Marauder’s Post

The Department of Justice (DOJ), along with various state attorney generals, have recently filed a case against Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster for violation of competition laws. The Department has alleged the following among other things: 1) Live Nation has acquired actual and potential competitors, and leveraged control over concert promotion and key venues to monopolize the ticketing market and exclusive dealing respectively. 2) Live Nation weaponized its control over large venues to force artists to use its services as their concert tour promoter. This control over tour was circled back to further cement its position in large venues market. 3) Ticketmaster’s long-term exclusive agreements with terms ranging from three to 14 years block rivals from the only significant channel of distribution to major venues. The petition could be accessed here: https://lnkd.in/gHZ-BHAt The Department has sought trial by jury for most of the allegations made. #Livenation #Tickmaster #largevenues #concertpromotion #ticketingservices

It is absolutely necessary that the monopolistic racket of Ticketmaster/Live Nation Entertainment be dismantled by this important effort of the U.S. Department of Justice. Especially when they’re the only entity powerful enough to do it right, with teeth, and not as likely to give in or be held hostage by their predatory practices as we have seen at local levels. (For example, here in Grand Rapids with the recent announcement by the Grand Rapids/Kent County CAA that yet another venue would be held hostage to a deal with Live Nation.) It won’t be overnight, but the long game is looking much better for disrupting their many cheat-to-win tactics, and freeing Kent County and others from the stranglehold this cartel has held in live events for far too long. If you’d like a great basic summary, this NPR update is a good option.

Want to pack the stands for your next band competition? Here are 3 ways that using online ticketing can make that easier! 🎟️🎟️ 1. You can partner with your local band sponsors and ask them to co-promote the event. If they have a physical location, take them a flyer or small poster with a QR code to purchase tickets immediately. 2. Send an email to your parent and alumni list with a link to purchase in the email. 3. Consider holding a festival before the competition and invite other local performing arts studios to participate. Use the QR code and online ticketing to make it simple for their parents and families to purchase tickets. And sell and scan ticket sales at the gate make the experience easy for people to show up on the day of the competition. #marchingband #softwarestartup

#economics #politics There are a few questions we should ask, rather than taking the progressively draconian European or Indian or Brazilian or Chinese or Russian tack on market regulation: 1. Should U.S. Department of Justice sue Ticketmaster for price gouging as a monopoly? 2. How should Lina Khan at the Federal Trade Commission, despite her well known Yale Law School paper on big tech, enforce antitrust law? 3. How should the DOJ address the emerging information technology platforms? 4. More fundamentally, did the Sherman Antitrust Act, the manner in which it has been enforced since breaking up Rockefeller’s Standard Oil and American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) produce the desired outcome of safeguarding the consumer interest from monopolies? 5. How should services in an 80% services economy be priced? These are all core questions and cases which could either ensure how economists have defined a perfect market since Adam Smith for addressing innovation, price reasonableness, and income and wealth disparity or not really solve the monopoly problem but create the oligopoly and oligarchy problem since the Peloponnesian War.

Starting the week off fresh with some free industry insights! After a massive amount of work from the Bolster and Tixel team, the time has finally come and we're proud to unleash the 2024 Ticketing State of Play Report for 2024 - Front Row Centre. If you're in the music or live events space make sure to dive into the report, as there are some great insights that can be used to fuel ideas and validate some of the weird and wonderful things happening out there. https://lnkd.in/gB2usMNe

The House passed the Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act to increase consumer price transparency. We now call on the Senate to pass S. 3457, the Fans First Act, which builds on the TICKET Act by including additional provisions to wholly ban speculative, or fake, tickets, to ensure that deceptive imagery on websites does not trick consumers, to increase mandatory reporting of illegal BOTS to obtain tickets, to require clear and conspicuous itemization of the ticket price and fees at the beginning of the transaction, and to provide meaningful enforcement of these provisions. Learn more about the TICKET Act and Fans First Act here: https://lnkd.in/ew9WWGe9 #FixTheTix #TICKETAct #FansFirstAct

How to avoid ticket scams during concert and holiday show season

Ready to elevate your outdoor entertainment game? Check out our latest blog post for 7 fun ways to use your new outdoor audio installation! 🎉 From backyard parties to relaxing evenings by the pool, we've got you covered. 🎶 #OutdoorAudio #OutdoorSoundSystem #DiamondJAudio

🎬 Attention Cinema Owners! 📽️ Are you ready to streamline your ticket sales and reach more customers? Watch this video to learn how easy it is to list your cinema tickets on Syticks! 🚀 #ThinkTicketsThinkSyticks

How did #TaylorSwift concerts jam traffic WORSE than the Super Bowl? Register for our upcoming webinar to see the tool we used to get answers, comparing real-time traffic disruptions during the #ErasTour and the #BigGame: https://lnkd.in/gZ949Q8p Plus, read our full analysis of Taylor Swift vs. Super Bowl traffic here: https://lnkd.in/g2g-3mRZ #Transportation #TransportationPlanning #TrafficOperations #CityPlanning #Swifties