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How to combat Ticketmaster / Livenation? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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As I am sure most of the world is aware of the monopoly that Ticketmaster have regarding events, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to defeat them little by little or otherwise.

I have seen many campaigns, including one from before live nation was formed, in an attempt to prevent it. The juggernaut that it is, easily bats away any attempt to take it on, they are not even afraid of the US government trying to break up the monopoly.

They have been caught many times globally breaking and bending laws, and have a very unethical form of practice. Ticket prices just keep going up along with nonsense charges.

Would love to see ideas to help defeat them.

EDIT - Would lobbying politicians help? (Not sure if lobbying is the correct word). I mean, would having a pre-written letter template being sent to the correct politicians work if a load of people were to sign it and send it in, similar to the fightchatcontrol.eu site.

Which politicians to email?

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[–] 17 points 1 year ago (8 children)

Pearl Jam tried at what was pretty much the peak of their career and it didn't go well for them. Ticketmaster holds an illegal monopoly and should be forced to allow other players to sell tickets to the venues that they have in a stranglehold.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Seems like artists would have some way of setting up shows outside of Ticketmaster's control.

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  • [–] 0 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    Did they really try?

    Seems like a popular group such as pearl jam could get away with selling tickets without this company.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Yes, they really did try. And because pretty much all large venues are Ticketmaster-only, they cancelled a tour in 1994.

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  • [–] 0 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    pretty much all

    What about the ones that weren't ticketmaster-only?

    I find it hard to believe they couldn't find a place to have their shows. Maybe in a major city, but if they were willing to go outside of one then there's no way ticketmaster is going to have control over everything.

    It could've been good business for the towns they played in and ticketmaster would be left out to dry.

    I guess that's asking too much of them, though. Even though it's really not.

    I'm going to have to say nay on their attempt. They could have and should have tried harder.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    That's what they tried. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitalogy_Tour#History

    Pearl Jam promoted Vitalogy with tours in Asia, Oceania, and the United States in 1995. [...] The band continued its boycott against Ticketmaster during its tour of the United States, refusing to play in Ticketmaster's venue areas, but was surprised that virtually no other bands joined it in refusing to play at Ticketmaster venues. The band chose to use alternate ticketing companies for the shows.

    The tour of the United States faced various troubles. Bassist Jeff Ament said that the band and its crew had to "[build] shows from the ground up, a venue everywhere we went." [...]

    About cancelling the dates, Vedder said, "I think we all agreed that it had gotten insane, that it was no longer about the music." Ament later said, "We were so hardheaded about the 1995 tour. Had to prove we could tour on our own, and it pretty much killed us, killed our career."

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