Ticketmaster – Wikipedia
Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. TypeSubsidiaryIndustryLive EntertainmentFoundedOctober 2, 1976; 45 years agoPhoenix, Arizona, undersAlbert Leffler Peter Gadwa Jerry NelsonHeadquartersBeverly Hills, California, U. servedWorldwideKey peopleMichael Rapino (CEO) Mark Yovich (President of Ticketmaster Global) Amy Howe (President of Ticketmaster North America) ProductsTicketing technologyTicket salesTicket resalesMarketingDistribution of event tickets and informationSupport of venue renovationRevenueSold 142 million+ tickets valued at $8 billion in 2007Number of employees6, 678ParentLive Nation Entertainment(2010–present)
Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is an American ticket sales and distribution company based in Beverly Hills, California with operations in many countries around the world. In 2010 it merged with Live Nation under the name Live Nation Entertainment. [1]
The company’s ticket sales are fulfilled digitally or at its two main fulfillment centers located in Charleston, West Virginia, and Pharr, Texas for both primary and secondary markets. Ticketmaster’s clients include venues, artists and promoters. Clients control their events and set ticket prices, and Ticketmaster sells tickets that the clients make available to them.
History[edit]
Ticketmaster was founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 1976[2] by Peter Gadwa, a computer programmer, Albert Leffler, a box office specialist, as well as Gordon Gunn III, Thomas Hart Jr., Dan Reeter and Jerry Nelson. [3][4] The company originally licensed computer programs and sold hardware for ticketing systems. In 1982, Fred Rosen convinced Jay Pritzker, the co-founder of the Hyatt hotel chain, and his family, to invest millions to expand the company, including switching to computerized ticketing. [5] Its first ticketed concert was Electric Light Orchestra, held at the University of New Mexico. [6][4] By 1985 the company had moved to Los Angeles and was operating in the U. S., Canada and Europe. [4] Under Rosen, the company moved into publishing and set up a travel agency and acquired rival Ticketron in 1991, making it the market leader. [5][7]
In November 1993, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen acquired an 80% stake for more than $325 million. [8][5]
InterActiveCorp years[edit]
In 1998, USA Networks Inc., later named InterActiveCorp (IAC), purchased a majority stake in Ticketmaster. [9] That same year, the company merged with CitySearch and was renamed Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch. [10] In May 2000, Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch acquired TicketWeb Inc., a ticket vendor that sold tickets online and over the phone. [11] In 2003, IAC repurchased the remaining Ticketmaster stock that it had previously sold off. [12]
In September 2006, Ticketmaster President Sean Moriarty told NPR that Ticketmaster had lobbied several states to enact laws that would limit the ticket resale market to authorized companies. Economists worried these laws would harm competition, but Moriarty expressed the need to reduce corrupt scalpers and counterfeit tickets. [13]
In January 2008, Ticketmaster acquired Paciolan Inc., a developer of ticketing system applications and hosted ticketing systems, after litigation over the potential breach of antitrust laws. [14] Also in January, Ticketmaster acquired the UK-based secondary ticket marketplace, [15] And finally, in that same January, Ticketmaster acquired TicketsNow, a ticket reseller in the United States, for $265 million. [16]
IAC spun off Ticketmaster as its own company in the summer of 2008. [17] Later in 2008, Ticketmaster acquired Front Line Management, an artist management firm that worked with artists such as Aerosmith, Christina Aguilera and Jimmy Buffett. [18] Front Line CEO Irving Azoff became CEO of the new company, which was renamed Ticketmaster Entertainment. [19]
Live Nation merger[edit]
In February 2009, Ticketmaster entered into an agreement to merge with event promoter Live Nation to form Live Nation Entertainment. [20] The deal was cleared by the U. S. Justice Department in January 2010 under the condition that the company sell Paciolan to Comcast Spectacor or another firm, and license its software to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), its biggest competitor. [21] The new company, which would be called Live Nation Entertainment, would also be subject to provisions for 10 years that prevented it from retaliating against venues that partnered with competing ticketing firms. [21] Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino was named CEO of the new company. [22]
One year after merging, Live Nation settled a previous class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster which alleged that the company had misled plaintiffs in its descriptions of delivery and processing fees. [23]
