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[ginnysnap]

Another reason to hate Ticketbastard:

From the NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/01/technology/01TICK.htmlTicketmaster Auction Will Let Highest Bidder Set Concert Prices

Comments

[stacyinthecity]

Holy crap, I hate them.

[ginnysnap]

Oh yes. More and more reasons to hate them. Ugh.

Living in LA and trying to avoid shows that require buying tickets from Ticketbastard and/or are not a Clear Channel-owned venue? It's becoming next to impossible. Fuckity fuck. *grr*

[scottq]

supply and demand.

scalpers do it anyway. why not have the money go to the band, instead? the "yacht and a learjet" scenario is a bit of an overreaction.

[ginnysnap]

Because I don't buy tickets from scalpers. Haven't, and won't. How many bands are really going to participate in this? I predict that many won't, because as much as they don't like the scalper practice, they know that this will drive prices up across the board and will alienate the majority of their fans. Plus it's a soft market--fewer and fewer shows are selling out because in a weak economy no one has the money to pay jacked-up prices for a concert ticket. Between this and the RIAA, it's no wonder more and more music fans have negative feelings about the music industry.

[scottq]

>Plus it's a soft market--fewer and fewer shows are selling out because in a weak economy no one has the money to pay jacked-up prices for a concert ticket.

that's the point. if there isn't demand, the price of tickets are going to go down. i didn't say you did or should buy from scalpers, but it's the same idea. it can go either way for ticketmaster-- they can either make more money on the front-row tickets to people who are willing to pay for it (does anyone wait in line for tickets these days, anyway? do you know another way to get front-row tickets aside from paying scalpers for them?), or they'll realize that they're goin to have to sell the cheaper seats for a lower price. makes sense to me.

it seems like an issue that people rant about because they can choose to see ticketmaster as an "evil corporation" and only look at the negative aspects of the flexible pricing.

[ginnysnap]

Internet pre-sales. Special fan club sales. That's how most people I know have any kind of chance at good seats to a "big" show, because that's the only way we can afford it. Thanks to the auction system, hardcore fans who don't make the big bucks have a greater chance of getting shut out when it comes to decent seats. That will make the market even softer...maybe that will push down ticket prices, but market trends show that isn't the case. Overall, it sounds like a system that is bound to fail, and is only going to piss off even more music consumers.

You think Ticketmaster isn't an evil corporation? Then Clear Channel must look like Santa Claus! ;P

(PS: Yes, there are evil corporations everywhere. I don't like those either, but those aren't part of the industry I work in so I have less reason to talk about them.)