Live Nation is one of the largest ticket providers in the world, selling tickets for concerts, sports events, and more. With their huge reach, Live Nation has developed a reputation for reliability and convenience when it comes to buying tickets. However, some concerns have been raised over pricing and fees associated with using Live Nation. This article will examine the pros and cons of using Live Nation as a ticket source.
The advantages of using Live Nation
Here are some of the key benefits of buying tickets through Live Nation:
- Access to tickets for top artists and events – As one of the largest ticket sellers, Live Nation has exclusive partnerships with many major venues, festivals, and performers. This gives them early access to tickets before the general public.
- Large inventory – Live Nation sells tickets for over 30,000 events each year across dozens of countries. Their huge inventory gives fans access to concerts and events that other ticket sellers may not have.
- Reliable verified tickets – Live Nation has measures in place to vet tickets and avoid counterfeits or other issues. Fans can buy with confidence knowing tickets are legitimate.
- Refunds available on canceled events – If an event is canceled or rescheduled, Live Nation typically offers full refunds to ticket buyers. This gives buyers assurance.
- Transferable tickets – For many events, Live Nation tickets can be transferred to a new buyer if plans change. This adds flexibility for fans.
- Variety of ticket options – Live Nation offers different tiers and types of tickets, from general admission to VIP packages. This caters to different budgets and interests.
- Large online platform – Live Nation has an established website and app that make buying tickets convenient and simple for most events.
- Ticket guarantees – Live Nation provides a 200% guarantee that if ticket holders are denied entry due to invalid tickets, they will get comparable or better replacement tickets.
For big music fans or those wanting to attend major live events, Live Nation can be a go-to option with its selection and reliability around ticketing.
Criticisms and concerns about Live Nation
However, there are some downsides associated with Live Nation that should be considered:
- High fees – Like most ticket sellers, Live Nation adds substantial fees onto the base price of tickets. These fees can add 25-30% extra costs.
- Lack of price caps – Live Nation does not put price caps on tickets for high demand shows. This leads to very expensive tickets.
- Tied to specific venues – Since Live Nation owns/operates so many major venues, fans are forced to use them if they want to attend events in those places.
- Controversies around ticket limits – There have been accusations of Live Nation limiting ticket availability to drive up demand and profits.
- Resale partner affiliations – Live Nation works with ticket resale sites that are accused of scalping tickets at inflated prices.
- Failure to deliver tickets – Some customers report issues receiving tickets in time for events when buying directly from Live Nation.
- Poor customer service – Long wait times and unhelpful service reps are commonly cited issues with Live Nation’s customer support channels.
The pricing, fees, and other controversies have given Live Nation a less-than-stellar reputation among some live event fans and consumer groups. There are concerns around anti-competitive practices as well given their size.
Live Nation fees and ticket breakdown
To understand the full cost of tickets, it’s important to look at the different fees Live Nation commonly charges:
Fee Type | Estimated Amount |
---|---|
Service fee | $10-$25 per ticket |
Facility charge | $5-$15 per ticket |
Order processing fee | $5-$10 per order |
Shipping (if not digital ticket) | $2-$15 per order |
With all charges and fees considered, a $50 base ticket price can end up costing $75-$100 out the door through Live Nation. Fans should read all terms closely during checkout so they understand the total costs.
Live Nation ticket limits and presales
For high demand events, Live Nation commonly places per person ticket limits and offers presales:
– Ticket limit – Typically between 2 and 8 tickets per person for top shows. This attempts to prevent bulk buying.
– Presales – Special presales provide early ticket access to Live Nation customers, fan club members, and certain credit card holders. These often sell out quickly.
– Sell outs – Popular shows frequently sell out immediately, meaning fans have to look to resale markets which involve greater costs and risks.
These tactics make it hard for the average fan to buy tickets at face value. Being locked out of presales or facing four ticket maximums pushes more customers to pay higher secondary market prices later.
Comparison shopping with other major ticket sellers
Live Nation is not the only option available to customers looking to buy tickets. Here is how Live Nation stacks up against other major ticket sellers for different factors:
Ticket Seller | Fees | Ticket Availability | Customer Service | Ease of Use |
---|---|---|---|---|
Live Nation | High fees | Wide selection | Mixed reviews | Good website and app |
Ticketmaster | Very high fees | Wide selection | Poor reputation | Fairly easy purchase process |
StubHub | High resale prices | Large resale inventory | Decent customer service | Easy mobile app |
Vivid Seats | High resale prices | Large inventory of resale tickets | Good customer ratings | Smooth website and app |
SeatGeek | Lower fees than most | Good selection but less inventory | Highly rated support | Intuitive site and app |
While Live Nation is competitive in some areas like ticket availability, other resellers like SeatGeek fare better for fees and customer service reputation in comparisons.
My personal experiences buying from Live Nation
I’ve purchased tickets to a few concerts and events through Live Nation over the past couple of years. Here are some takeaways from my experiences:
- High convenience getting tickets for top artists like Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, and Dua Lipa when I struggled to find availability elsewhere.
- Encountered extremely high fees that added at least 40% over base ticket prices – way over my expectation.
- Had issues reaching customer support when I had a problem with a ticket delivery. Took multiple tries to get the issue resolved.
- Missed out on presales which then made it impossible to buy general onsale tickets that “sold out” immediately to scalpers likely.
- Did successfully resell an extra ticket through their exchange at a fair price – so that flexibility helped.
While I appreciate the selection Live Nation offers, it’s always discouraging to get hit with the fees and see how fast their popular event tickets sell out. I wish they offered more fan benefits and loyalty programs beyond the presales, which are tough to access.
Alternatives for finding tickets
For those looking for alternatives to Live Nation for tickets, here are some options to consider:
- Fan club or artist presales – Most bands/performers offer special presales for loyal fans signed up through their website or fan clubs. These tickets are sold directly through the band.
- Venue box offices – Buying at the venue’s onsite box office avoids online fees. But the selection is very limited.
- Ticket resale sites – Sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats offer resale ticket inventory after initial onsales have sold out.
- Ticket lottery systems – Some shows offer ticket lotteries a few days before events where fans can register to win tickets at cheap prices.
- TickPick – This no-fee secondary ticket marketplace can help find last minute tickets without annoying fees.
- Craigslist – Riskier but can find tickets being resold by individuals locally via Craigslist or Facebook.
With patience, persistence, flexibility, and smart browsing, deals can be found outside of the major players like Live Nation. But expect much more legwork locating and buying tickets.
Should you use Live Nation for tickets?
The Pros
- Enormous selection of tickets to popular events
- Reliable delivery of verified tickets in most cases
- Refunds on canceled/postponed shows
- Ability to resell tickets if plans change
- Convenient online and mobile app ticket purchasing
The Cons
- Very high fees that greatly increase ticket costs
- Frustratingly quick sell outs and ticket limits
- Lack of price caps leads to expensive tickets
- Allegations of shady practices around supply and promotions
- Mediocre customer service reputation
Conclusion
Live Nation holds advantages in ticket availability and convenient purchasing platforms. However, customers end up paying the price through high fees and restrictions around top events. Live Nation’s size and dominance in the industry also leads to concerns around fair pricing and access for fans.
For popular, high demand events where tickets sell out instantly, Live Nation may offer the most straightforward way to secure seats. Yet buyers should be prepared to overpay after fees. For more patience, exploring alternatives like fan presales and ticket exchanges can yield better deals. Overall, Live Nation provides a reliable way to buy tickets from a huge inventory, but consumers pay a premium in cost and convenience.