Growth and acquisitions[edit]
In 2015, Ticketmaster acquired Front Gate Tickets, a music festival ticketing service that provided services for festivals including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. [24] The same year, the company acquired Universe, a DIY ticketing platform. [24] In 2017, TicketWeb, Ticketmaster’s self-service ticketing platform, acquired Strobe Labs, a marketing platform that allows users to market to fans through social media. [25] In 2018, Ticketmaster acquired UPGRADED, a company which converts physical tickets into digital ones, utilising blockchain. [26]
Products and services[edit]
Ticketmaster sells tickets that its clients make available to them. [27] In 2009, Ticketmaster released a digital ticketing system that required customers to prove their identity prior to purchase. The company believed this would help circumvent brokers and scalpers. [28]
In 2016, Ticketmaster released a statement in favor of the Better Online Ticket Sales Act (BOTS Act), which banned the use of ticket bots to buy large amounts of tickets online and resell them at inflated prices. [29] The following year, the company filed a lawsuit against the ticket broker Prestige Entertainment after the company used bots to buy more than 30, 000 tickets to the Broadway play “Hamilton”. [30]
The company reported nearly 500 million tickets sold for 400, 000 events in 2018. [31]
In November 2020, Ticketmaster announced it will check the COVID-19 vaccination status of ticket buyers before issuing passes when live events return in 2021. Fans that either failed to verify their vaccination status or tested positive would be denied access to the event. [32]
Pricing[edit]
The face value of Ticketmaster tickets is determined by the artist or client. [33] In addition to the face value price, venues and Ticketmaster add fees to pay for their services. [34]
Typically, fees added to a ticket’s face value have included:[35][36][37]
Facility charge – Charge added by the venue.
Delivery fee – Charges added dependent on the ticket delivery method and credit card processing fees.
Service fee – Sum of charges added based on the “agreement with each client (artists)” and the order processing fee. Ticketmaster “may earn a profit on the order processing fee”. [37]
Fee amounts vary between events and are dependent on the venue, available delivery methods, and preferences of the artist. [33] Some economists and activist groups have claimed that high ticket prices are due to a lack of competition within the music industry. [34][38]
In 2013, the jam band The String Cheese Incident gave fans money to purchase 400 tickets to one of its shows in order to resell them on its own site with fewer fees. The band said they were protesting Ticketmaster’s ticket fees, while Ticketmaster argued that the band was taking revenue from venues and promoters. [39][40]
Criticism and controversies[edit]
Anti-competition claims[edit]
In May 1994, the grunge band Pearl Jam filed a complaint with the U. Department of Justice claiming Ticketmaster had cut the group out of venue bookings in a dispute over fees. [41] The investigation was closed without action in 1995, though the Justice Department stated it would continue to monitor the developments in the ticket industry. [42][43] Chuck Philips, a reporter who covered the issue, [44][45][46][47] was told by sources close to the case that the investigation was closed due to a combination of a shortage of resources and the case being difficult and having uncertain prospects. [42]
In a 2009 article by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Ticketmaster argued that legislation was needed in Ontario to protect fans from scalpers and unauthorized ticket brokers saying, “You and I both know there is a thriving ticket-broker industry… so the law is really a fiction… We very strongly feel the law needs to be modernized to reflect the reality of internet commerce. By keeping a price cap in place, you’re really just driving the [resale] business into the shadows. “[48] That same year, musician Bruce Springsteen complained of a conflict of interest between Ticketmaster and TicketsNow after fans were directed to TicketsNow once tickets to his concert sold out on Irving Azoff, Ticketmaster CEO at the time, released an apology and stated that the TicketsNow link would no longer be shown for Springsteen’s concerts. [49][50]
In 2018, the United States Department of Justice began reviewing complaints by AEG that claimed the company had engaged in anti-competitive practices. As of April 2018, the Department of Justice had not released comments on its investigation. [51]
As of 2016, ticket resale was Ticketmaster’s fastest growing business. [52]
Rewards program monthly fees[edit]
