In November 2022, Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, were widely criticized for the ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The pre-sale website crashed within an hour, but 2.4 million tickets were sold despite the outage, breaking the all-time record for the most concert tickets sold by an artist in a single day.

Ticketmaster claimed that “historically unprecedented demand with 14 million showing up” was the cause, but it felt like just another example of bad customer service and worse business practices for so many.

Directed by Pieter Colpaert and Nicholas Fraccaro, this film shows how Ticketmaster and Live Nation, following their significant 2010 merger, have caused ticket sales to increase in price and give you no other option to buy tickets or see a show. This has led to the U.S. Congress attempting to revert the merger, as it appears to be a monopoly that has led to high prices and worse service.

Swift’s tour promoter, AEG Presents, remarked that Ticketmaster has exclusive deals with the majority of U.S. live venues, so they had to work with them. However, AEG Presents has also been criticized for its role in the high ticket prices. Fans have responded by filing a variety of lawsuits.

This should be no surprise to music fans.

In 1994, Pearl Jam was one of the few bands that tried to do something about it. Their complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust division claimed that Ticketmaster had a “virtually absolute monopoly on the distribution of tickets to concerts.”

It’s a stark reminder that the issue of ticket sales has been brewing for decades, and we’re still grappling with it today. This reiteration of the historical context helps the audience feel connected and part of a larger narrative.

Former Ticketmaster CEO told The Los Angeles Times, “The public brought all this on itself. I have no sympathy for people whining about high ticket prices. They helped create this situation where artists must make all their money on tour. Artists and the market set the prices, and you can’t pay a Motel 6 price and stay at the Four Seasons.”

This movie might not solve the problem, but it does an excellent job of laying it out. By presenting the issue in a clear and comprehensive manner, the film ensures that the audience feels informed and enlightened.

You can watch this on Tubi.

Sources

The Eras Tour: Taylor’s Version – Tiger Tattler. https://thetigertattler.com/5697/opinion/the-eras-tour-taylors-version/

Why has buying tickets for Taylor Swift been such a nightmare? Fans met with errors, disappointment. https://www.clickondetroit.com/entertainment/2022/11/16/why-has-buying-tickets-for-taylor-swift-been-such-a-nightmare-fans-met-with-errors-disappointment/

The Cure’s Robert Smith got Ticketmaster to pay back fans – Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-03-16/the-cures-robert-smith-ticketmasters-fees