The case against Ticketmaster

Back in my day (cue the rocking chair sound effect) Ticketmaster had outlets in record stores and the best way to get high-demand concert tickets was to spend the night in line with your friends and other fans.
I think I did that twice and not only was it a lot of fun, but it also made the concert experience even better.

How times have changed. Ticketmaster has grown into a juggernaut and the US Senate Judiciary Committee is investigating if the company holds a monopoly in the ticketing industry. Some are calling for the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which was approved 13 years ago by the Justice Department, to be undone.

This didn't happen overnight. It was nearly 30 years ago that Pearl Jam spoke before congress about the company's monopolistic grip on venues and pricing structures that fleeced fans. It's estimated that approximately 87% of the US ticket industry is controlled by Ticketmaster and that up to 27% of a ticket's cost comes from additional and ever-increasing fees (facility, service, convenience fees).

With the recent Taylor Swift ticket debacle, music fans are calling for changes that will release the stranglehold Ticketmaster has on the industry and both Democrats and Republicans on the committee seem to be in agreement.

I don't go to concerts as often as I used to but when I do I prefer not to pay a ransom. I'll be watching to see how this all unfolds.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/what-happened-at-the-ticketmas...