In May 2013, Ticketmaster agreed to pay up to $23 million for enrolling customers into a rewards program that charged $9 per month. Ticketmaster made $85 million in fees, from customers who took about eight months on average to cancel their enrollment in the program. 1. 12 million customers were eligible to claim up to a $30 refund. [53]
Secret scalping program[edit]
In September 2018, the Toronto Star reported that Ticketmaster was not enforcing ticket limit rules on its resale platform, TradeDesk. [54] Ticketmaster denied the allegations, saying it would examine its resale policies on TradeDesk, and that it “never allows ticket scalpers to buy tickets ahead of fans. “[55] One month later, a group of customers filed a class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster. [56]
In July 2019, a report by Billboard revealed a strategy by Live Nation, Ticketmaster’s parent company, to secretly bypass placing certain tickets for sale on the primary market and instead, place them directly on resale sites “without giving fans a chance to buy them through normal channels at face value. “[57]
The company acknowledged it has “facilitated the quiet transfer of concert tickets directly into the hands of resellers through the years, though only at the request of the artists involved. ”
Data breach[edit]
In June 2018, Ticketmaster notified 40, 000 U. K. customers that it had identified a hack caused by malicious software on a third-party customer support product it contracted. The company stated that customers who bought tickets between February and June 2018 may have had data compromised. [58][59][60][61][62][63][64]
Deceptive pricing[edit]
A class action lawsuit was filed against Ticketmaster in 2003, alleging that it did not fully disclose UPS and order processing fees added to tickets sold online. The case settlement was approved in 2015 and Ticketmaster issued vouchers and discount codes to fans who purchased tickets online between 1999 and 2013. [65][66] In a related case, Ticketmaster filed suit against its liability insurance carrier, Illinois Union Insurance Company, a subsidiary of ACE Limited, in 2010 for failing to aid in its defense in the 2003 suit. [67]
In June 2019, Competition Bureau (Canada) fined Ticketmaster $4. 5 million Canadian dollars ($3. 44 million US dollars) as part of a settlement after it was discovered that Ticketmaster “topped advertised costs by more than 20% — and sometimes as much as 65%. ” In addition to the required payment, Ticketmaster signed a consent agreement to ensure its advertising policies abide by Canadian law. [68]
Competitor computer hacking[edit]
In December 2020, Ticketmaster “entered into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors” and agreed to pay a $10 million fine after being charged with illegally accessing computer systems of a competitor. [69] According to FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Williams Sweeney, “Ticketmaster used stolen information to gain an advantage over its competition, and then promoted the employees who broke the law. “[70] The allegations were first reported in 2017 when a former CrowdSurge top executive hired by Ticketmaster hacked into his former employer’s database. [71]
Partners[edit]
Ticketmaster has partnerships with venues, professional sports leagues, musical acts and theatre tours[72][73][74] and target corporation in the United States and internationally. [75] Ticketmaster has partnered with musical acts such as Taylor Swift, [76] and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, [77] and theatre productions such as Hamilton and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. [72][78]
Ticketmaster has been the ticketing provider for the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). [79][80] In 2008, Ticketmaster entered into an agreement with the National Football League (NFL) to manage its resale market on NFL TicketExchange. [81]
In 2017, Ticketmaster announced it would open the TicketExchange platform to allow the sale and validation of tickets on third-party websites, including StubHub. [81] Ticketmaster has also partnered with the United States Tennis Association, [82] Tennis Canada, [83] and the PGA Tour. [84]
See also[edit]
Live Nation Entertainment
Jerry Seltzer
Ticket resale
Ticketmaster Corp. v., Inc.
References[edit]
^ Pelofsky, Jeremy; Adegoke, Yinka (January 25, 2010). “Live Nation, Ticketmaster merge; agree to U. terms”. Reuters.
^ “The Ticketmaster Racket”. Stuff They Dont Want You to Know. May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
^ Lewis, Christina S. N. (November 23, 2007). “Ticket Master’s Place”. The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
^ a b c “Rival to Ticketron: Ticketmaster Emerging as Force in L. A. ” Los Angeles Times. January 31, 1985. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
^ a b c Sandler, Adam. “Industry’s #1 has a ticket to rule”. Daily Variety. p. 17.
