By Olivia Harrison
Staff Writer
On March 18 at around 3 p.m. I logged into Ticketmaster, hoping to get tickets to Tomorrow X Together’s show at Madison Square Garden. However, the map froze when I logged in, not allowing me to click any seat options. I had to settle on a backup option to see them on a different day instead.
A part of me felt annoyed that instead of displaying “tickets have been sold out,” the website froze, leaving some fans confused and others to retreat to a different day. Some users were booted out of the system and were unable to secure tickets for either date. Nonetheless, I considered it a win that I could see Tomorrow X Together on an alternative day.
The problems I experienced with Ticketmaster arose again with Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” tour presale. Fans were given a presale code for various nights at various venues. I chose Madison Square Garden and selected Wells Fargo Center as a backup.
I ended up in the back of the queue, with about 40,000 individuals in front of me, more than both stadiums could hold. Other fans struggled with Ticketmaster booting them out, frozen screens and more issues. When it was my turn to see what was available, both shows were sold out, leaving my best friend and I heartbroken.
With my frustrations growing with Ticketmaster, I tried searching for an alternative solution, but there were no other options. I was stuck using Ticketmaster or playing roulette on StubHub and Vividseats.
The most troubling thing about Ticketmaster is its monopoly on the concert ticket industry. Ticketmaster is under the parent company Live Nation, which has a near-complete monopoly over the industry, in which pricing, fares and taxes are all controlled under them.
The United States Justice Department has sued the company for violating antitrust laws, but it’s unclear how the case will turn out. Although Stubhub and Vividseats are verified websites, transactions are highly-priced, and there is a higher chance of getting scalped or scammed by so-called “resellers.”
Ticketmaster does sell resale tickets, but the platform has allowed scalpers to overcharge. The company needs to pay more attention to this problem.
A key issue is that Ticketmaster owns the resale platform, monopolizing the resale ticket market as well. There is no other solution, which is a problem considering the amount of money and time fans spend attaining concert tickets.
Despite Ticketmaster being a legitimate company and a legitimate site, there have been numerous problems with the security of ticket sales as well, with the company selling “unverified” face-value tickets or taking tickets from customers without them knowing. Fans often find themselves stuck in a labyrinth of customer service options that go nowhere, and their valuable time and money are lost.
For example, seventeen fans ordered tickets for the tour only to have their tickets stolen and taken by scammers who breached the system. Ticketmaster did nothing to help the situation, leaving fans helpless while others sought legal action.
Most recently, Oasis fans were also jipped, with Ticketmaster taking more than 50,000 tickets away. This shows a high lack of consumer protection on Ticketmaster’s end, with no recourse for most customers. Ticketmaster only cares about the company's true purpose: making profit. There is no consideration for customers, nor the artists themselves, who face liability if tickets are stolen from customers.
Live Nation’s monopolization of the industry has gone on long enough, and it is time for another company to emerge. While the company acts like it is providing an essential service, some fans win, while others don’t and waste valuable time.
In addition, even the fans who do get tickets are not 100% guaranteed that Ticketmaster will not take away what they perilously battled for. It is a double-edged sword with no winning solution.
It’s time for a real solution in the concert ticketing industry to emerge — one that prioritizes the fans and artists instead of focusing on profit. Until that happens, Ticketmaster and Live Nation will continue this vicious cycle leaving concertgoers helpless.
