Concert ticket rant

[RedAngie]

Problem is, Ticketmaster isn't providing a service and convenience to the purchaser. It's a service and convenience to the seller but the purchaser is the one paying for it.

Sure they do. I can order tickets from home sitting in my underwear rather than going to the venue box office. I’m willing to pay a fee for that.

But as mentioned before, more and more venues are subcontracting their box offices out to TM. I would object to paying service fees if I was buying in person, like the OP is being “forced to.”

I suppose TM still has a phone ordering option too. But I’m not aware if there are still physical TM locations, like in a record store. (What’s that??? the younguns are saying.)

I realize a $10 service fee for a $25 ticket is an outrageous percentage, but there has to be some minimum. I believe $10 to $15 to be reasonable for not getting dressed and going out.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't see why that even matters. The fee's are added and people are upset over paying for them... then don't. It's not a complicated situation.

I was responding to the overpriced but still paying for it part. That PP constantly talks about standing in line for an iPhone for 3 days, talks about WDW, etc it's like their go to argument (*sigh). I'm sorry you can't see the difference between that and what happens in other situations.

When discussing surcharges and fees it's not the same as this product costs $700 if you don't like it don't pay it. I'm sorry if you don't see the difference, can't really help you but maybe you should look at the video I posted. You don't have to agree with what is being talked about in the video but it is about a different topic than a product costs this much stuff. Even the Department of Justice has investigated Ticketmaster for their practices and that was before they became a monopoly due to a merger. To me, but obviously not you, it kinda means something

 

[Orion Nebula]

I was responding to the overpriced but still paying for it part. That PP constantly talks about standing in line for an iPhone for 3 days, talks about WDW, etc it's like their go to argument (*sigh). I'm sorry you can't see the difference between that and what happens in other situations.

When discussing surcharges and fees it's not the same as this product costs $700 if you don't like it don't pay it. I'm sorry if you don't see the difference, can't really help you but maybe you should look at the video I posted. You don't have to agree with what is being talked about in the video but it is about a different topic than a product costs this much stuff. Even the Department of Justice has investigated Ticketmaster for their practices and that was before they became a monopoly due to a merger. To me, but obviously not you, it kinda means something

Why are you always so condescending around here? Every single post...

And like the other person I don't see the difference in buying one product / service over another. It doesn't matter to me HOW the product or service GOT to be overpriced. It just simply is overpriced. When you buy something anyways that you feel was a inflated in cost, it becomes completely moot if was due to a monopoly or not. I am sorry you don't understand, I can't help you with that (*sigh). LOL

 

[mrodgers]

I was responding to the overpriced but still paying for it part. That PP constantly talks about standing in line for an iPhone for 3 days, talks about WDW, etc it's like their go to argument (*sigh). I'm sorry you can't see the difference between that and what happens in other situations.

When discussing surcharges and fees it's not the same as this product costs $700 if you don't like it don't pay it. I'm sorry if you don't see the difference, can't really help you but maybe you should look at the video I posted. You don't have to agree with what is being talked about in the video but it is about a different topic than a product costs this much stuff. Even the Department of Justice has investigated Ticketmaster for their practices and that was before they became a monopoly due to a merger. To me, but obviously not you, it kinda means something

You are one of the ones who can't carry on a general conversation and have to have everything laid out in perfect context such as someone saying "there's a million reasons..." to depict that there are a very large number of reasons where you have responded and called the poster out on there not being exactly one million reasons.

Sure I'll use the iPhone or Disney as my example because it's the easiest example to put out pertaining to the comment. If you'd like to send out a PM listing all of your approved analogies or comparisons for example that one can use, please do. I am sorry if I used the iPhone as an example and it offends you so, but it is the perfect example of what is wrong with the way people complain about the price of something. Please in the future, substitute any other product for the iPhone so you won't be offended.

Cars are getting ridiculously expensive. They will continue to get more expensive as people CHOOSE to extend their loan for longer and longer terms while complaining about the cost of cars. Is that better for you?