^ “Ticketmaster”. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
^ “Ticketmaster Deal To Get Ticketron”. February 28, 1991. p. 4 (section D). Retrieved May 30, 2020.
^ “MICROSOFT CO-FOUNDER PAUL ALLEN BUYS CONTROL OF TICKETMASTER”. November 22, 1993. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
^ Reuters; Reuters (March 24, 1998). “USA picks up Ticketmaster”. Variety. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Bicknell, Craig (August 13, 1998). “CitySearch Joins Ticketmaster”. Wired. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Orwall, Bruce. “Ticketmaster Buys TicketWeb In Bid to Diversify Offerings”. WSJ. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Hansell, Saul (May 6, 2003). “TECHNOLOGY; USA Interactive Is Acquiring LendingTree in Stock Deal”. The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Davidson, Adam. “Ticketmaster Targets Secondary Market”. NPR. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ Yahoo! Business Form 10-Q for Ticketmaster Archived December 19, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
^ White, Dominic (January 29, 2008). “Ticketmaster moves into UK concert resales”.
^ Smith, Ethan (January 15, 2008). “Ticketmaster Buys Major Reseller”. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ “IAC to spin off ticket seller”. June 24, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Buskirk (October 23, 2008). “Ticketmaster Acquires Majority of Front Line Management”. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ “Ticketmaster takes stake in Front Line”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Live Nation and Ticketmaster Agree to Merge New York Times. 10 February 2009.
^ a b Sisario (January 25, 2010). “Justice Dept. Clears Ticketmaster-Live Nation Merger”. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ “Live Nation to buy Ticketmaster”. Reuters. February 10, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ “Live Nation to Pay $22. 3 Million to Settle Class Action Suit Against Ticketmaster”. Billboard. January 27, 2011.
^ a b “Ticketmaster Acquires Festival Ticketer Front Gate”. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Ellisngson, Annlee. “Ticketmaster buys marketing platform to help clubs engage with fans”.
^ Ticketmaster. “Ticketmaster Acquires Blockchain Ticketing Solution UPGRADED”.. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
^ “How To Avoid Online Ticket Sale Fees”. July 11, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ “Ticketmaster tries to cut out scalpers again – Business – Retail – “. September 17, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
^ “President Obama Signs Anti-Scalping Bill Into Law”. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ Maddaus, Gene (October 2, 2017). “Ticketmaster Says Bot Army Bought 30, 000 ‘Hamilton’ Tickets”. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ Aswad, Jem (February 28, 2019). “Live Nation Posts Another Record Year, Revenue Up 11%”. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
^ CBSLA Staff (November 12, 2020). “Ticketmaster To Verify COVID Vaccination Status Of Fans Before Issuing Concert Passes”. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
^ a b Roberts, Randall (March 4, 2009). “Ticketmaster and Servants: Bands Get Cut of Service Fee”. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ a b Conaway, Laura (September 2, 2009). “The Economics Of Ticketmaster: Planet Money”. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
^ “Ticketmaster’s new blog: ‘We get it — you don’t like service fees'”. August 23, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ Sisario (May 15, 2012). “String Cheese Incident Takes On Ticketmaster”. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
^ a b Ticketmaster Help, “How are ticket prices and fees determined? “. 2021. Archived.
^ Randall. “Angry About Tickets? Here’s Who To Blame”.
^ Sisario, Ben (May 15, 2012). ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ “News”. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
^ Philips, Chuck (June 8, 1994). “Pearl Jam vs. Ticketmaster: Choosing Sides: Legal file: The pop music world is divided over the Seattle band’s allegations, which led to a Justice Department investigation into possible anti-competitive practices in the ticket distribution industry”. Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ a b Philips, Chuck (July 6, 1995). “U. Drops Ticketmaster Antitrust Probe: Entertainment: Abrupt closure of investigation lifts cloud of uncertainty over firm, catches others in industry off guard”. Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ Blumenthal, Ralph (July 6, 1995). Ends Ticketmaster Investigation”. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ Philips, Chuck (June 9, 1992). “A Tangle Over Tickets: Ticketmaster, Target of Lawsuits, Says It Offers Broad Service”. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
^ Philips, Chuck (June 17, 1995). “COLUMN ONE: The Ticket King’s Path to Power: As Pearl Jam just learned, Ticketmaster’s Fred Rosen gets what he wants. His tactics have earned him some foes, but even critics admit he has transformed the industry. Now he’s eyeing new realms”. LA Times. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
^ Philips, Chuck (June 8, 1994). Retrieved July 22, 2012.
