Ticketmaster. The only door in.
Everybody hates the fees. The real question is why they are unavoidable, and regulators now think the answer is that the market is rigged.
THE GIST ON TICKETMASTER: "The Fee Problem"
What are regulators saying about Ticketmaster?
Ticketmaster is facing major antitrust action in the US, with regulators accusing it of abusing its dominance in live events.
The claim isn't just that tickets are expensive. It's that Ticketmaster controls so much of the live music pipeline that fans, artists and venues don't really have an alternative. When tickets go on sale, it's usually the only door in.
Why can't you avoid the fees?
Ticketmaster signs exclusive deals with venues, artists have to pay those venues, and fans have to buy through Ticketmaster. So when service, processing and facility fees appear at checkout, you still pay, because you've got no other option.
In a normal market, high fees invite competition. Here, competition is structurally blocked.
What happens when one company owns the pipe?
Prices stop being shaped by competition and start being shaped by how much we will tolerate, how much frustration you will accept before you walk away.
People don't walk away easily. That's why the model has lasted so long, and why it's now being challenged.
Would you pay ticket fees for a favourite artist?
Your take. One tap, then see how everyone else voted.
Quick answers
Why is Ticketmaster facing antitrust action?
Regulators in the US accuse it of abusing its dominance in live events, controlling so much of the pipeline that fans, artists and venues lack alternatives.
Why are the fees unavoidable?
Exclusive deals with venues mean fans have to buy through Ticketmaster, so service, processing and facility fees are paid with no alternative.
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