If Ticketmaster and Live Nation Merge, We're Screwed

Ok, so everyone knows I hate Ticketmaster. I loathe Live Nation just about as much. Here's the catch: if you love live music, you basically have no choice but to get raped by either ticket vendor. Now, there are strong rumors that Ticketmaster and Live Nation will merge - and this will effectively kill the concert industry as we know it. It's already virtually impossible to actually camp out for seats these days. Live Nation scoops up every tour and markets it to high hell, creating a corporate bag of greed that usually features a ton of acts on a bill with about two bands people actually want to see.

Well, anyway I just think this merger is awful. From a business perspective, it's brilliant and of course music is about making money...but man. At some point, Ticketmaster and Live Nation are going to piss off fans so much people will just stop buying. The economy is swirling the toilet bowl right now and any second someone is going to flush. While Ticketmaster and Live Nation try to plunge the last dregs of the tour industry, thousands more will lose jobs and not really be in the mood to drop three bills on a concert ticket.

Ticketmaster tried to pull a fast one on some Bruce Springsteen fans. You know, the old "let's swap the web page really quick, make the show look sold-out then put up the seats on our illegal auction site for three times the price" bait and switch. Well, the Boss wasn't pleased and he intervened. You know what? Congress stepped in, too! My eyes deceive me! The people we elect to office...actually doing something for the people? Be still my heart.

I hope the Springsteen thing turns into a massive class action lawsuit - and I want a piece of that pie. Bloody hell, I spent ten thousand dollars on concerts/festivals/music events last year - and I think some Ticketmaster/Live Nation exec probably made a big bonus off my sales alone.

Thoughts?

Comments

[CK]

Amen!!!! I know that the convenience of the internet has allowed for easier access but, there has to be a line drawn in the sand!!! I am thankful that I do not have to drive to Cincinnati to get tix for a show down there but, I want my fair chance at tix and at a fair price! I remember showing up at Hara or the local ticket outlet and getting in line to get as close as possible. We as fans must stand up to them!!! Great post Allyson

[missy]

If you don't live in or near a highly populated area like I do here in the Bay Area, I think you're pretty much fuct for awhile. And even then, there's not a lot going on right now. However, most of the local venues here try and do their own ticketing, and so I can get into most shows for under $25 including fees (I'm talking $2-5 here, not the $20 that ticketmaster charges).

Fortunatly for us music geeks, the economy sucks right now, and there's not a lot of bands (or much anything worth seeing, for that matter, and I don't do festivals) touring, or able *to* tour right now. I think in the end, just like the record labels and digital music (which is still in the rinse cycle), it will all come out in the wash. Don't worry, the musicians will prevail in some form. Whether is finally telling these money-hungry capitalists who *aren't* in it for the music to go fuck themselves, and coming up with a game plan of their own, or music going away all together because it's just not worth all of the bullshit involved anymore. I highly doubt the latter will occur.

Things will change, it's just a matter of when and how. And as music lovers, it is our job to demand what we want, and to also change when change is needed to support our habits.

I'm extremely interested in what the next 10-15 years brings musicwise.

[MotleyCrue666]

i don't think its that big a deal

[RyoVie]

I agree 100%! I loathe Ticketmaster and LiveNation didn't do any better when they sold Phish tickets last Friday. And the fees are still criminal! Not to mention that the "convenience" fee of not having to go to the box office was BS for the Springsteen tickets! IZOD center was NOT selling tickets. You could ONLY get them through ticketmaster.

I hope that my NJ representative gets somewhere with this investigation. Ticketmaster has also offered a to refund the difference in price to those who felt they were "tricked" into buying tickets through TicketsNow. At least they are admitting some guilt for once.

I wrote a similar post on my blog today if you want to check it out. Click on my name to get to the web address.

Let's hope there is a better future for ticketing and ticket sales. Something needs to be done. This corporate practice combined with super high prices is just ridiculous!

[kari]

i'm so glad you posted on this issue. I read about this yesterday and I can't even go there it makes me so HOT that they would consider doing this. I was so glad to hear about Congress stepping in. I'll boycott the entire damn system if this merge happens. Didn't they learn anything from Clear Channel trying to take over the entire industry years back and it blowing up in their faces. Bigger isn't always better! Ticketmaster needs to go down but not this way!

[Lucifer]

Probs coz the Boss is big butties with the ol' president.
And thats a damn good thing if you ask me :)

[Bob]

this is exactly why I haven't gone to a major concert in probably ten years. As Pearl Jam so eloquently put it, "I would rather starve than eat your bread."

[Chessie >^..^<]

I agree. This would make it harder for us to get concerts in the Richmond (VA) area because we have no Live Nation venues. It's already a pain because the really good shows are always missing us, and if they do, in order to get good seats, we have to pay premium.

Write your congressmen and ask them to support the NJ Senator in his bid to have the anti-trust investigation started.

[lajustice77]

fuck all these corporate pigs!!

[Rob Rockitt, HardRockHideout.com]

I paid top dollar for several shows in 2008. There aren't too many acts that are going to get those same dollars from me this year with this economy.

Ticketmaster fees have gotten out of control over the years. Makes me appreciate those club shows all that much more. Buy a ticket at the door and be done with it.

[Britt Harlow]

Ha ha.....I really wish everyone on here would refer to them by their proper name. We have a station in Los Angeles, KROQ 106.7,that puts on shows with tickets priced at $10.67 and by the time "Ticketbastard" gets done adding their inconvenience charge and the venue even tacks on $3-5 for god knows what, these $10.67 tix are now $25.00...no longer a "Low Dough Show" as KROQ intended.And that's just one example!