Ticketmaster Experiments With Lower Fees
Long criticized for excessive ticketing fees, the newly renamed Ticketmaster Entertainment is experimenting with lower charges on some tickets. "We’re already testing the program on certain upcoming tour on-sales," Ticketmaster CEO Sean Moriarty said during an earnings call. Under the plan, fa
ns who use Ticketmaster’s electronic delivery system TicketFast would not be charged additional service
fees.
High ticket fees have come under scrutiny again as a way to lower costs for consumers affected or frightened by the economic downturn. Implicit, however, in lower fees is also the threat of lower profits for venues and promoters who have long relied on privately receiving a percentage of those fees from Ticketmaster.
Expect more experimentation and new initiatives as Irving Azoff takes control of Ticketmaster. In fact, among the first no-fee events is a New Orleans concert with the Azoff managed Eagles.
So now that they have let the cat out of the bag that they are “testing” these lower fees, does Ticketmaster really think the consumer is going to relent until they do a full, national rollout of these lower fees? They screwed themselves by even making a public announcement they would be testing this. This was something they should have done quietly, where they could have measured the results first, THEN made public announcements.
As it stands – now you, me, and everyone who reads about this will want those lower fees. NOW. Without delay. Nationwide.
As one of our Twitter followers aptly said, it’s rather sad that we have to call this “experimentation”.
hey ticketmaster, why do i have to pay you ANYTHING when I buy at the venue’s box office ??
They are posing as doing this because of a damaged economy, but in reality, they are concerned that competitors are getting ready to eat their lunch.
I heard about LiveStub the other day which is building a platform which is free to artists/venues to manage ticket sales. I’m sure there are others like them.
As ticketmasters contracts with venues runs out, I’m sure venues are looking for other suppliers.
This is a huge market opportunity as TicketMaster has so much bad mojo due to their previous gouging which has almost become their brand… as in “ticketmaster, we charge you a bunch and give you nothing”.
I think its also important to note that Irving Azoff runs both ticketmaster and manages the Eagles, the ONE act they are “experimenting” with. I truly doubt ticketmaster is actually for-going the fee. It seems much more likely they are able to bundle it into the ticket price, and break it down after the fact. This way it LOOKS like goodwill, but Im not buying it.
You guys are right that you’re paying for the service somewhere – perhaps inside the ticket prices. But you have to admit its better to know what the total cost is before you buy. It’s like the airlines charging me for bags. I prefer to just put it on the ticket price.
I would love to see something that doesn’t charge insane ticket prices. It’s really ridiculous what we shell out- especially when it’s not going to the artists. I wish artists would make a bigger stand, a la Pearl Jam.
here’s the service that I’m hoping will be the future:
http://inticketing.com/
I had no idea that venues received a portion of those excess ticketing fees… crazy!
Artists House
http://artistshousemusic.tubmlr.com
It’s about time ticket prices go down. I haven’t been to a major concert during the last 4 years. And if students cannot afford the tickets, ticketing agencies aren’t doing their clients (the established artists) a favour, because the “new generation” just goes elsewhere then.