Ticketmaster is the largest ticket sales and distribution company in the United States. They sell tickets for concerts, sports events, theater shows, and more. However, Ticketmaster has received a lot of criticism over the years for their high fees and lack of competition. Here is an in-depth look at the pros and cons of using Ticketmaster.
The High Fees
The biggest complaint about Ticketmaster is their exceptionally high fees. On top of the ticket price, they add on a variety “convenience” and “processing” fees. These can often add 25-50% more to your total cost. Here are some of the common fees Ticketmaster charges:
- Convenience fees – for the ease of buying tickets online
- Order processing fees – for processing the ticket order
- Facility fees – charged by the venue hosting the event
- Service fees – a base fee on all orders
- Shipping fees – for mailing physical tickets
All these extra fees add up quickly. For example, if you buy a $100 concert ticket, your total cost could easily be $150 or more after including all of Ticketmaster’s fees.
Lack of Competition
Another common complaint is Ticketmaster’s near monopoly in the industry. They sell tickets for many major venues and sports teams across the U.S. This lack of competition allows them to charge higher fees without repercussion.
In many cases, Ticketmaster has exclusive contracts with venues and promoters to be their sole ticket provider. Some musicians and bands have spoken out against these exclusive deals, arguing that they hurt fans.
The lack of alternative options limits consumers’ ability to find cheaper tickets. There are some other ticket sellers like Stubhub and VividSeats, but they mostly resell tickets rather than selling the initial event tickets.
Upselling Tactics
Ticketmaster is also notorious for their tactics designed to upsell customers as much as possible. Their website often pushes you to purchase “platinum” tickets which are more expensive seats closer to the stage. They make concert-goers feel like they need to buy the platinum option to get a decent seat.
Here are some other upselling tactics on Ticketmaster’s website:
- Pressuring you to buy tickets right away before they “sell out”
- “Official platinum” tickets presented as highly desirable
- “Verified resale” tickets at inflated prices
- VIP packages with perks like merchandise, food and drinks
While these can be nice added features, they obviously benefit Ticketmaster more than the consumer. The pressure tactics can manipulate fans into spending way beyond their initial budget.
Poor Customer Service
In addition to the costs and sales tactics, customers often complain about Ticketmaster’s poor customer service. Their customer support lines have notoriously long wait times. Customers routinely vent on social media about spending 30 minutes or more waiting for an agent.
When you do reach a representative, there’s no guarantee they can address your inquiry. Customers have complained about being bounced back and forth between departments. Getting a refund or exchange is also painfully difficult, even for canceled or rescheduled events.
Pros of Using Ticketmaster
Despite all these negatives, there are some benefits to using Ticketmaster over other ticket brokers:
- Huge selection – As one of the biggest ticket companies, they offer tickets to tons of concerts, shows and sporting events across all genres and pro leagues.
- Reliable and secure – Ticketmaster is highly established and their website is securely encrypted.
- Ticketing guarantees – The tickets are 100% verified and come with a refund guarantee for canceled or rescheduled events.
- Exclusive ticket windows – Ticketmaster provides early access to sought after concert tickets with presales for fan club members and credit card holders.
So while you may pay higher fees in exchange, you benefit from Ticketmaster’s massive inventory and reliability as a ticketing service.
Alternatives to Ticketmaster
If you want to avoid Ticketmaster altogether, here are a few alternative places you can purchase tickets:
- Buy directly from the venue’s box office – This avoids all of Ticketmaster’s processing fees but is less convenient.
- StubHub – Allows you to buy and sell both new and resale tickets from regular users.
- Vivid Seats – Resells live event tickets similar to StubHub.
- Bandsintown – Sells concert tickets directly without added fees.
- SeatGeek – Provides listings of tickets from resale marketplaces.
Some of these reseller options may still add on their own fees, but they are usually less than Ticketmaster’s fees.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster is frustrating for consumers because of their high fees and sketchy sales tactics. However, they have managed to maintain their dominance in the industry thanks to exclusive venue contracts and strong brand power.
For very popular events where tickets sell out instantly, Ticketmaster may be your best option to secure seats quickly. But otherwise, it’s probably worth checking alternate ticket sellers first.
The ideal scenario would be a more open ticketing market with greater competition. But for now, fans have little choice but to deal with Ticketmaster if they want tickets to must-see concerts and sporting events.