^ Philips, Chuck (May 17, 1991). “Ticket Flap: What Price Convenience? : Entertainment: A host of service fees, surcharges and taxes is riling concert-goers–and lawmakers”. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
^ The Canadian Press (January 2, 2009). “Ticketmaster says pricey resale tickets protect consumers”. CBC News. Archived from the original on March 7, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
^ Knapton, Sarah (February 5, 2009). “Bruce Springsteen ‘furious’ at Ticketmaster”. The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
^ Kreps, Daniel (February 4, 2009). “Bruce Springsteen “Furious” At Ticketmaster, Rails Against Live Nation Merger”. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
^ Sisario, Ben; Bowley, Graham (April 1, 2018). “Live Nation Rules Music Ticketing, Some Say With Threats”. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021 – via
^ Cookson, Robert (March 13, 2016). “Live Nation calls for more aggressive ticket pricing from artists”.
^ “Ticketmaster agrees to pay up to $23 million to customers in lawsuit”. The Associated Press. Los Angeles. May 16, 2013. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
^ “Ticketmaster Has Its Own Secret ‘Scalping Program, ‘ Canadian Journalists Report”. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
^ “Ticketmaster Responds to Senate Letter Investigating Resale Controversy: Exclusive”. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
^ Wang, Amy (October 1, 2018). “Ticketmaster Faces Class-Action Lawsuit After Scalping Report”. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
^ “Secretly Recorded Phone Call Offers Window Into How Live Nation Helped Metallica and Other Artists Place Tickets Directly On Resale Market”. July 19, 2019.
^ “Ticketmaster data breach: Thousands of customers may be affected”. Which?. June 27, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ “Ticketmaster admits personal data stolen in hack attack”. BBC News. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ “Ticketmaster admits user data was stolen in breach”. Sky News. June 28, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ “The Ticketmaster breach – what happened and what to do”. naked security by SOPHOS. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ “The Ticketmaster hack is a perfect storm of bad IT and bad comms”. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ “Ticketmaster warns Australian customers of possible data breach”. Computerworld. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ “Chat bot opens door to Ticketmaster payment card hack”. CSO Online. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ Karp, Hannah (June 3, 2014). “Ticketmaster Agrees to Tentative Settlement”.
^ “Archived copy”. Archived from the original on July 30, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016. CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ “Ticketmaster LLC Locks Horns with ACE Group Company Over Errors and Omissions Coverage”. January 13, 2011.
^ Bliss, Karen (June 28, 2019). “Ticketmaster Canada Settles Deceptive Pricing Lawsuit for $3. 4 Million”. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021.
^ Moghe, Sonia (December 30, 2020). “Ticketmaster to pay $10 million in fines after admitting to illegally accessing competitor’s computers”. CNN. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021.
^ Goodin, Dan (January 4, 2021). “Ticketmaster admits it hacked rival company before it went out of business”. Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
^ Maddaus, Gene (February 27, 2017). “Ticketmaster Accused of Hacking Rival Firm’s Database”. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021.
^ a b Maddaus, Gene (October 2, 2017). Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ “Ticketmaster To Use Next-Generation Venue Software For The NFL”. October 18, 2017.
^ “Scottish Comic Beats Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran in Ticketmaster UK Fan Vote For ‘Ticket of the Year'”. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ “Ticketmaster Will Once Again Be the Official Ticketing Partner of SMG’s UK Venues”. Amplify. April 30, 2018.
^ “Taylor Swift announces massive 2018 ‘Reputation’ tour”. USA TODAY. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ “Exclusive: Trans-Siberian Orchestra announces 20th-anniversary winter tour”. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ Fierberg, Ruthie. “How to Buy Tickets to Broadway’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two”.
