In recent years, there has been growing dissatisfaction among musicians and fans alike with Ticketmaster, which has essentially monopolized the primary ticket sales market. Many complain that Ticketmaster’s exorbitant fees and other policies unfairly hurt both artists and concertgoers. This unrest came to a head in 2022 when one of the biggest stars in country music, Garth Brooks, announced that he would be boycotting Ticketmaster for his upcoming stadium tour.
Background on Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster is the dominant primary ticket sales force in the live entertainment industry. The company merged with Live Nation in 2010 to become the Live Nation Entertainment company, which now has a stranglehold on nearly every aspect of the live music business, from venue operations to concert promotion and ticketing platforms. According to some estimates, Ticketmaster now controls over 80 percent of the primary event ticketing market, leaving fans with few alternatives when purchasing tickets.
Many have accused Ticketmaster of monopolistic practices that allow them to charge higher and higher fees on ticket sales. Dynamic pricing models allow Ticketmaster to raise prices for high-demand shows. There are also a myriad of add-on fees – like service fees, order processing fees, and facility fees – that can tack on an extra 30%, 50%, or even higher percentage to every ticket. Ticketmaster also pays considerable bonuses to promoters, venues, and managers through kickback schemes that critics say incentivize stakeholders to maintain Ticketmaster’s dominance.
Fans have complained loudly about exorbitant Ticketmaster fees for years. But the secondary ticket market has also become a major point of contention. Ticket scalpers and resellers frequently use bots and other means to buy up large swaths of tickets, making it harder for average fans to get seats at face value. Critics argue that Ticketmaster’s stranglehold on primary sales enables this inflated secondary market.
Garth Brooks’ History With Ticketmaster
Country superstar Garth Brooks has had a rocky history with Ticketmaster. In 1994, Ticketmaster refused to make tickets for his shows available at department stores as Brooks had wanted, leading him to briefly boycott the company before reaching a compromise. He partnered with Ticketmaster again in 1999 for his “Garth Brooks World Tour,” which became one of the highest-grossing tours in music history.
For most of the 2000s and 2010s, Brooks maintained a cooperative business relationship with the divisive ticketing giant. But the simmering angst came to a boil once again as Brooks planned his long-awaited 2019-2020 stadium tour.
The 2022 Stadium Tour Boycott
In November 2021, Garth Brooks announced plans for a stadium tour starting in 2022. This was his first large-scale tour since 2017. The demand was expected to be massive, with Brooks selling out shows across the country.
But in a shocking move, Brooks stated outright that he would refuse to work with Ticketmaster for the tour. In an interview with Inside Studio G, Brooks said:
“We are going to go through a promoter that we’ve had a great experience with: One guy. Not a corporation…Their name is SeatGeek. They’re a ticket service without all the extra junk.”
Brooks explained his misgivings about Ticketmaster’s practices, saying he wanted to provide the best experience for fans. SeatGeek offered far lower service fees than Ticketmaster, addressing one major complaint Brooks had. He was also attracted to SeatGeek’s staunch opposition to scalpers reselling tickets, improving real fans’ access.
Response from Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster did not take Brooks’ boycott lightly. They filed a lawsuit against Brooks and SeatGeek seeking $500,000 in damages. Ticketmaster accused Brooks of violating a 5-year verbal agreement by partnering with a competitor.
Brooks’ team called the lawsuit baseless, but nonetheless the legal action threatened to delay Brooks’ comeback tour. Seeking to avoid disappointment for the hundreds of thousands of fans awaiting newly announced tour dates, Brooks and Ticketmaster reached a compromise in January 2022.
The Compromise
While Brooks agreed to once again work with Ticketmaster, he did secure some concessions for fairer treatment of fans.
- Ticketmaster agreed to lower its processing fees for Garth Brooks tickets from the typical 25%+ down to around 11%.
- No-resale provisions were enacted on tickets, removing them from secondary sites like StubHub unless fans themselves resold them.
- Ticket limits per purchase were imposed to discourage scalpers buying large blocks.
While Brooks didn’t fully achieve his boycott ambitions, his pressure did force Ticketmaster to implement some more fan-friendly policies. Other artists like Bruce Springsteen took notice and pushed for similar terms from Ticketmaster for their tours.
Impact of Brooks’ Boycott
Garth Brooks drew significant attention to criticisms of Ticketmaster’s hold on the live music industry. Some of the effects of his actions included:
- Renewed public scrutiny of Ticketmaster’s fees and secondary ticket policies.
- Other major touring artists negotiated improved Ticketmaster deals for fans.
