Thursday, February 12, 2009

And the Boss Drama Continues....

From today's NJ Lawyer Daily Briefing:

TICKETMASTER SUED IN WAKE OF SPRINGSTEEN TICKET SCANDAL

Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. is facing federal court charges of conspiring to monopolize the resale market for sports, concert and show tickets, following Bruce Springsteen's complaint about the company's sales practices. The suit, filed in Los Angeles federal court Friday, alleges Ticketmaster redirected fans, including those trying to buy Springsteen tickets Feb. 2, to TicketsNow.com, where the tickets were marked up by hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Ticketmaster gets a 15 percent cut from TicketsNow, which it owns, according to the suit. The New Jersey attorney general has launched an investigation of Ticketmaster's sales practices, and U.S. Rep. William Pascrell, D-NJ, has called for a federal antitrust investigation.


Looks like the plaintiff's bar has made another chink in Ticketmaster's armor. Don't know if it will go anywhere, just like I don't know if the NJ investigation will go anywhere, but if enough shit gets piled on, eventually the feds will smell the stink and take a serious look at this very fucking obvious monopoly! (thanks to Rep. Pascrell, by the way, for instigating the call for an antitrust review!). I mean really, doesn't anyone remember what happened when Pearl Jam tried NOT to use Ticketmaster? Let's just put it this way -- before trying to fight Ticketmaster, they were HUGE. After, not so much. All I know is I hope these fuckers get what's coming to 'em cause I, for one, am sick of paying $15 "convenience" charges. What convenience I ask?

1 comment:

~DokterKenny said...

You forgot to mention TicketMaster is trying to merge with their only real fucking competition LiveNation

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/10/ticketmaster-and-live-nation-conduct-25-billion-merger-create-live-nation-entertainment/

If this is allowed to go through their are some serious regulators getting a reach around from TicketMaster!!