#tickmaster

[lifeofshowgirly]

If you didn't get tickets, reblog this and put in the tags what you're looking for

[lebaronlordking]

What Ticketmaster Doesn't Want You To Know: Concerts Were Cheap For Decades

[safdiepllc]

The Ticketmaster Monopoly, a Rant + a Call

Another swath of Bruce Springsteen tickets sold on Ticketmaster, another Ticketmaster fail.  At 10a this morning, tickets went on sale for five local Bruce shows, as well as the UK band Pulp's first local show in ten years.  The Ticketmaster site was completely down a couple of minutes later.  Users timely logging on were met with a webpage informing them to expect a 15 minute wait time and that they ought not refresh or leave the page, lest they lose their spot in line.  Based on comments on BrooklynVegan, fans stayed on the page for 90 minutes or more, ultimately leaving the site without the ability to purchase tickets.  Others complained of initially obtaining tickets, only for the tickets to be lost during the checkout process.  Ticketmaster finally acknowledged an issue two hours later, citing "high volumes of traffice" in a retweet to a frustrated Florence and the Machines fan.  

There has to be a better way.  

I was one of those fans attempting to purchase Pulp tix at 10a sharp, so this post is most definitely personal.  Amid my attempts to buy tickets this morning, it was impossible not to think of the Department of Justice's approval of the Ticketmaster-LiveNation merger.

In approving the merger, the DOJ was seemingly solely concerned with pricing: would the transaction lead to higher consumer prices?  This is the classic analysis of the DOJ in deciding whether to approve an m&a transaction with possible monopoly implications. But this analysis is short-sighted.  Price is just one of many factors in evaluating whether a monopoly poses a concern.  A more effective approach would take into account all factors of consumer experience.   

Certainly, pricing was properly one of the concerns.  While the face value of the ticket prices may not have increased since the merger, Ticketmaster still gets away with gouging consumers with irrational ticket fees.  Witness the $14 surcharge on a $35 ticket for the Pulp show.  A surcharge equal to 40% of the ticket price!!  They are the only ticket purveyor with Radio City Music Hall, so there is no alternative a fans can turn to.  (There were reports of people waiting in person by the box office only to be turned away.)

But more insidious than fee gouging is that monopoly creates an environment of complete lack of accountability to the consumer, an utter disincentive to spend money on bettering the user experience.  There is nowhere else consumers can go.  (Similar to customer service at kosher restaurants, but that's a rant for another day.)  The only incentive they have to create a decent customer experience is the concern that regulators will get involved.  (Hi, Chuck Schumer!)

Ultimately, persuaded the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger would not unduly increase ticket prices, the DOJ approved the transaction.  But by being overly concerned with post-merger ticket prices, the DOJ missed the opportunity to institute some real change with the relationship btw Ticketmaster and its consumers.  The DOJ could have conditioned their approval on Ticketmaster implementing some real change.  Here's what I would like to have seen foisted upon Ticketmaster:  

1. Transparency, or the Ticket Countdown Clock.  Prior to the beginning of a sale, the Ticketmaster is required to disclose how many tickets are for sale to the public and their location.  Even better if fans could see the amount of tickets available as tickets are sold, but, considering the speed of some of the ticket sales, I'm not sure if the technology is yet there.  It's just difficult to forget how LCD Soundsystem's farewell concert at MSG apparently sold out in under a minute.  Adjusting the expectation of the consumer makes for a completely different user experience.  Just ask any NYer about the awesomeness of those new Subway Countdown Clocks.  I would also like to see public report afterwards as to the speed tickets sold, and through what outlets.  

2. Forced Competition.  The biggest roadblock to competition is the exclusive deals Ticketmaster has with concert halls, a problem made even more acute after the merger.  As part of its approval of another blockbuster deal--the Sirius-XM deal--the DOJ forced the new mega-entity to permit minority and noncommercial programmers use 4% of its satellite channels.  That is, the DOJ forced the new entity to allow competitors, albeit small ones, use its resources.  In this context, I would have liked to have seen the DOJ mandate that X% of tickets at Ticketmaster's exclusive concert halls be sold by another ticket purveyor.  The logistical cooperation, while a challenge, is one that I think could be overcome with the appropriate technology.  

Certainly, Ticketmaster has abused the public prior to its merger with LiveNation. One can only look back wistfully at the opportunity passed up by the DOJ to require real competition and address the consumer's real concerns.  It's currently too late for the feds to mandate forced competition.  But is it too naive to think that consumers could garner enough pressure for Ticketmaster to implement some basic disclosure reform?