- Class action lawsuits were filed against Ticketmaster accusing them of monopolistic practices.
- Some venues reconsidered exclusive Ticketmaster deals.
- US Congress launched an anti-trust investigation into Live Nation Entertainment.
- The FTC sued Ticketmaster to split them from Live Nation on antitrust grounds.
So while Ticketmaster certainly remains dominant, Brooks’ pressure contributed to ongoing efforts to challenge their standing. It also showed artists they could gain fan goodwill by taking a stand.
How Ticketmaster Retained Dominance
Though the calls to break up or rein in Ticketmaster have ramped up, the company has maintained around 80% market share of primary event ticketing. Some factors allowing Ticketmaster to retain its leverage:
- Exclusive long-term deals with major venues.
- Aggressive efforts blocking competitors from accessing tickets.
- Integration with major event promoters like Live Nation under one corporate umbrella.
- Declining share of overall revenue from fees, reducing consumer sensitivity.
- Effective lobbying to avoid regulatory action.
- Market power keeping competitors like SeatGeek small.
While Brooks was one of few artists with enough clout to pressure some changes, most others still rely too heavily on playing Ticketmaster affiliated venues to abandon it entirely. The ongoing lawsuits and investigations into Ticketmaster’s practices may eventually lead to some structural changes. But any real shift of their entrenched position will likely require more widescale pressure.
What Might It Take to Topple Ticketmaster?
If meaningful reform of the ticketing industry is to occur, experts believe a more united front will need to form between artists, fans, venues, regulators, and competitors. Some factors that could potentially contribute to weakening Ticketmaster’s standing include:
- More major artists following Brooks’ lead in demanding better deals.
- Fans boycotting Ticketmaster events or demanding fairer pricing.
- Regulators blocking mergers and applying antitrust laws more strictly.
- Venues offering shows through Ticketmaster alternatives.
- Technological shifts making scalping and bots easier to police.
- Emergence of viable global competitors not just limited competitor deals.
Industry experts caution that any erosion of Ticketmaster’s market power will require patience and persistence. The Live Nation-Ticketmaster integration created a near vertical monopoly that has proven hard to dismantle. But the sentiments Brooks tapped into show many consumers are reaching their breaking point.
Garth Brooks 2022-2023 Tour
Despite the turbulence surrounding how tickets would be sold, Garth Brooks’ stadium comeback tour kicked off successfully in May 2022. Some key facts about the tour so far:
- Over 1.5 million tickets were sold in the first 2 months.
- 90+ shows have been scheduled in multiple countries.
- Third party resale sites were largely avoided, with 3% resale rate.
- After fees, average ticket prices were around $100-$150 per seat.
- Fans praised Brooks’ insistence on fair pricing and accessibility.
Reviews of the tour have been glowing, with Brooks energizing packed stadiums of adoring lifelong fans. Multiple shows sell out within minutes, even with Brooks imposing ticket purchase limits.
While navigating the Ticketmaster landscape proved tricky, Brooks has stayed committed to his message of building trust with fans. Other artists are already pointing to his tour’s success as they negotiate future ticketing deals.
Long-Term Implications
It remains to be seen how significantly Garth Brooks’ maverick stance will impact the industry in the long run. Ticketmaster retains its dominant position, but is clearly feeling more pressure. By being willing to put principles above convenience and sales volume, Brooks gained enough leverage to achieve some overdue consumer-friendly policies.
Some predict Brooks’ rebellion could be a seminal moment that contributed to the weakening of Ticketmaster’s longstanding stranglehold. A cascade effect could occur as more artists and fans adopt a stance of not accepting the status quo. Time will tell if this leads to meaningful change, but the message has been sent that fairer practices are possible.
Beyond ticketing policy, Brooks also demonstrated the value of artists connecting directly with fans and being transparent about their values. His duties to fans came first, not corporate dealings. This deeper relationship with supporters sustains longevity well beyond any single tour. Other superstar artists would be wise to recognize this as they plan touring and promotion strategies that go beyond chasing short-term revenue.
Conclusion
Garth Brooks drew a line in the sand by boycotting Ticketmaster for his stadium comeback tour. Though compromises had to be made, he nonetheless forced real policy changes benefitting concert goers. Time will tell if this sparks a broader push for reforms and more consumer-friendly ticketing practices. But Brooks certainly got the ball rolling by being willing to put his fans’ interests first, even at the risk of revenue and convenience. His maverick stance has already inspired more artists to speak up. So while Ticketmaster still rules the roost, cracks are starting to show in its longstanding edifice of power.