^ “Guarding The Gates: NHL Signs Multiyear Extension Of Deal With Ticketmaster”. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ “NBA Renews Ticketmaster Deal for Two Years”. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ a b “StubHub Inks NFL Deal for Digital Tickets, Ticketmaster Integration”. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ “New Tech Offerings This Year At The US Open”. NY Sports Day. August 26, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ “Rogers Cup goes digital with Ticketmaster”. TheTicketingBusiness News. August 8, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ Brasier, John (July 25, 2017). “Wyndham Championship announces deal with Ticketmaster, new tier pricing”. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
External links[edit]
Recent Claims of “scam”
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Tickets – Ticketmaster
Got questions about getting tickets
to events? Ever wondered what those service charges are for? Check out
this ticket buying guide and find out everything you ever wanted to know
about purchasing tickets through Ticketmaster.
Ticket Availability Explained
Ticket Prices Explained
Buying Tickets
Customer Service
Where Can I Buy Tickets? Ticket Availability Explained
Can I improve my odds for getting tickets by purchasing through
one particular distribution channel?
When an event goes on sale, tickets can be purchased online, by phone or in person. We do not reserve a specific amount of tickets for different distribution channels, so the odds of getting tickets are the same no matter how you choose to get your tickets.
From time to time, promoters conduct “internet only presales” or other promotions that are available via only one distribution channel. In such a promotion, you can only purchase tickets through that particular distribution channel.
Find out more.
Why do tickets sell out so quickly for popular events?
When a popular event goes on sale there are literally hundreds and sometimes thousands of customers simultaneously attempting to purchase tickets across all distribution channels. Like any limited commodity, tickets are sold as long as seats are available, and sometimes they go quickly. If 500 fans are simultaneously buying four tickets each, 2, 000 tickets can be sold in a matter of seconds! It’s the same reason why a typical 18, 000-seat arena can sell out in a few minutes.
Also, in many cases, tickets are held by the promoter or venue or have been presold to season ticket holders for the entire run of the event reducing the quantity of tickets available for purchase through Ticketmaster by the general public.
Why are “better” tickets sometimes available…… a few minutes after the event goes on sale?
When customers find available tickets either online or through any of the other access points, those tickets are actually reserved while the customer considers the purchase. During that period, which lasts for only a few minutes, no one else can view or purchase those tickets. If the customer decides not to buy the tickets, they are “released” and become available to other purchasers. So if a customer is looking at 10th row centre seats and decides not to buy, those seats become available for another customer… after the event goes on sale?
A venue may release more tickets for Ticketmaster to sell as the event date approaches. This happens for several reasons such as 1) The artist or team may no longer need the tickets that were held when the event originally went on sale, or 2) Once the stage or event area is set up, the venue has a better idea about which seats are obstructed. Sometimes events are so popular that even seats with obstructed views are released for sale!
Additionally, sometimes a customer attempts to buy tickets but their credit card is declined. If Ticketmaster is unable to contact the customer to secure a valid credit card or billing address, Ticketmaster may cancel the order and release the tickets for sale. Tickets may also be re-released if a customer does not follow Ticketmaster’s published ticket limits or other terms of use.
May I exchange my tickets if better seats become available later,
or if a second show is announced?
No. As with all Ticketmaster ticket sales, refunds and exchanges are only available where an event is cancelled or rescheduled or where Australian Consumer Law applies.
Why does Ticketmaster enforce a time limit when making purchases
online?
When you are shopping for tickets, you are “holding” real inventory. No one else can purchase those tickets unless you release them. Due to high demand, we’ve implemented a time limit during the checkout process. Each checkout page is assigned a different time limit based on the type of information we need from you. If you exceed the posted time on the page, the tickets you are holding are released for others to purchase. You have about 5 minutes in total to complete your purchase. This gives as many people as possible a chance to purchase tickets.
TIP: To speed through the checkout process, register your billing information with Ticketmaster prior to purchasing can do this by setting up a personal account on our site, by clicking
on “My Account, ” located at the very top, right-hand corner of the home
page.
Why are there limits on how many tickets I can buy?
