Ticketmaster CEO says Live Nation merger necessary

Ticketmaster's Irving Azoff rejects criticism by Bruce Springsteen and others of the proposed buyout of Live Nation.

(Credit: Ina Fried/CNET)

CARLSBAD, Calif.--Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff portrayed his company on Wednesday as one that needs the merger with Live Nation to survive.

"Any of you guys can write a program to sell some tickets," he told the crowd at the D: All Things Digital conference here.

Conference co-host Kara Swisher took issue with his positioning. "Most people don't consider Ticketmaster a victim," Swisher said.

Azoff noted that more and more entities are getting into the ticketing business, forcing his company to diversify as well.

"It's the natural evolution of business," he said. "It's just a myth that there is not real competition."

He rejected the criticism of the proposed deal from Bruce Springsteen and others.

"I would say Bruce is uninformed," he said.

Asked about the deal's prospects of ultimately going through, he said: "We're very optimistic and enthusiastic that the merger will get done sometime between now and the second half of the year," he said.

[El_Segfaulto]

I'm sure this has nothing to do with TicketMaster gouging their customers with 100% convenience fees, service fees, fee fees, valvestem lubrication, and who knows what else. I used to work as a clerk at an outlet that had a TicketMaster terminal and not once did I sell a ticket that didn't end up being more than twice the perceived cost. It seems that people have had enough.

[ckh1272]

I second that. Live Nation isn't much better. I was planning to purchase a ticket online and between their processing and "convenience" fee, it was 25% of the ticket price. So a $49.50 ticket became $62.50 and I said "heck no" to that. Fortunately there was another show near me and it was $4.50 fee on (through Inticketing) a $42.50 ticket, which was more reasonable to me. Live Nation and Ticketmaster can both take a flying leap!! Bring on the competition!!

[Habeer Akinde]

In defense of Live Nation, I work for Blockbuster we have a Live Nation ticket sales section in the store and only charge a $2.50 fee.

[Remo_Williams]

A good day for every concert-goer and ticker buyer is when the effective Ticketmaster stranglehold is broken for good. They supremely suck.

-Remo

[Mergatroid Mania]

I agree 100%.

Ticket master is a rip-off. I refuse to do any business with them. I have noot been to a concert in years because of this.

These companies are currently under investigation in my area. Where I'm from it is ilegal to sell tickets for more than the price stamped on the ticket, yet Ticket Master and other companies think they should be immune to this law. They say the law is out dated.

I believe our local venues should just stop dealing with them. Bands and other performers should also refuse to deal with them as happened in Vancouver, since these companies are ripping off fans. The price of the ticket is supposed to pay for the venue and the performers. The venus can be a huge arena or stadium, and of course the performers have to be well paid. Just what value does Ticket Master add that makes the tickets worth almost double? Just what do they think they have that's worth nearly the same cost on the ticket as the venue or performers?
IMHO they don't add any value whatsoever. We're being charged just for the tickets to pass through their hands.

I believe these companies should be shut down and criminal charges laid.

[SEXYDIVERGUY]

When he talks "diversify" he is really talking about their re-seller web site that customers often get when a show is "sold out"..ya sure its sold out.

These guys have made ticket scalping a legitimate business just as the credit card companies turned loan sharking into a legitimate business.

I can only hope Ticketmaster faces a real supply and demand issue...more supply than demand and the performers take them to court.

Ron

[papsc]

Recently saw Ben Harper and the Rentless 7, actual ticket price was $35, bought 2 tickets, total $70, after service fees and all the other crap was added it cost $100!!!! AND I still had to pay for parking. We see a lot of shows, that is what we really enjoy doing, but the way they are raping us in fees is causing me to say NO to some shows we really want to see (Jason Mraz, NIN).

[ccinwa]

This whole thing is crazy. I have yet to find anywhere that I can purchase an event ticket for the face price plus tax. You cannot even go to the ticket counter at the venue. Those are all run by Ticketmaster. I am not against them making a reasonable fee, way back when it was $2-$4 per ticket. But, there is no reason for the excessive fees they charge today.

[msjonker]

Ticketmaster CEO says Live Nation merger necessary (to maintain monopoly)

[jmfb_k7]

It wouldn't be that big of a deal if mulitple vendors had the right to sell the same tickets (same seats). No more of this "rows b-g go to ticketmaster", "rows f-j are up for grabs", and "the A row goes to the radio DJ who plugged my venue last week". If you could buy the same seat from ticketmast or live nation or any of the other legit ticket vendors (i.e. not a reseller), then the fees would drop like its hot.

Ticketmaster wants 38.95 in fees on a 25 dollar ticket, F'that, I'll go to the next site until I find a fee I'm willing to pay.
They would just have to implement a 5 minute wait period to allow for the databases to update to make sure the seat wasn't bought by someone else.

BTW, Irving Azoff will prolly want to shut me up for good after giving you guys this great idea.

[gggg sssss]

Die ticketmaster die

[James Anderson Merritt]

Now TicketMaster can't make it as a near-monopoly? They have to merge with LiveNation to establish a de-facto total monopoly?

I'd even be cool with that, if they promised to charge no more than 5% "service fees," to a maximum of $5.00 IN TOTAL, ever. But, as this will never happen, only competition will keep the fees at their minimum.

[ConcertFanSF]

The fees for Live Nation and Ticketmaster are absurd and unjustified. I wish more venues and festivals would use better ticketing services that actually care about the fans. <a href=http://www.inticketing.com>In Ticketing</a> (http://www.inticketing.com) is one of those better companies. The fees are like 1/3 the amount and they plant a tree for every ticket they sell online to most events. As far as I am concerned, they are the best <b>ticketing software</b> out there. Just checked their website and they have tickets for sale online for many venues and festivals including Yoshi's, Slim's, Great American Music Hall, The Parish Room, The Orpheum Theater, Le Poisson Rouge, Wavehouse, The Catalyst and like thousands of others.