The deal will be the source of much hand wringing and government scrutiny, but it will be approved.
- LN's Michael Rapino will not see 2010 at the combined company. He's a great young exec, but no match for Diller and Azoff.
- Ticket fees will increasingly be included in ticket prices as a way to calm consumer distrust,
but it will mean higher rather than lower overall prices.
- Secondary ticketing will be under the microscope but continue to thrive both officially (TicketsNow) and in the shadows via competitors. Ultimately, it's all about supply and demand.
- The combined databases will turn out to be the real goldmine of the deal. Watch for more up-selling of merchandise, parking, hotel rooms and more.
- Music sales alongside tickets will happen slowly at first, but before the end of the year the major labels will be begging for a fledged download store integrated within the new Live Nation Entertainment's sites.
More: Merger Done, Government Scrutiny To Follow, Vote: What Do You Think Of The Merger?
