Live Nation and Ticketmaster Defend Ticket Pricing Amidst Accusations: In response to persistent accusations of driving high ticket prices, Live Nation and Ticketmaster are standing their ground, with Dan Wall, the parent company’s EVP of corporate and regulatory affairs, taking a proactive stance in their defense.
In a recent blog post, Wall emphasized that the pricing of tickets lies in the hands of artists and teams, asserting, “Tickets are actually priced by artists and teams. It’s their show, they get to decide what it costs to get in.” He aimed to shift the focus of the pricing debate towards service charges, addressing the common perception that these charges are perceived as ‘junk fees’ imposed solely for profit by Ticketmaster.
Wall clarified, “There is a common perception that service charges are ‘junk fees’ and that Ticketmaster sets the fees and pockets the money. Again, that’s not true.” He went on to explain that service charges are added to the face value of concert tickets due to the minimal or nonexistent share that venues and primary ticketing companies receive from the ticket’s face value.
Highlighting the integral role played by venues and ticketing companies in the concert ecosystem, Wall acknowledged that the add-on nature of service fees can be irksome to fans, fueling the narrative of them being perceived as ‘junk fees.’ However, he argued, “They are not junk fees for the simple reason that the venues and ticketing companies have costs associated with the services they provide to help produce the show. They provide value and one way or another will be compensated for it.”
This statement by Live Nation and Ticketmaster seeks to shed light on the complex economics behind ticket pricing, emphasizing the necessity of service charges to cover the costs incurred by key players in delivering a live concert experience.
