Ticketmaster goes to Court againist RMG

[mandy200587]

Federal Court Grants Ticketmaster's Request for Preliminary Injunction Barring RMG Technologies from Facilitating Access to Ticketmaster's Ticketing System

Ticketmaster Hails Ruling Protecting Consumers' Rights To Fair And Equal Access To Event Tickets
October 15, 2007: 04:02 PM EST


WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A federal judge in Los Angeles has ordered a Pennsylvania company to stop creating, trafficking in, or facilitating the use of computer programs that allow its clients to circumvent the protection systems in the ticketmaster.com web site. These programs have, in effect, allowed ticket brokers to cut to the front of the line and deprive consumers of fair access to tickets.

The Order issued today by Judge Audrey B. Collins also bars RMG Technologies, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from using information gained from access of Ticketmaster's website to create computer programs designed to circumvent Ticketmaster's copy protection and website regulation systems. RMG's software allows its clients to buy tickets from Ticketmaster faster than Ticketmaster's human customers can. RMG's clients are ticket brokers or suppliers to ticket brokers who use RMG's software to buy tickets they can resell to the public at higher prices. Such actions have blocked consumers from getting those tickets at the "face" price shown on the ticket.

Ticketmaster hailed Judge Collins' ruling as a major victory for the ticketing company and for consumers. Ticketmaster President and CEO Sean Moriarty commented after the ruling, "Ticketmaster is committed to ensuring that consumers have fair and equitable access to tickets. Not only are we doing everything possible to create a secure and positive experience for ticket purchasers, we are making sure that the public knows it can come to the Ticketmaster web site and access the best available seats at the prices set by the event provider. We will not allow others to illegally divert tickets away from fans. We recognize and respect the necessity and reality of a vibrant resale market, but we will not tolerate those who seek an unfair advantage through the use of automated programs."

Ticketmaster also indicated that Judge Collins' issuing of the preliminary injunction against RMG was only the first step in its legal efforts against those using automated programs to illegally access tickets.

"We are pleased with the court's ruling today, and our legal efforts are not stopping here," said Ed Weiss, Ticketmaster General Counsel and a former federal prosecutor. "Anyone using these programs and any company supplying them should know that we and the entire live entertainment industry will not stand for it. We fully support the legitimate reselling of tickets, but those who refuse to follow the rules will be hearing from us."

About Ticketmaster:

Ticketmaster is the world's leading ticketing company, operating in 20 global markets, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through http://www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the Internet; approximately 6,500 retail outlets; and 20 worldwide call centers. Ticketmaster celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2006 and currently serves more than 9,000 clients worldwide across multiple event categories, providing exclusive ticketing services for hundreds of leading arenas, stadiums, performing arts venues, museums, and theaters. In 2006, the company sold more than 128 million tickets valued at over $7 billion on behalf of its clients. Ticketmaster is headquartered in West Hollywood, California and is an operating business of IAC .



http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/15/news/companies/ticket_master.ap/index.htm

 

[Lisa_M]

Good!

 

[mrsv98]

I think I would have a little more sympathy for Ticketmaster if they didn't charge insane fees for each ticket. Their charges for buying a ticket downtown are at least an additional 10%.

Yes, the company they are fighting is wrong, but so are they.

 

[Navysailor_disneyfan]

This is a start. Hopefully they willgo after all these companys that are voliating scapping laws.

 

[agnes!]

The only reason that Ticketmaster and ticket brokers are getting all this bad press is because of the insane prices people have been having to pay to get Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana tour tickets. They're not doing anythihg differently than they have for *years*.

And then Ticketmaster turns around and has ticket 'auctions' on its own website, so they (in effect) are scalping their own tickets.

And the additional ticket 'fees' make rental car companies look moral and sane by comparison. I still don't understand why, if I actually WENT to the actual box office and BOUGHT the tickets there and paid with cash (so there isn't any credit-card percentage tacked on) WHY there are all these subterannean 'fees'! I'm buying it there, I'm picking it up *there*...when is the ticket price the actual ticket price?!?

agnes!

 

[I'mNoPrince]

This is all smoke and mirrors because they aren't getting any kickbacks from the brokers doing it this way. They have always had brokers but with these programs they can bypass TMs broker fees that they tell no one about.

The venues can longer sell tickets at face value to you because if they do TM will stop pushing their sales , so they have to use Tm agents and get their fees. It's the biggest and highest form of a monopoly that I have ever seen.

 

[WDWAurora]

The only reason that Ticketmaster and ticket brokers are getting all this bad press is because of the insane prices people have been having to pay to get Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana tour tickets. They're not doing anythihg differently than they have for *years*.

And then Ticketmaster turns around and has ticket 'auctions' on its own website, so they (in effect) are scalping their own tickets.

And the additional ticket 'fees' make rental car companies look moral and sane by comparison. I still don't understand why, if I actually WENT to the actual box office and BOUGHT the tickets there and paid with cash (so there isn't any credit-card percentage tacked on) WHY there are all these subterannean 'fees'! I'm buying it there, I'm picking it up *there*...when is the ticket price the actual ticket price?!?

agnes!

