Ticketmaster - A letter to the casual concert goer

Submitted by RedditorNumber679260 t3_z5p11h in Music

Lots of posts about Ticketmaster where people just say:

  • “It’s the artist’s fault, Taylor signed on to TMs deal, she could play anywhere without TM”

  • “It’s the Fans fault, they wouldn’t scalp if YOU idiots didn’t buy the tickets over face value (it’s not me!)”

With the Taylor tour debacle and these posts happening, the general public is STILL not realizing that Ticketmaster / LiveNation owns the rights selling tickets for nearly ALL of America’s venues with a large capacity.

So ANY artist that isn’t a local bar band (playing under 1500 people) NEEDS to play venues in order to tour.

That means that Taylor, The Stones, Blink182, Phish, Roger Waters, Adele, Def Leppard, Weird Al…. Ween, Green Day, Metallica, and yes even Pearl Jam!

!!!They have no choice!!!

If they are going to tour in the US, they need play a venue large enough. And Ticketmaster controls the tickets for nearly ALL the large venues.

Please stop with this nonsense that the artists can just “not play” or the fans can just “not go”.

Neither our artists or your mother have a choice. Sorry, but it’s been this way since the late 80’s.

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MorrisMossHair t1_ixx9fg6 wrote

Thank you for reposting the 7th from top comment in every post about Ticketmaster.

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RedditorNumber679260 OP t1_ixxefk3 wrote

Yes. I know right?!?

But it seems like people aren’t actually getting down that far.

I STILL see people blaming Taylor and the fans.

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ParisHiltonIsDope t1_ixxa1iu wrote

Yeah, but here's the thing. I can voice my anger and frustration at Ticketmaster and that'll go about as far as the people at my Thanksgiving table.

Large artists like Blink, Taylor Swift, the Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Elton John, Katy Perry, etc. they have a large platform with REAL influence on millions of people. Their voice and their opinion can/will go a lot farther then mine. They have the option and the ability to make their voices heard on behalf of the fans that are dropping entire paychecks to see them. They have the option to make considerable changes yet most of them choose to just sit back and collect their checks.

Your argument that "it is what it is" is a depressing and sad approach to the ordeal. I hope things in your life are going well though.

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RedditorNumber679260 OP t1_ixxe1ii wrote

Yes but the ARTISTS TRIED and FAILED.

PEARL JAM TESTIFIED To Congress in the 90’s and boycotted them for a decade when they were THE TOP ACT.

TAYLOR, McCaRTNEY, The STONES. JIMI HENDRIX could rise from the dead and he’d still need to play a Ticketmaster venue or not play at all.

Every single artist (AND SPORTS TEAM) would need to stop touring and playing. The chances of that happening?

Zero. Touring is the only way artists make money now.

^ This is my point of my post. The casual concert goer doesn’t know just how much control Ticketmaster has over the artists.

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ParisHiltonIsDope t1_ixxk5t6 wrote

Oh my God dude, your take is about as flat in two-dimensional as the people you're criticizing. There's literally no nuance to your argument whatsoever.

Starting with previous attempts. You say it like it's plural, but it was just Pearl jam That went to Congress. Also, Pearl jam in the '90s was a very different environment then Taylor Swift in 2022. Pearl jam would have been taken as seriously as Maroon 5 would be at Congress. They attract a little attention, but they didn't have nearly the amount of sway that someone like Taylor Swift would. Even blink-182 is bigger now than Pearl jam at The prime.

People in the '90s also did not have access to the same level of information about Ticketmaster as they do now. Pearl jam's voice wasn't amplified as much because they didn't have a hoard of fans that were following every minute of the debacle. They didn't have TikTok to keep reiterating what a shitshow. And this wasn't exactly a high priority ticket for politicians.

I'm not saying the point of your post is wrong per your argument. You are right in saying that's how things work right now. But it's also very nihilistic to say there's no point in calling for change just because a rock band tried to talk to stuffy old politicians about concerts three decades ago.

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RedditorNumber679260 OP t1_ixxvqg6 wrote

Taylor. Has. Zero. Sway.

YES SHE IS MICHAEL JACKSON LEVEL.

But if she said “I’m not gonna tour until Congress does something!” like Pearl Jam did?

< Crickets >

Ticketmaster would be like…. “Okay, then don’t make money… the venue is open for these dates. Call me, or not. Don’t care. We make enough on Football.”

Congress would be like “Okay. My kids like you…. But wait this lobbyist is still paying me to not care.”

Last- You think Congress is on TIK TOK??? And Pearl Jam shows STILL easily cost / sell out just as fast Blink does. (I had SHIT tickets for PJ at MSG that we’re going for $800 a piece) I don’t think you’re even old enough to remember buying tickets in the 90’s.

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Daddywarbucks0420 t1_ixxamj7 wrote

Phish can and has put on its own festivals with 100k people there. NO TICKETMASTER OWNED VENUE.

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RedditorNumber679260 OP t1_ixxcg4w wrote

YES. But can they do that for every show?

Nah….

No Air Force base or Big Cypress is going to be able to handle 15 shows in a row and the fans can’t travel and live there for it.

I’m a phan like you my friend, my friend. :)

….Can Taylor fans do the festivals that us phish phans do? What about Rage? Or Metallica? Nope. Woodstock 99 all over again. Most fans need running water, electricity and food.

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Herpes-in-space t1_ixxeg5o wrote

I don't think this was the point but this post kind of makes me think Ticketmaster provides a service venues need.

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