dave24
Joined: March 14, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 352
Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 12:01 AM UTC
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Ok - so, Live Nation has launched their own ticketing site. They wanted to leave Ticketmaster, as they claimed Ticketmaster was charging absurd service charges and per-order fees.
Do you think they'd charge less if this is the case? I'd have thought so. NOPE! It's worse than ever.
Live Nation somehow thinks charging even higher service charges is better for their customers because they're not charging the per order fees. At least that's how they try to spin it. They're just making even more money than Ticketmaster or Tickets.com per order.
I've broken it all down here…
http://soundoffwithdave.com/2009/01/17/live-nation-meet-the-new-boss-same-as-the-old-boss/
walkonby
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 04:02 PM UTC
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for the upcoming eagles tour, and i believe more (selected) after that, ticketmaster will have no fees. none. just the face charge and the shipping. this is their first move against livenation. it does not matter, though.
gas could be ten dollars a gallon. you'd buy it.
cigarettes could be ten dollars a pack. smokers will buy them.
downloadable songs can finally be taxed, leading to even larger taxes later. you will still listen and pay.
and so on and so forth.
dave24
Joined: March 14, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 352
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 05:02 PM UTC
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I don't know. I've refused to buy certain concert tickets because of their price. I've also not bought a ticket because the service charges and fees made a $20 ticket into a $33 ticket. Particularly for a GA show, I'll go to the venue in a lot of cases to save the service charge.
I have friends who absolutely refuse to buy a ticket online anymore. They just won't support companies that charge fees now upwards of 50% of the original cost of the ticket. If they miss a show because of it, so be it.
There are just way too many options. I can spend my money on entertainment in a lot of ways. I certainly don't feel the need to line the pockets of the executives at Live Nation.
azaghal1981
Joined: June 17, 2004 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 12035
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 05:27 PM UTC
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This really shouldn't come as a surprise. I mean LN aren't known for ethical business practices to begin with.
The whole strong-arming bands into playing their venues in cities where they have competition thing is one of the most disgusting things to ever happen to live music.
dave24
Joined: March 14, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 352
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 06:49 PM UTC
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Nah - it's not truly a surprise. I just would have thought they would roll this out and pull some extra cash from someplace less visible.
All of these companies have been guilty of some pretty poor business practices for years… Personally, I don't care too much for all of the exclusive rights contracts Ticketmaster has with professional sports organizations. You used to be able to find various teams through Tickets.com, and other outlets. Now Ticketmaster monopolizes the NFL, and others…
It will be interesting to see what happens with major summer tours… if Live Nation has enough venues to be able to force artists to tour through them exclusively.
Ticketmaster has more options for buying a ticket in person - in person charges are less whether it's at Macy's or the venue, where it's absolutely cheapest. Live Nation has no such network in place. So, consumers are kind of stuck…
azaghal1981
Joined: June 17, 2004 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 12035
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 07:26 PM UTC
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"It will be interesting to see what happens with major summer tours… if Live Nation has enough venues to be able to force artists to tour through them exclusively."
I think they already do. Sometimes it feels like Merriweather is the only shed in the country that they don't control.
dave24
Joined: March 14, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 352
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 08:43 PM UTC
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Last I saw, they owned 39 amphitheatres… but I've never seen a list of which ones… I'm sure it's a lot of the major ones - but I would think there's be some pretty major markets left out of that mix.
There's got to be some backlash at some point, especially in this economy…
brokensocscene
Joined: December 12, 2005 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 9016
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 18, 2009 at 09:58 PM UTC
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livenation:
Andrew Bird
Thursday 02/19/09
Show: 8:00 p.m.
The Fillmore - S.F.
SAN FRANCISCO
Gen Admission Open Dance Flr
Section GA, Row G04, Seat # 96
Adult $32.50
Ticket Fee $13.50
Seth Hurwitz
Joined: October 02, 1999 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 1014
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 19, 2009 at 01:59 PM UTC
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yes, well, hooray for the Fillmore SIlver Spring!
that'll help crush this 930/I.M.P. monopoly!
dave24
Joined: March 14, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 352
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 19, 2009 at 07:45 PM UTC
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Everybody wrote:
livenation:
Andrew Bird
Thursday 02/19/09
Show: 8:00 p.m.
