13 votes

'I'm getting ripped off': A look inside Ticketmaster's price-hiking bag of tricks

5 comments

  1. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. somewaffles
      Link Parent
      I don't know how I got to a place where I mention Kid Rock on ~ for the second time this week, but to my knowledge he still ensures every venue he plays at has ~$20 tickets.

      I don't know how I got to a place where I mention Kid Rock on ~ for the second time this week, but to my knowledge he still ensures every venue he plays at has ~$20 tickets.

      4 votes
  2. [4]
    RapidEyeMovement
    (edited )
    Link
    Maybe I'm cynical, but half the reason Ticketmaster exist is to protect the high value talent from the prices they want to charge.

    Maybe I'm cynical, but half the reason Ticketmaster exist is to protect the high value talent from the prices they want to charge.

    3 votes
    1. [3]
      Catt
      Link Parent
      Can you expand on this? I'm not sure I'm reading this right. Are you saying Ticketmaster prevents talent from charging too much?

      Can you expand on this? I'm not sure I'm reading this right. Are you saying Ticketmaster prevents talent from charging too much?

      1. [2]
        TheJorro
        Link Parent
        No, there's been a longstanding belief (I'm not sure if it was ever confirmed in documentation, only testimony) that Ticketmaster plays the bad guy with those fees so that the artist don't look...

        No, there's been a longstanding belief (I'm not sure if it was ever confirmed in documentation, only testimony) that Ticketmaster plays the bad guy with those fees so that the artist don't look like they're the ones charging so much. So, for example, let's say Taylor Swift wants to price her tickets at $300. What apparently might happen is that the ticket is listed at $250 and then TM adds a $50 "fee" to the purchase.

        That said, I only heard about this coming into effect for the "Fees" category. This variable pricing and working with scalpers is something else.

        5 votes
        1. Catt
          Link Parent
          Ah I can see that. Thanks for explaining.

          Ah I can see that. Thanks for explaining.