Ticket buying drama

[BucketEgg]

yoooo has anyone seen the sheer drama that's going on with people trying to buy tickets for Taylor Swift's new concert, and Ticketmaster crashing and having errors during the presale, some presale codes not working, some fans not getting access to presale codes despite buying merch and trying to be a "verified fan", fans being upset about how they were told that having had tickets to the cancelled-from-COVID-tour would increase their place in the queue but it didn't, queue "boosts" from buying merchandise didn't happen, hours long queues, the general sale of tickets being cancelled so apparently only people with presale codes had any chance of attending, and of course the scalpers?

I don't know all the details, but apparently LiveNation and TicketMaster is linked, Live Nation owns venues so most artists are forced to use Ticketmaster, Live Nation may be considered a monopoly, there's soooo many scalpers, there's something called dynamic pricing!?

Do you think anything will come out of this fiasco, like anti-trust regulations busting up whatever Live Nation is. or will it just blow over and things will go on as they were before?

Has buying Guns N Roses tickets ever been dramatic for you?

How has buying tickets now differed from buying tickets in the past? What was it like back then?

How does buying tickets work in your country?

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by BucketEgg

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

Heard about it. Ticketmaster crashed. lol

Glad I don't like her nor did I want to buy tickets.

[Gordon Comstock]

I think the last time I went to a big arena/stadium show was GNR 5 years ago, so I haven't had to use ticketmaster/live nation for a while and I'm happy about that. I had a ticket to see the Stones in 2020 but a friend bought the tickets, so he dealt with the refund process.

Their greed, fees and 'dynamic pricing' has fucked concert-goers and kind of ruined the experience though. Blink-182 tickets are another recent example of that. Ten years ago if you wanted to be up front at a big concert, you weren't paying that much more than in other sections of a venue (for the most part). I paid about $70 for pit tickets for GNR in 2011, same for Godsmack, $65 for Alice Cooper in 2012... but now? There's not many bands I would consider paying hundreds to see in an arena.

Most of the shows I've been to in recent years were at bars or theatres, sometimes amphitheatres, and tickets were usually sold through the venue with relatively low fees/taxes. I'd be happy to never give ticketmaster another cent.

[ZoSoRose]

It’s insane.

 

Great thread. Remember when we were going nuts over $300 GNR tix?

[BucketEgg]

17 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

It’s insane.

 

Great thread. Remember when we were going nuts over $300 GNR tix?

unfortunately i don't, because i wasn't into guns n roses back then. :O maybe i can dig through the forum to find all the nuttiness though! was this for the seats all the way at the back, or the ones at the front?

the GnR tickets in my area are currently around mid $200 dollars near the front, and $99 dollars at the back for the cheapest ticekts. The ticket site disables the ability to see the pricing for floor and VIP packages once they're sold out though

 

also Taylor is really mad at Ticketmaster now. I wonder if this will lead to legal action from people watching the situation, or if she will try to set up her own ticketing system in the USA, and then Ticketmaster continues trudging on like it does, and all the smaller performers are still stuck with it

[Sweersa]

Buying tickets has been a PITA as long as I've been doing it. StubHub is a PITA too. 

Wish it was as simple as buying them from the band's website or the venue. 

[Karice]

On 11/18/2022 at 1:23 PM, Sweersa said:

Buying tickets has been a PITA as long as I've been doing it. StubHub is a PITA too. 

Wish it was as simple as buying them from the band's website or the venue. 

I was assuming that People bought tickets from the Venue itself.

[downzy]

Ticket prices are a reflection of artist greed + demand for said artists

Dynamic pricing is catchy cover for artist to scalp their own tickets. 

On the one hand, I don’t necessarily fault artists for wanting to recoup the fair market value for the tickets to their shows.  I’d be annoyed if I looked down and the first three rows were occupied by rich assholes who bought tickets from brokers for 3x-10x face value. 

On the other, artists could move to an entirely paperless ticket system that would mostly negate the current system where the scalpers through bots are gaming the system and ginning up the prices.  But they won’t, because it would likely reveal that demand isn’t as high as they want everyone to believe and they’d be out a large amount of money.

This isn’t to excuse Ticketmaster.  But if you think this is all on them, you need to check out the newest house or yacht your favourite artist just bought.  Most artists are insanely greedy and hence use Ticketmaster as a front to direct their fans anger towards.  Taylor Swift is no different.  Neither really are Guns.  

 

[Gavin82]

The Boss & ESB for his 2023 tour in EU same thing happened for EU shows TM crashed 

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

Well, my problem with tickemaster.com thse days is how they allow brokers and other ticket sites to buy tons of tickets for re-sale. And the prices are very high.

I was trying to get tickets to the Crue, Def Leppard and Poison concert, but every ticket was a re-sale and very high prices.

I don't know why ticketmaster allows this shit? It's not fair to us fans.  And what I want to know is when do these brokers buy the tickets since it seems when the sale begins most of the tickets are gone or for resale already?

Not to mention all the other chargers they charge. What the hell is a convenience charge for? It's my computer and my phone that my tickets go to, so exactly what the hell is ticketmaster doing now except listing the tickets?