The Fillmore - S.F.
SAN FRANCISCO
Gen Admission Open Dance Flr
Section GA, Row G04, Seat # 96
Adult $32.50
Ticket Fee $13.50
Nice… $32.50 + $13.50… at least Live Nation is "Transparent" That's their goal after all…
vansmack
Joined: October 04, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 19725
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 19, 2009 at 08:54 PM UTC
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Dave…I finally clicked over to your blog. I have one piece of advice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkO87mkgcNo
brokensocscene
Joined: December 12, 2005 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 9016
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 19, 2009 at 09:02 PM UTC
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does it apply to the sports section also?
vansmack wrote:
Dave…I finally clicked over to your blog. I have one piece of advice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkO87mkgcNo
MindCage
Joined: May 14, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 1282
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 19, 2009 at 09:02 PM UTC
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Seth wrote:
yes, well, hooray for the Fillmore SIlver Spring!
that'll help crush this 930/I.M.P. monopoly!
Seriously! I just can't believe how Hurwitz Enterprises has gone unnoticed under the SEC's radar ;)
vansmack
Joined: October 04, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 19725
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 19, 2009 at 09:14 PM UTC
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Everybody wrote:
does it apply to the sports section also?
There's a sports section? I clicked the link the link below. I read the first sentence. I read the next couple of sentences. I read the first three paragraphs. I stopped reading. I had a thought. I posted it here. That's all.
brokensocscene
Joined: December 12, 2005 at 06:01 AM UTC
Posts: 9016
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 19, 2009 at 09:18 PM UTC
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http://soundoffwithdave.com/2009/01/13/what-happened-to-the-nfls-rooney-rule/http://soundoffwithdave.com/2009/01/13/ravens-over-cardinals-in-super-bowl-43/vansmack wrote:
Everybody wrote:
does it apply to the sports section also?
There's a sports section? I clicked the link the link below. I read the first sentence. I read the next couple of sentences. I read the first three paragraphs. I stopped reading. I had a thought. I posted it here. That's all.
Samantha
Joined: August 30, 2002 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 1438
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 21, 2009 at 09:21 PM UTC
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walkonby wrote:
for the upcoming eagles tour, and i believe more (selected) after that, ticketmaster will have no fees. none. just the face charge and the shipping. this is their first move against livenation. it does not matter, though.
gas could be ten dollars a gallon. you'd buy it.
cigarettes could be ten dollars a pack. smokers will buy them.
downloadable songs can finally be taxed, leading to even larger taxes later. you will still listen and pay.
and so on and so forth.
I wish this could be true. I've missed out on so much because ticket prices were just too high. With the exception of a few bands whom I'd see at any price, the monetary cost is what decides whether or not I go to a show these days. There's got to be a ceiling eventually, not all of us have bottomless coffers to see any show that may or may not be decent.
walkonby
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 21, 2009 at 10:11 PM UTC
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i do like the fact that ticketmaster now offers insurance on your tickets, in case you can't make the show, and will get your money back. livenation laughs at such a move. i have a funny feeling the eagles move was because . . . no offense to the fans, but who in the hell is still seeing the eagles? next thing you know, they'll give out free frisbees on all feelies tickets sold. ;D to bearman.
skeeter
Joined: May 29, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC
Posts: 4011
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 21, 2009 at 10:31 PM UTC
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walkonby wrote:
i do like the fact that ticketmaster now offers insurance on your tickets, in case you can't make the show, and will get your money back.
Has anyone ever used this? There's a ton of legalese in the description of what it does/doesn't cover. "Change of personal plans" doesn't cut it. They reserve the right to request documentation to prove your claims - including the right to ask for an autopsy, if your claim is "death". Is it really that hard to get a refund?
walkonby
Joined: Unknown
Posts: 0
Re: Live Nation - ticket service charges just keep getting worse
January 22, 2009 at 05:03 PM UTC
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somebody explain this one to me.
the dead at verizon goes on sale tom. at 10 . . . both through ticketmaster and livenation? does one company get better seats than another? how is that possible? interesting.
