DOJ approves the merging of convenience fees

[el_chode]

http://www.relix.com/news/2010/01/25/u-s-justice-department-approves-ticketmaster-live-nation-merger

More like Department of Jackasses, amirite?*

[size=8]*There will be a $40 convience fee added to anyone who disagrees with me.[/size]

[BH]

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse.  :-/

[.Walt]

I wonder if they even listened to the music fans? I doubt any of them are concert goers.
Fools on the hill.

[el_chode]

I wonder if they even listened to the music fans? I doubt any of them are concert goers.
Fools on the hill.

Anecdotal evidence:

Ten years ago I used to go see concerts that cost $10-$15 and had a $5 convenience fee.

In 10 years, the ticket price has at least doubled or even more than tripled in most instances, as has the "convenience" fee, even though I will guarantee you the cost of managing online ticketing has gone down significantly and the ticket vendors are now no different than the box office since they either own or monopolize a venue.

[Penny Lane]

convenience fee=oxymoron   :( :(

stinks...

[BH]

Luckily, half the bands I go see these days are $10/$12 at the door day of show.   I usually have even more fun at these shows, am always 10 feet from the stage and not much farther from the bar and the bathroom.  This, versus, $60 "Live Nation"amphitheater shows, where the sound sucks, I can't see shit and I have to walk a quarter mile to get a (shitty draft) beer and take a leak.  Oh, and not to mention spend an hour in the parking lot afterwards trying to get the hell out.  Hmmmmm, tough call.  FU Live Nation.  FU Ticketmaster.  FU Arena and Amphitheatre shows.  I will NOT see a show there again (unless it's MMJ ;)) and I vow to do my best to drive down to the mid size venues and buy tickets at the box office with cash so I don't have to pay for that convenience/handling/cause we can fees.

[mjkoehler]

Luckily, half the bands I go see these days are $10/$12 at the door day of show.   I usually have even more fun at these shows, am always 10 feet from the stage and not much farther from the bar and the bathroom.  This, versus, $60 "Live Nation"amphitheater shows, where the sound sucks, I can't see shit and I have to walk a quarter mile to get a (shitty draft) beer and take a leak.  Oh, and not to mention spend an hour in the parking lot afterwards trying to get the hell out.  Hmmmmm, tough call.  FU Live Nation.  FU Ticketmaster.  FU Arena and Amphitheatre shows.  I will NOT see a show there again (unless it's MMJ ;)) and I vow to do my best to drive down to the mid size venues and buy tickets at the box office with cash so I don't have to pay for that convenience/handling/cause we can fees.

Yep. Seriously, can we nuke Riverport or whatever the fuck it's called now? I hate that place. If you go to the Pageant to buy your ticket (which I strongly encourage), you must pay cash to wave the fees. I forgot about that last time.

[searchinbig]

Seems as long as WE THE PEOPLE keep going to these events they can rape us all they want. Same with pro football and baseball. Unbelievable what they can charge to go to a game now.  >:(

[el_chode]

Come on people, this is all our fault for downloading music, even if its legitimate!

[The DARK]

<rant>

I was at the Verizon Ampitheatre for a Radiohead show once, and as much as I enjoyed seeing them, my experience was almost ruined by the venue. I remember wanting a hot dog, until I realized they cost $6 apiece. And they weren't even half-decent. Nothing was allowed in, and the workers even seemed offended at the mere thought of anyone bringing in a camera. It stormed for a good 30 minutes before the show started, and I sudder to think of what it was like out on the lawn, especially if they weren't one for your all time favorite bands. Traffic and parking were absolutely awful; they were trying to fit the entire concert populace through about 4 bottlenecks, and I hardly remember anyone even trying to direct traffic on the way out. Took around 2 hours. Never going back there again.

I'll never get how Ticketmaster manages to evade the antitrust laws in place since the Industrial Revolution. Perhaps in "tough economic times," the rules don't apply? The DOJ thinks its compromises will solve the problem, but who the hell cares about ticketing software? They own potentially every major music venue in the country, and the ability to hike up ticket prices at will. And all they tell the world of small music venues is "Hey, you don't HAVE to use us...we'll just let you fail miserably if you don't."  ::)

</rant>

[el_chode]

<rant>

I was at the Verizon Ampitheatre for a Radiohead show once, and as much as I enjoyed seeing them, my experience was almost ruined by the venue. I remember wanting a hot dog, until I realized they cost $6 apiece. And they weren't even half-decent. Nothing was allowed in, and the workers even seemed offended at the mere thought of anyone bringing in a camera. It stormed for a good 30 minutes before the show started, and I sudder to think of what it was like out on the lawn, especially if they weren't one for your all time favorite bands. Traffic and parking were absolutely awful; they were trying to fit the entire concert populace through about 4 bottlenecks, and I hardly remember anyone even trying to direct traffic on the way out. Took around 2 hours. Never going back there again.

I'll never get how Ticketmaster manages to evade the antitrust laws in place since the Industrial Revolution. Perhaps in "tough economic times," the rules don't apply? The DOJ thinks its compromises will solve the problem, but who the hell cares about ticketing software? They own potentially every major music venue in the country, and the ability to hike up ticket prices at will. And all they tell the world of small music venues is "Hey, you don't HAVE to use us...we'll just let you fail miserably if you don't."  ::)

</rant>

I remember reading something years ago that they way they get around it is by not officialy contracting or something to that effect, so its never "formal".

Sounds cosa nostra to me

[hizzo]

FUCK THAT NOISE!!!!