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.