The venue or artist/event management will typically impose a ticket limit per customer, credit card or address in order to provide ticket access to as many fans as possible. Ticket limits vary depending on the type of event or the anticipated demand for tickets. Check the event information area of the purchase page for more information on ticket limits for your event. Please adhere to published ticket limits. If we determine that a ticket limit has been exceeded, we may cancel an order, or part of an order, without notice, and may even cancel a ticket that has already been delivered rendering it unusable without notice.
Prevent your tickets from being released
Please use only one browser window at a time (on the same computer) to hold tickets. If you open a new browser and order a different set of tickets, the tickets held in the previous browser will be released for sale to other customers. This helps us to prevent attempts to use automated programs to block other customers from getting tickets.
Last-Minute Ticket Availability
As the event date approaches, the venue may release tickets that were
previously held for the artist or team. Why are tickets released?
The artist or team may no longer need the tickets that were held
when the event originally went on sale.
Once the stage or event area is set up, the venue has a better
idea about which seats are obstructed. Sometimes events are so popular
that even seats with obstructed views are released for sale!
TIP: Check back often! Buying Tickets
Are there other ways I can purchase tickets
to events I am interested in attending?
Promoters sometimes conduct presales or special promotions. A presale typically occurs online a few days or weeks before tickets go on sale to the general public. A percentage of all tickets for the event are made available during the presale. Check our website often for new presales or register at Ticketmaster and sign up to be notified of upcoming special events.
Many venues also make tickets available at their box office. To find contact information for a specific box office, search for the venue name on our website, then click on the venue information link.
What is an Internet Presale?
Occasionally, some events will be available to purchase over the Internet in advance of the general public onsale. These presales frequently require a password that may be distributed by the venue, artist, team, or promoter of either the event or the presale, or distributed by Ticketmaster. Often, these passwords are distributed to exclusive members of clubs or certain other types of groups and cannot be offered to members of the public. Links may be published on the Event Information page at the time of presale. Ticketmaster contact centre and Customer Service representatives usually cannot give out passwords. If an event is scheduled for presale and we are authorized to publish so in advance, the event page may list an “Internet Presale” date in the ticket onsale information. When
entering your presale password into a promotional page, window or box
in an email, please ensure you are entering it in the appropriate box:
A presale password is not the same as your My Account password.
Internet presales are usually sold from an allotment of seats, which may not reflect the same availability during the public onsale. Internet presales provide the advantage of exclusive purchasing windows in advance of the public onsale, which often results in less people competing for the pool of available seats. However, Internet presales may also have limited seating available in various areas – these presales are intended as advance purchasing windows and do not necessarily provide access to better seating. In fact, it is possible that you may be able to obtain tickets for better seats at the general public onsale than those that you purchase through a presale. We must remind you that Ticketmaster does not offer refunds or exchanges, so you will not be able to replace the tickets you obtain at a presale with other tickets that subsequently become available.
Why is it that sometimes I hear about an event that is supposed
to go on sale, but when I call Ticketmaster or visit a Ticketmaster Outlet, they don’t know anything about it?
Often, the venue or promoters prefer to wait until all terms about the event are finalized to protect the consumer from being misinformed. We don’t release any information until we receive authorization from the promoter or venue; sometimes, this can happen after the media has already begun publicizing the event.
My tickets say “General Admission. ” What does that
mean?
General Admission refers to seating or standing areas that are not assigned or reserved, and are occupied on a first-come, first-served basis. When purchasing tickets for a General Admission event, you may be quoted section, row, and seat numbers, however these are for inventory purposes only and do not reflect any actual seating location. Please ensure you carefully read the Event Information and Ticket Information screens when purchasing tickets: Any information on whether your tickets are General Admission will be posted on one or both of these screens. Seating arrangements vary for each event, and there may or may not be seats of any kind available. Ticketmaster cannot guarantee seating for any event that is sold as General Admission. Customer Service
Who handles refunds?
The decision of whether or not to allow refunds is made by the venue or promoter. Ticketmaster assumes no responsibility for making any such decision, and will have no responsibility to issue refunds. However, if a refund is issued, then it will be Ticketmaster who will process refunds for those tickets sold through our Internet sites, call centres and retail locations. Please note that delivery prices and certain other fees associated with a ticket order will not be refunded. Please see Cancelled/Postponed Events for more details.
How are cancellations, postponements and artist venue changes
handled?
