Ticketmaster’s Net Down 70%: Good News for Fans

August 16, 2009

This past week, TicketMaster reported it’s second quarter earnings were down seventy percent (70%!). This news combined with recent reports that resold ticket prices for popular acts are selling well below face value means it is ‘super value ticket’ time for fans. Here are a couple of pointers for playing into these market dynamics. First, [...]

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Resold Tickets Pose New Challenge

July 25, 2009

At last weeks Ticket Summit in Las Vegas, the leaders StubHub, Ticket Network and Razor Gator each explained that resold ticket prices are dropping on increased supply. Don Vaccaro, CEO of Ticket Network stated that “average [resold] ticket prices were down 15%.” This story is consistent with StubHub’s statement that average ticket prices are down [...]

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Demystifying Ticket Summit

July 20, 2009

This past week I had the opportunity to attend Ticket Summit in Las Vegas. I was prompted to attend the conference when I was invited to participate in a panel discussion on ticket pricing. Prior to being invited, I am embarrassed to admit I had only known of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB). [...]

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Where is Dynamic Ticket Pricing?

July 3, 2009

In the July 2009 issue of Rolling Stone, Steve Knopper points out that average concert ticket prices have more than doubled in ten years from $32 to $67. While the increase in ticket prices is not always pleasing to concert goers, the more pressing issue is that of ticket mis-pricing. Simply stated, concert tickets traditionally [...]

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Re: Is Scalping All That Bad?

June 16, 2009

Last week, Mark Gimein wrote an article titled “Is Scalping All That Bad?” that touched on both the politics and economics of ticket scalping. While the article raised new thoughts about old issues, it failed to address the question posed by the title. I argue that the question is not the right one. It is not about whether scalping is “good” or “bad” ; that is one of those questions they ask in business school that has no right or wrong answer. The more interesting question to ask is: if ticket scalping is a problem, why are primary ticket sellers (such as Live Nation and Ticketmaster) supporting and engaging in the practice?

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Paperless Tickets and Ticketmaster’s Guinea Pig

June 15, 2009

As a Wall Street Journal article from last week correctly suggests, Miley Cyrus is Ticketmaster’s guinea pig; will the test be successful? Though there is not enough information on hand to know for sure, it is clear that the decision to sell “paperless tickets” for all of Miley Cyrus shows has raised the eyebrows of fans [...]

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Buying from a Scalper? Five Do’s and Don’ts

May 30, 2009

Who likes ticket scalpers? Pose that question to a room full of average Joe’s and the showing of hands will be few. Call them mean, sharks, cheaters, or the lowest of the low, the reality is, they have little issue with their reputation. And name calling will not get you the tickets they have for [...]

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Bargaining for Tickets on the Street

May 18, 2009

Yesterday, I was on a flight from Chicago to Boston reading the paper when I was reminded that Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs between the Celtics and Orlando Magic was tipping-off at 8pm. Having been out of town for three weeks, I had the sudden urge to use my knowledge of ticket prices to [...]

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Keane Tickets, Aragon Ballroom Chicago

May 11, 2009

Just bought two tickets to see Keane at the Aragon in Chicago for $42 – total! Yay eBay! Share on Facebook

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Nine Inch Nails Speaks Out on Scalping

March 20, 2009

In the run up to the 2009 summer concert season, anticipation builds among fans for the chance to see their favorite bands live. As ticket sales commence nation-wide, so does the rankor among fans about their in ability to get good tickets (or any tickets for that matter) at a reasonable price. It is unclear what [...]

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