How about mowers? Mowers are a hot topic on the garage/tool based forum I frequent. Houses? Food? Televisions? Cable or satellite? Can I use those specifically as an example since using the iPhone as an example is so offensive? Everyone complains about cable and satellite prices and that actually worked because people are voting with their wallet and cancelling cable rather than whining and crying while still paying for it monthly as if they are entitled to it.

It's the problem with our economy, the consumers, not the "greedy" businesses. The consumers are the ones who feel entitled to have at any cost, the businesses are just giving what the customer wants. They complain about the greedy businesses while yet happily handing over their money.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

ou are one of the ones who can't carry on a general conversation and have to have everything laid out in perfect context such as someone saying "there's a million reasons..." to depict that there are a very large number of reasons where you have responded and called the poster out on there not being exactly one million reasons.

Sure I'll use the iPhone or Disney as my example because it's the easiest example to put out pertaining to the comment.

You use the same argument for everything irrespective of the conversation. I couldn't count how many times you talk about standing in line for an iPhone or during the height of the pandemic it was all about Home Depot, or for going to WDW.

I'm not saying you are in the wrong, I'm saying you bring that particular argument up no matter what the topic really is about. There are def. times where it's about talking with your wallet and not purchasing a product and if this were about an iphone and the outrageous cost I'd be with you, however the original post was talking about the extra fees on top of the concert ticket. If the issue was "seriously this ticket cost $200" def. the conversation would be surrounding "don't like it don't pay" but if the ticket is $50 and ends up being $200 after all the service fees and surcharges are added that is different. Talking about just how much a service fee should be meh I get that but at least it's not a "don't like the price don't go easy" because it's not easy when you're talking about how the music industry is with these fees.

They complain about the greedy businesses while yet happily handing over their money.

Which was my point about your repeated argument. To you it's always about this, it's never that a business is greedy (and no one brought that up when it came to these fees), it's never that someone else other than the consumer is at fault. You're very one sided with respects to that, that's all.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Why are you always so condescending around here? Every single post...

And like the other person I don't see the difference in buying one product / service over another. It doesn't matter to me HOW the product or service GOT to be overpriced. It just simply is overpriced. When you buy something anyways that you feel was a inflated in cost, it becomes completely moot if was due to a monopoly or not. I am sorry you don't understand, I can't help you with that (*sigh). LOL

See I don't take offense to your comment, it doesn't bother me one bit that you are trying to go toe to toe with my very comments. We apparently won't see eye to eye on the viewpoint of what overpriced is and isn't.

 

[Colleen27]

You are one of the ones who can't carry on a general conversation and have to have everything laid out in perfect context such as someone saying "there's a million reasons..." to depict that there are a very large number of reasons where you have responded and called the poster out on there not being exactly one million reasons.

Sure I'll use the iPhone or Disney as my example because it's the easiest example to put out pertaining to the comment. If you'd like to send out a PM listing all of your approved analogies or comparisons for example that one can use, please do. I am sorry if I used the iPhone as an example and it offends you so, but it is the perfect example of what is wrong with the way people complain about the price of something. Please in the future, substitute any other product for the iPhone so you won't be offended.

Cars are getting ridiculously expensive. They will continue to get more expensive as people CHOOSE to extend their loan for longer and longer terms while complaining about the cost of cars. Is that better for you?

How about mowers? Mowers are a hot topic on the garage/tool based forum I frequent. Houses? Food? Televisions? Cable or satellite? Can I use those specifically as an example since using the iPhone as an example is so offensive? Everyone complains about cable and satellite prices and that actually worked because people are voting with their wallet and cancelling cable rather than whining and crying while still paying for it monthly as if they are entitled to it.

It's the problem with our economy, the consumers, not the "greedy" businesses. The consumers are the ones who feel entitled to have at any cost, the businesses are just giving what the customer wants. They complain about the greedy businesses while yet happily handing over their money.

The thing is, not all price increases are created equal. Cars are becoming more and more expensive over time (ignoring the immediate supply chain issues) because they're becoming more and more advanced, in terms of both convenience features and safety standards. You're getting more when you buy a 2021 car than you got when you bought the same model in 2001. But TM price increases aren't because they are making tickets or ticket-buying better. It is strictly because they can, as a monopoly not only in the primary ticket market but very close to one in the secondary market and in event promotion as well.