As a box office ticket seller for years (and my dad is still there selling, and currently sitting across the room agreeing it is still correct info I'm giving), I disagree with what you've said. At our venue, you pay the ticket cost, plus a $1 facility fee that is charged for every ticket to every show, period. No matter where you buy it. So, at the actual box office at the venue, you pay 20%ish less than you do if you buy online, by phone, or at a ticketmaster outlet location. No TM fees are collected at the box office. There are no fees for paying with a credit card vs. cash, etc. I can attest to this being the case at approx. 10 venues in the southest, maybe more. This may not be the case where you are, of course, but I'm pretty sure it is TM standard nationwide. You save money by going to the box office.

 

[Geoff_M]

And then Ticketmaster turns around and has ticket 'auctions' on its own website, so they (in effect) are scalping their own tickets.

I think the ruling is a good one, but Ticketmaster is also a major villain. Not happy with the high fees they charge, they've attempted recently to get states to pass laws that would require that they be the only legal secondary broker of any tickets initially sold by them. The move is an attempt to shut down outfits like StubHub.com. If Ticketmaster gets their way, if you buy one of their tickets and decide to resell it, you would be required to resell it through them. They want to "double dip" on the fees on top of everything else. Their justification for this is "consumer protection" against fraudulent brokers.... right.

 

[mtblujeans]

A few weeks ago, Elton John came to Missoula, Montana, and people waited in line all night to get tickets when the window opened up the next day. When the time came to open and sell the tickets, they were all sold out in seconds by some computer action and none of the people waiting in line overnight could buy tickets.

Since this had never happened before with ticket sales, they were at a loss to explain to the public why no tickets were available in person. If this is the type of action this technology company is doing, I don't feel sorry for Ticketmaster at all. I feel for the people wanting to spend their hard earned dollars for the tickets and having to take time off work to try to buy them.

 

[agnes!]

As a box office ticket seller for years (and my dad is still there selling, and currently sitting across the room agreeing it is still correct info I'm giving), I disagree with what you've said. At our venue, you pay the ticket cost, plus a $1 facility fee that is charged for every ticket to every show, period. No matter where you buy it. So, at the actual box office at the venue, you pay 20%ish less than you do if you buy online, by phone, or at a ticketmaster outlet location. No TM fees are collected at the box office. There are no fees for paying with a credit card vs. cash, etc. I can attest to this being the case at approx. 10 venues in the southest, maybe more. This may not be the case where you are, of course, but I'm pretty sure it is TM standard nationwide. You save money by going to the box office.

I'm sorry, but how can you disagree with what I've said when you don't know the venues I have in mind or my experience? It might be that way where you are, and it might be that way when dealing with Ticketmaster but Ticketmaster is not always the only game in town and I can tell you for a FACT that the last time I bought a ticket at a theatre's actual box office I STILL had to pay several strange extra fees. (I think it might have been the Warner or National Theatre in DC a couple of years back) I actually asked the person selling me the tickets "Why am I paying all these extra fees, if I am standing right here in front of you?" Wanted the tickets, though, so paid the freight.

YMMV,
agnes!

 

[Geoff_M]

I'm sorry, but how can you disagree with what I've said when you don't know the venues I have in mind or my experience? It might be that way where you are, and it might be that way when dealing with Ticketmaster but Ticketmaster is not always the only game in town and I can tell you for a FACT that the last time I bought a ticket at a theatre's actual box office I STILL had to pay several strange extra fees.

I can also attest to the fact that my experience has been that buying directly from the venue is also a lot cheaper. True, the final cost may be higher than the advertised price due to things like taxes and other mandated fees that also would have been paid by using TM, but it cuts out the TM fees itself. Another TM practice that really bugs me is that (in the exact opposite of the airline industry), TM will mail me the tickets for free, but they'll charge me extra for an e-ticket!!!... even though it's cheaper for TM to e-mail me the ticket.

 

[WDWAurora]

I'm sorry, but how can you disagree with what I've said when you don't know the venues I have in mind or my experience? It might be that way where you are, and it might be that way when dealing with Ticketmaster but Ticketmaster is not always the only game in town and I can tell you for a FACT that the last time I bought a ticket at a theatre's actual box office I STILL had to pay several strange extra fees. (I think it might have been the Warner or National Theatre in DC a couple of years back) I actually asked the person selling me the tickets "Why am I paying all these extra fees, if I am standing right here in front of you?" Wanted the tickets, though, so paid the freight.

YMMV,
agnes!

Wow, wasn't trying to be rude by disagreeing, honest. I disagree based upon my experience and based on the fact that I'm sure that none of the venues our TM staffers work with are allowed to do this. Based on that, I would assume it was nationwide. That said, the venue may have fees, like our $1 facility usage fee. I mainly wanted it to be considered that these may not be TM fees. I try to stand up for buying at the box office and paying TM as little as possible because *I* hate the fees and think they are unfair. We are trained at the office I work at to explain the $1 fee and that it is from the city, not us or TM, etc. I wish the seller you worked with had done the same, as they may have fees attached to all tickets.

Like I said, I was not trying to be rude, I just do not like box offices to be saddled with the reputation of adding extra fees when, generally, it is not the case. I realize it is possible that your venue does, but I think those are in the southeast division of TM, which should mean they do not charge TM fees at the actual box office. I'm sorry if my post came across wrong, I've just dealt with this misconception for too many years and I like to correct it where I can.

In conclusion-ask what the fees are, everyone (this is not directed to you, agnes!)!! If the seller cannot tell you, ask for a supervisor, and go on up until you get an explanation that you understand. I can assure you I always do, but I'm a little nosy anyway.