Ticketmaster's newest scam: Instant scalping

I was on the Ticketmaster site shooting for Bruce Springsteen tickets for Chicago, refreshed the page within 5 seconds of when they went on sale at 11:00.00, went through the ordering page, filled out the code word, hit "2 TICKETS, ANY PRICE, BEST AVAILABLE," and sent the page before 11:00.20.

Response:

Remember, this is within 30 seconds of the tickets going on sale.

 

You're surprised to learn TicketMaster is an overpriced scam?

 

Oh, that's been true for years and years. It's just amazing they've become so naked about it. Usually, they go through some minimal pretense of actual customers being able to buy tickets, before going instantly to the scalpers.

 

I wish Pearl Jam's boycott of TicketMaster would have caught on with other artists. They pretty much were just pissing in the wind, but I for one appreciated the effort.

At least they still keep their ticket prices affordable (assuming TicketMaster doesn't automatically send you to a scalper).

 

There was a Simpsons episode from years back where Homer is the second person on line for a show. The first guy buys 30,000 tickets, and doesn't have the money to pay for them. The ticket girl gives them to the guy, anyways, and then, when Homer steps up, the window is closed, and the girl pulls down a 'Sold out' windowshade. 'Doh'

Tickets to events have been a scam for years. Does anyone honestly think that when you see celebrities sitting in the front row that they were on the Ticketmaster computer buying those seats?

 

This is such incredible bullshit. I rarely go to concerts, but I made an exception this morning to buy Bruce tickets. No thanks. I'll just listen to my iPod.

 

I remember the days before Internet purchasing when I would wait outside a record store for hours just to snag a somewhat decent seat. There were times I would be second in line and would be stuck with seats on the side of the stage or some other gawdawful place. I never snatched floor tickets in those days.

I eventually figured out that the big concert promoter in the region had this "Concert Club" where a member paid a certain annual price to gain access to tickets before they were dropped into Ticketmaster's system. I figure most scalpers got access to the prime tickets this way and wouldn't be surprised if a similar system was in place today.

 

I actually met some good friends waiting in line for Buffett tickets . . . we kept meeting up at the local Wherehouse at 5 a.m. or whatever the day the tickets went on sale. It was cool, but not cool enough to make up for TicketBastards' pain in the ass service.

 

This is why I hope Ebay and stub hub put ticketmaster out of business. At least you know what you are getting with those places.

I hate when I buy baseball tickets they charge me a $4 processing fee per ticket and then a $2 order fee.

 

What is TicketsNow?

It's Ticketmaster's own private StubHub.

11:00.01 Tickets go on sale

11:00:03 19,950 of 20,000 seats go to TicketsNow

11:00:05 Ticketmaster starts displaying "all tickets sold"

 

Went to a concert venue to see Barenaked Ladies. Bought tickets AT THE SITE and TM still charged a convenience fee. It's a scam. I've waited in line overnight for tickets and jammed phone lines when they go on sale and every time I've used a connection to get tickets to a show they were always better than the TM seats.

 

Years ago I got up in the middle of the night to wait in line at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater for Elvis Costello tickets. We're very near the front of the line, but get shitty upper section seats.

The guy behind us gets to the window and says "Elvis Costello Punch the Clock Tour '84." He gets second row.

The ticket bullshit has been going on a long, long time.