Disney is a fair comparison - that's another place where the consumer is paying more to get the same or less value than they did even a few years ago. But there are alternatives to Disney if you want to take your business to another theme park or vacation destination. There are no alternatives to Ticketmaster if you want to attend live music, sports or events.

And actually, I think cable is a pretty decent comparison too. I live in an area with a cable/broadband monopoly. About 10 years ago we "cut the cord" to save money, replacing cable TV with streaming services. And in that time, our cable provider made up for customers like me by raising prices to the point where we pay as much for internet now as we did for cable, phone and internet then. Because that's what monopolies do - increase prices to maximize profits while providing the same or less value to consumers, but we can't go elsewhere because the only other broadband providers that serve our area are expensive, slow, and data-capped satellite plans. The counterweight to that tendency is competition. My mother, who lived in a city where there are several competing broadband providers, had 30% faster internet speed, VOIP phone service and a basic cable package for the same price we pay for internet alone.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

And actually, I think cable is a pretty decent comparison too. I live in an area with a cable/broadband monopoly. About 10 years ago we "cut the cord" to save money, replacing cable TV with streaming services. And in that time, our cable provider made up for customers like me by raising prices to the point where we pay as much for internet now as we did for cable, phone and internet then. Because that's what monopolies do - increase prices to maximize profits while providing the same or less value to consumers, but we can't go elsewhere because the only other broadband providers that serve our area are expensive, slow, and data-capped satellite plans. The counterweight to that tendency is competition. My mother, who lived in a city where there are several competing broadband providers, had 30% faster internet speed, VOIP phone service and a basic cable package for the same price we pay for internet alone.

For many years around here it was common for TimeWarner Cable (now Spectrum) to own the cable outlets in apartments they had the monopoly. This meant you couldn't just hook up with some other cable provider. I remember moving into my apartment in 2011 and about a month later U-Verse came around because they don't run through the cable line but I had already signed with the only cable provider I could get which was TimeWarner. In the early days it was only available in parts of the apartment complex and well in places in general due to infrastructure. But eventually as options became more fruitful it caused pricing to adjust with TimeWarner as well as with other cable companies for homes and businesses.

This story played out in my area again when Google Fiber joined which first started in our metro but took years to spread out to the various cities. For a while companies had become complacent not innovating on speed, and certainly not price and overall product. Well we had U-Verse at that time and the day Google Fiber was set to install in our house we cancelled it because U-Verse had finally come out with 1,000mps speed which matched Google Fiber at the time and was far less in pricing as U-Verse had to now compete with Google Fiber.

Now Google Fiber is done with tv so that probably affects competition in some ways again.

 

[robinb]

I just went to see the Eagles and I bought my tickets through Ticketmaster. I paid 35% in fees and taxes. It’s disgusting.

 

[xipotec]

Decent seats at arena shows for big acts start at 350.00 here.

You want first 10 rows? 1200.00

Nose bleeds 90.00

Thats each…..

 

[MillauFr]

I just went to see the Eagles and I bought my tickets through Ticketmaster. I paid 35% in fees and taxes. It’s disgusting.

I think I'll just stick to seeing the cover bands. Just saw Elton Dan at a smaller club in Seattle. He did a great job. Just as good as the real Elton. I just don't like the massive crowds at the stadiums.

 

[shh]

I think I'll just stick to seeing the cover bands. Just saw Elton Dan at a smaller club in Seattle. He did a great job. Just as good as the real Elton. I just don't like the massive crowds at the stadiums.

It's crazy...promoters are now charging these high fees, even on cover bands in my area. I like cover bands - still an enjoyable night out. I have no burning desire to see "the real thing" which many times, due to the original perfomer's advancing age, isn't the same quality of performance anyway. But after checking into a few cover band performances in my area, the tics were 20-30 and the service fees were around 20-25. Yeah right. They didn't get a cent from me.

I think a lot of this is COVID related - people so antsy to get out again now that they don't have the price sensitivity they used to. Venues so desperate to make up in profit what they lost the year before, that they're just seeing how high they can go.