[BucketEgg]

On 11/23/2022 at 4:56 AM, downzy said:

Ticket prices are a reflection of artist greed + demand for said artists

Dynamic pricing is catchy cover for artist to scalp their own tickets. 

On the one hand, I don’t necessarily fault artists for wanting to recoup the fair market value for the tickets to their shows.  I’d be annoyed if I looked down and the first three rows were occupied by rich assholes who bought tickets from brokers for 3x-10x face value. 

On the other, artists could move to an entirely paperless ticket system that would mostly negate the current system where the scalpers through bots are gaming the system and ginning up the prices.  But they won’t, because it would likely reveal that demand isn’t as high as they want everyone to believe and they’d be out a large amount of money.

This isn’t to excuse Ticketmaster.  But if you think this is all on them, you need to check out the newest house or yacht your favourite artist just bought.  Most artists are insanely greedy and hence use Ticketmaster as a front to direct their fans anger towards.  Taylor Swift is no different.  Neither really are Guns.  

 

i've looked into the Swift tickets further, and apparently the dynamic pricing was set in a limited range from $49 to $499. yeah, popular musicians are definitely going to be greedy.

 

I remember someone posted about Pearl Jam's crusade against Ticketmaster, but that post has disappeared :O

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by BucketEgg

[Gracii Guns]

Going to any arena gig is a huge logistical headache as well as expense for me. I’m happy to pay up to £100 for a ticket, maybe stretch to £150 if it was John Lennon resurrected, or less likely, ABBA reunited. 
 

To be expected to pay premium prices for tickets when just the cost of living is high enough is a mockery. The whole point of stadiums is that you can sell more tickets with the same amount of energy investment as an arena, or even smaller. I’d rather go to my local music bar and pay a tenner to see some unknown talent and get a cab home. 

[downzy]

17 hours ago, Gracii Guns said:

Going to any arena gig is a huge logistical headache as well as expense for me. I’m happy to pay up to £100 for a ticket, maybe stretch to £150 if it was John Lennon resurrected, or less likely, ABBA reunited. 
 

To be expected to pay premium prices for tickets when just the cost of living is high enough is a mockery. The whole point of stadiums is that you can sell more tickets with the same amount of energy investment as an arena, or even smaller. I’d rather go to my local music bar and pay a tenner to see some unknown talent and get a cab home. 

Agreed.  Perhaps I just don’t “get it” but I can’t fathom spending more than $100 for two hours of entertainment.  At the rate concert ticket prices are going, you’re lucky to spend that on the worst seats in the house.  The value proposition of attending live music for popular acts has been completely upended.  And this doesn’t even take into consideration that most of the major acts are well past their prime. I’m wondering at what point more people don’t start questioning whether “being there” and whatever marginal and perceived status that brings is worth the small fortune it now costs.

I use to take advantage of last minute ticket sales on Stubhub whenever people, brokers, or scalpers look to get something for their tickets.  I use to get tickets at 50-60 percent less than their face value, which allowed me to focus on enjoying the performance rather than being preoccupied with the insane amounts of money face value tickets cost.  But that avenue seems less viable today as people are more willing to go to anything these days, regardless of the costs.

[Dazey]

On 11/22/2022 at 5:56 PM, downzy said:

Ticket prices are a reflection of artist greed + demand for said artists

Dynamic pricing is catchy cover for artist to scalp their own tickets. 

On the one hand, I don’t necessarily fault artists for wanting to recoup the fair market value for the tickets to their shows.  I’d be annoyed if I looked down and the first three rows were occupied by rich assholes who bought tickets from brokers for 3x-10x face value. 

On the other, artists could move to an entirely paperless ticket system that would mostly negate the current system where the scalpers through bots are gaming the system and ginning up the prices.  But they won’t, because it would likely reveal that demand isn’t as high as they want everyone to believe and they’d be out a large amount of money.

This isn’t to excuse Ticketmaster.  But if you think this is all on them, you need to check out the newest house or yacht your favourite artist just bought.  Most artists are insanely greedy and hence use Ticketmaster as a front to direct their fans anger towards.  Taylor Swift is no different.  Neither really are Guns.  

Glastonbury Fesival in the UK  implemented a system where you have to register for the sale in advance and upload a passpot photo at the time, When you get your ticket it has your photo printed on it so nobody else can use it. Killed scalping overnight. It's totally possible if the people involved want it to be, I'm sure that somebody like Taylor Swift could insist on such a system for her shows and prevent all these issues in a heartbeat.

2 hours ago, downzy said:

Agreed.  Perhaps I just don’t “get it” but I can’t fathom spending more than $100 for two hours of entertainment.

Not a fan of cocaine then?  

[downzy]

4 hours ago, Dazey said:

Glastonbury Fesival in the UK  implemented a system where you have to register for the sale in advance and upload a passpot photo at the time, When you get your ticket it has your photo printed on it so nobody else can use it. Killed scalping overnight. It's totally possible if the people involved want it to be, I'm sure that somebody like Taylor Swift could insist on such a system for her shows and prevent all these issues in a heartbeat.

Not a fan of cocaine then?  

