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Company causes problems for concert-goers

May 17, 2001

In the wake of Pearl Jam’s failed 1994 lawsuit against Ticketmaster, many bands and their fans are still upset with the ticket company.

The main gripe with Ticketmaster is that it attaches “handling” and “convenience” charges to the ticket price, which can add an additional $5 to $15 to the total. The question is, what convenience does Ticketmaster provide to the ticket consumer, and does it constitute adding charges that are almost 25 percent of the ticket?

Many bands are taking action to get around Ticketmaster and its monopolistic practices. For example, Phish, Pearl Jam and the Dave Matthews Band sell tickets directly to concertgoers through their Web sites. Fan clubs are another way to get tickets to fans without going through Ticketmaster. Bands sell tickets to members of their fan clubs before Ticketmaster releases tickets to the general public.

Nerdy rock gods Weezer are choosing to have some of the shows on their current mini promotional tour advertised and organized by local radio stations. By doing this, Weezer can bypass Ticketmaster and have the radio stations sell tickets or give them away to listeners directly.

Other methods of skipping around everyone’s favorite monopoly are doing in-store shows. This is another method employed by Weezer. Not only can bands that do in-store shows be less of a burden on their fans’ pocketbooks, they can also help build a more personal relationship with the fans because of the intimacy of in-store concerts.

A big reason most artists will not mess with Ticketmaster is that, without using the service, many bands are not able to play big venues. Ticketmaster has - and is reluctant to talk about - contracts with most major venues in most major cities that say Ticketmaster has the exclusive right to sell tickets for that venue. Rolling Stone magazine was turned away empty-handed when it asked Ticketmaster to see these contracts. Also, Rolling Stone reported Ticketmaster would not hesitate to sue venues that broke these contracts, essentially leaving bands and promoters between a rock and a hard place.

What needs to happen for Ticketmaster to shape up its act is competition in the ticket industry. While some companies, such as Tickets.com and Jambasetickets.com, have tried and somewhat succeeded in challenging Ticketmaster’s dominance in the ticket industry, the fight is still far from over. The problem is the other ticket companies can’t have the same selection and abundance of tickets for events as Ticketmaster.

Still, the other ticket companies continue to apply “convenience” charges to the total ticket price. So, while having other companies in the industry does help, if they use the same practices, what is the point? Companies need to change their procedures to reduce the excess charges being applied to tickets.

Another reason for having additional ticket companies is Ticketmaster’s unfair distribution methods. Time magazine claims Ticketmaster has been caught reserving tickets for scalpers, friends and family. In my personal experience, I have asked Ticketmaster retailers how the tickets they have are determined. They told me Ticketmaster gives them a certain amount of tickets in certain locations in the venue. So a customer may get the best ticket available at a particular Ticketmaster retailer, but that could mean a seat in the 15th row of the upper deck. These methods are sneaky and unprofessional, but who can do anything about it?

Horrendous customer service is another trademark of the Ticketmaster company. While I have never had to return a ticket, I know people who have and they tell stories of being put on hold for two or more hours. The irony is that, while on hold, they have been ridiculed with ads claiming the glory of Ticketmaster playing over the phone. Also, customer service representatives have been described as being unmotivated and poorly trained.

Ticketmaster has other ways of upsetting its customers. If it screws up your order by sending the wrong tickets, there are no refunds for handling or convenience charges. What’s the convenience in that? Basically, Ticketmaster is saying it will get your money, even if it makes a mistake.

If competition existed in the ticket industry, would any of the aforementioned problems exist? Probably not. What needs to happen is for bands and promoters to get together and decide on a way to distribute tickets to fans in a way that is affordable and fair. Selling tickets directly to fans via the Internet is a good way to start. Promoters must do their part by assuring artists that venues are available, not just ones Ticketmaster does not control.

Although significant and meaningful change will take time, the sooner efforts begin, the sooner progress is a reality. Ticketmaster’s current practices are unethical and would never stand in an industry robust in competition. The world will be full of happy concertgoers once the ticket industry is held to the same standards as other industries.

Kevin Tuczek, a State News intern, can be reached at tuczekke@msu.edu.

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