If we sink into a recession in the coming months, it'll be interesting to see the effect on non-essential stuff like this.

 

[elgerber]

It's crazy...promoters are now charging these high fees, even on cover bands in my area. I like cover bands - still an enjoyable night out. I have no burning desire to see "the real thing" which many times, due to the original perfomer's advancing age, isn't the same quality of performance anyway. But after checking into a few cover band performances in my area, the tics were 20-30 and the service fees were around 20-25. Yeah right. They didn't get a cent from me.

I think a lot of this is COVID related - people so antsy to get out again now that they don't have the price sensitivity they used to. Venues so desperate to make up in profit what they lost the year before, that they're just seeing how high they can go.

If we sink into a recession in the coming months, it'll be interesting to see the effect on non-essential stuff like this.

I don't think it's COVID related at all. Concert tickets sales have been like this for many years.

 

[shh]

I don't think it's COVID related at all. Concert tickets sales have been like this for many years.

Generally yes for main names...but never "cover band" concerts in my experience. At least in my area, the cover bands were always a great deal - and many times had NO added service fees or just smaller ones. They'd often play in bars/clubs and tics were a very straightfwd thing - no TM involvement.

 

[Alicefan]

Decent seats at arena shows for big acts start at 350.00 here.

You want first 10 rows? 1200.00

Nose bleeds 90.00

Thats each…..

Yep, came here to say the exact same thing. We wanted to see Tears For Fears ant it's $975 BEFORE the fees! TEARS FOR FEARS! Are they kidding? Just like 3 years ago we paid $130??? I used to see Paul McCartney every time he toured for about $35!!!

 

[Alicefan]

I don't think it's COVID related at all. Concert tickets sales have been like this for many years.

Not THIS bad I can assure you. They were climbing to be sure, but since concerts have come back, they have jumped drastically from the 100-300 to over 1000 for a good seat. Another thing I've been priced out of.

 

[shh]

Yep, came here to say the exact same thing. We wanted to see Tears For Fears ant it's $975 BEFORE the fees! TEARS FOR FEARS! Are they kidding? Just like 3 years ago we paid $130??? I used to see Paul McCartney every time he toured for about $35!!!

That is crazy. I don't mean this in a bad way, because I love 80s/90s acts, but this is a "has been" booking - not a current artist. It's official: the economy has gone nuts.

 

[RedAngie]

Tears For Fears still has a following willing to pay that much? Is $975 for some premium package, or front row, or are all the tickets sky high?

 

[xipotec]

That is crazy. I don't mean this in a bad way, because I love 80s/90s acts, but this is a "has been" booking - not a current artist. It's official: the economy has gone nuts.

No , its not the economy. Its companies trying to make back 2 years of lost profit on our backs.

Its the current upper management mentality. The refuse to take losses on their stocks for any reason, they will be making the lost COVID proftis back come hell or highwater.

 

[Colleen27]

No , its not the economy. Its companies trying to make back 2 years of lost profit on our backs.

Its the current upper management mentality. The refuse to take losses on their stocks for any reason, they will be making the lost COVID proftis back come hell or highwater.

There are so many layers in terms of what has happened with concert ticket pricing (not fees, the base price) and that's definitely one of them.

Another is that the digital era is destroying compensation for all sorts of content creators - basically all the same factors you've heard about when talking about the death of newspapers apply to musicians (and authors, and anyone else who creates in a form that can be enjoyed digitally). There's no real money made on selling albums/songs any more; it is such a small amount of revenue, divided among so many pockets. Internet radio pays a pittance to artists and songwriters. And that's kind of reset things back to the way it was before listening to personally-owned music became an everyday, everywhere convenience - concerts and events are the most lucrative part of the industry again, because no one is getting rich off the fraction of a cent that Spotify pays per listen. But for older artists, who may not have the physical stamina or the desire to play in a different city every night for months on end, and who aren't necessarily concerned with attracting new fans via accessible ticket pricing, that means the best way to try to replicate the good old days of lucrative CD/cassette sales, is to charge the absolute most their fan base will bear for the shows that they do give.