You’re only getting two hours of entertainment out of $100 worth of coke?  Who are you, George Carlin?  🥳

[Gordon Comstock]

On 11/17/2022 at 2:47 PM, Gordon Comstock said:

I think the last time I went to a big arena/stadium show was GNR 5 years ago, so I haven't had to use ticketmaster/live nation for a while and I'm happy about that. I had a ticket to see the Stones in 2020 but a friend bought the tickets, so he dealt with the refund process.

Their greed, fees and 'dynamic pricing' has fucked concert-goers and kind of ruined the experience though. Blink-182 tickets are another recent example of that. Ten years ago if you wanted to be up front at a big concert, you weren't paying that much more than in other sections of a venue (for the most part). I paid about $70 for pit tickets for GNR in 2011, same for Godsmack, $65 for Alice Cooper in 2012... but now? There's not many bands I would consider paying hundreds to see in an arena.

Most of the shows I've been to in recent years were at bars or theatres, sometimes amphitheatres, and tickets were usually sold through the venue with relatively low fees/taxes. I'd be happy to never give ticketmaster another cent.

 

Got tickets for RHCP next year and the fees were $50 per ticket.

They're awesome seats and I'm stoked for the concert, but fuck ticketmaster

[AxlisOld]

On 12/1/2022 at 9:21 AM, Dazey said:

 

Not a fan of cocaine then?  

This checks out

On 12/1/2022 at 2:19 PM, downzy said:

You’re only getting two hours of entertainment out of $100 worth of coke?  Who are you, George Carlin?  🥳

Fuckin inflation.

[Karice]

The Fictional Cake Cream Band tickets are permanently only $25. 😏 I wonder if real world bands would ever decide to do permanently only $25 tickets. 🤔

[ssiscool]

On 12/7/2022 at 1:35 AM, Gordon Comstock said:

 

Got tickets for RHCP next year and the fees were $50 per ticket.

They're awesome seats and I'm stoked for the concert, but fuck ticketmaster

is that 50 a ticket and the fees or just the fee's on top of the ticket price? 

I purchased tickets for Sabaton last year and the tickets were 37, but about £12 extra in fee's

[Gordon Comstock]

20 minutes ago, ssiscool said:

is that 50 a ticket and the fees or just the fee's on top of the ticket price? 

I purchased tickets for Sabaton last year and the tickets were 37, but about £12 extra in fee's

 

$50 in fees per ticket. It's a big stadium tour and I got good seats, so they were expensive (after fees, tickets were almost $300 each). For comparison, I got tickets for my brother for the GNR show at the same venue in 2017, close to the same section, and from memory those tickets were around the same price (I think GNR was actually a bit more expensive).

The "platinum seats" thing pisses me off too. I'm in the lower bowl, first section from the stage, 12 rows up. If you want tickets in the first couple rows in that section, you pay "platinum" prices, which are around $500 per ticket. Pit tickets and good floor seats are $500-600. It's insane.

Of course, you can still see great bands for reasonable prices - I paid $30 plus a few dollars in fees to see Dirty Honey in a small venue in September, and about $70 total to see Nathaniel Rateliff at an amphitheatre. But ticket prices are one of the main reasons I don't bother with many big shows anymore.

[ssiscool]

On 12/11/2022 at 8:42 PM, Gordon Comstock said:

But ticket prices are one of the main reasons I don't bother with many big shows anymore.

Likewise. I was just looking at Kiss tickets in the UK. £110 plus fees for standing. and half the floor is golden circle which is £188.
In the end i bought another ticket to see Sabaton in April for £47 so i see them twice in one weekend

[Gordon Comstock]

3 hours ago, ssiscool said:

Likewise. I was just looking at Kiss tickets in the UK. £110 plus fees for standing. and half the floor is golden circle which is £188.
In the end i bought another ticket to see Sabaton in April for £47 so i see them twice in one weekend

 

I'm Canadian, so £188 is about $315, which is about average for GA at a large concert. We don't really do the Golden Circle thing but most of the floor is seated at large shows now, which I still think is weird. I guess GA is basically the same as Golden Circle, except the GA pit doesn't take up anywhere near half the floor.

[downzy]

On 12/11/2022 at 3:42 PM, Gordon Comstock said:

$50 in fees per ticket.

Most of that goes to the artist.

Ticketmaster gets paid by artists to catch the vitriol from their fanbase.  

[Gordon Comstock]

33 minutes ago, downzy said:

Most of that goes to the artist.

Ticketmaster gets paid by artists to catch the vitriol from their fanbase.  

 

Almost $50 for the artist doesn't mean the rest of my ticket should cost $240. Ticketmaster are greedy cunts no matter which way you look at it

[downzy]

2 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

Almost $50 for the artist doesn't mean the rest of my ticket should cost $240. Ticketmaster are greedy cunts no matter which way you look at it

Agreed. But because demand is there, many popular artist shelters higher ticket prices through fees that most people think are going to Ticketmaster. 

I’m no fan of Ticketmaster, but until more people understand and take issue with the artists they want to see live for charging insane prices that lock most people out, things won’t change. Ticketmaster will continue to serve as the boogeyman, one they get paid well for.