmaster is there to ensure that we have a good, fair sale of our tickets at their face value plus normal ticketing charges. TicketsNow is supposed to be a secondary site where people who already have tickets may exchange, trade, and, unfortunately, speculate with them. We have asked this redirection from Ticketmaster to TicketsNow cease and desist immediately and Ticketmaster has agreed to do so in the future and has removed its unwanted material from their and our site.
We know the many cynical arguments some make in favor of the Ticketmaster system: There are rumors that some artists or managers participate in Ticketmaster charges--we do not. There are rumors that some artists or managers are receiving a percentage of the amount above face value at secondary outlets like TicketsNow--we do not. Some artists or managers may not perceive there to be a conflict between having the distributor of their tickets in effect "scalping" those same tickets through a secondary company like TicketsNow--we do.
While many of you have sent notes to us and your local promoters, you may also send accurate informational letters to Albert Lopez of Ticketmaster [Albert.Lopez@ticketmaster.com] and he will try to address your questions.
A final point for now: the one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing. Several newspapers are reporting on this story right now. If you, like us, oppose that idea, you should make it known to your representatives.
The abuse of our fans and our trust by Ticketmaster has made us as furious as it has made many of you. We will continue to do our utmost now and in the future to make sure that these practices are permanently curtailed on our tours.
Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau and the entire Springsteen Tour Team.

[lucas]

Right on Steve. The festival market is looking saturated and w/ the tanking economy, these festivals are going to be hard pressed to draw the #'s they need. Bonnaroo is asking $250 plus some shipping fees for their 4 day run, which is a bargain if you see everything they are offering(Springsteen, Phishx2, NIN, etc.etc.). But they need travelers, because the local base won't supply 90000 fans.

I will still buy shows. I'll see music if I have to walk there. So I think there is some optimism in the market. However, ticket greed will hopefully kill itself and correct the inflated prices. So far, that bubble hasn't popped. It's coming.

Aquaman, Bannister suffocated under a GOOD economy. Not sure if we can predict the same for P&L, but they won't get much help from me....except from stealing my property tax dollars.

If you do want to plug some money into P&L. The KC Rep sells a package for the last 5 shows of the season for $100. You get discounts at LOCAL restaurants too.(20% at the Bristol) I know it ain't music, but it's reasonable entertainment that TM didn't get their paws on.

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