Occasionally, events are cancelled by the promoter, team, band or venue. Should this occur, and if you purchased your tickets online or through the phones, you may receive a refund or exchange for that event. Please note that delivery and order processing fees cannot be refunded.
What if I don’t receive my tickets?
If you do not receive your tickets by 3 business days prior to an event, call your local Customer Service Department immediately. Be prepared with the confirmation number for your account, or the purchasing Credit Card. The agent will determine the nature of the problem, and if your tickets are replaceable, instruct you as to where and when to pick up your replacement tickets. This is normally done at the Box Office prior to the show, and the tickets are marked as “Replacement” so that they are easily identified as the valid tickets. Replacement tickets can only be picked up by the Credit Card holder with the original credit card used in the Can I Buy Tickets?
Online
Buy tickets securely, at your convenience, day or night, 365 days a year
(Note: For a brief window, late each night, transactions are not processed,
as our ticketing system undergoes maintenance. )
Find event and venue information 24 hours a day
Select ticketfast® as your delivery option and you can print your tickets
Get venue information:
– Easy-to-read, color seating charts for most venues
– Venue information, such as directions and parking
– Schedule of all booked events
Contact Centre
Find your local Contact Centre number to order by telephone.
Outlets
Located at all major cities
Business hours vary with each outlet.
Speak to a ticket agent, view a copy of the venue seating chart, pick up your tickets.
Find an Outlet
Box Office
Located at most venues
Hours of operation vary
Venues typically sell tickets only for their events.
Third Party Resellers
Ticketmaster does not guarantee the authenticity of tickets purchased from any third party reseller (such as brokers or individuals).
Ticketmaster recommends that you purchase tickets directly through Ticketmaster or from the venue’s box office. Authorized Ticketmaster locations include, Ticketmaster Contact Centre, and Ticketmaster Outlets.
Wrote to Ticketmaster Customer Service: got tickets taken away.
I made two separate purchases today for a show (since the ticket limit was 4) and wrote to ticket master to see if there was any way for 7 friends to sit together. Instead of help, or at least a polite decline, I got “at least 3” of my tickets cancelled:Hi Allison, Thanks for contacting us! I’m sorry for the confusion. Unfortunately, there is a 4 ticket limit (per household) for this event. In most cases where ticket limits are violated, tickets on the order that resulted in that limit violation will be canceled off the order. Those limits are in place for some artists/promoters to try to ensure access to tickets for the most possible customers without having to pay inflated prices through 3rd party an eye on your orders over the next week or two, and you should see at least 3 tickets canceled automatically. If you need anything else, just reply to this email or click Help on! I’m very sorry for any inconvenience. Sincerely, Aran Ticketmaster Fan Support World Class Service – Every Customer, Every DayEdit: Thanks for all the feedback. (I fully admit this is dumb but) I didn’t consider (or read! ) about the real reasons for only being able to buy 4 at a time. I assumed it was to dissuade scalpers (which I’m not) or just some sort of nonsensical technical limitation that only allowed buying in blocks of 4. Plus I was too busy trying to fill out my information while the “5:00 remaining on this page” clock counted down. Was truly just looking for 7 friends to be able to sit together, assumed that ticketmaster would be able to help with that (hence the e-mail) and was disappointed that given the current setup, that’s not possible (at least at time of purchase). I think that’s the bigger issue, and I appreciate everyone’s input.
Frequently Asked Questions about how many tickets can i buy on ticketmaster
How many tickets does Ticketmaster sell?
The company reported nearly 500 million tickets sold for 400,000 events in 2018. In November 2020, Ticketmaster announced it will check the COVID-19 vaccination status of ticket buyers before issuing passes when live events return in 2021.
Can you buy multiple tickets on Ticketmaster?
Yes, you can easily swipe to view multiple tickets within your account. … To skip that hassle, visit Ticketmaster today to send tickets to your group in just a few taps.Apr 24, 2019
Why can I only buy 1 ticket on Ticketmaster?
When purchasing tickets on our Site, you are limited to a specified number of tickets for each event (also known as a “ticket limit”). This policy is in effect to discourage unfair ticket buying practices. …Jul 15, 2019
