Is Ticketmaster Scalping??

CreedDisease
CreedDisease Posts: 241
in The Porch
These are not Pearl Jam tickets mind you, but I was just shopping for tickets that were outrageously expensive and I noticed that next to the ticket it said "official platinum" next to it.  I immediately thought "oh, this is some special promotion", but it turns out it is a system that adjusts the ticket price based on supply and demand.  Do you guys think that this is scalping?  I mean don't scalpers buy tickets and then sell them based on supply and demand?  Or is this a clever way to end scalping by letting the corporation getting the higher ticket price (and if so, is that better)?  I just found this interesting and would be interested in other people's thoughts.  PS, I can't imagine PJ doing this.

Comments

  • brewdog123
    brewdog123 ATL Posts: 685
    yes. TM is scalping its own tickets. been doing it for several years. i promise you PJ tickets get this treatment too.
    Atlanta, GA 8/7/00...Atlanta, GA 4/19/03...Columbia, SC 6/16/08...New Orleans, LA 5/1/10...East Troy, WI 9/3/11... East Troy, WI 9/4/11... Atlanta, GA 9/22/12...Greenville, SC 4/16/16...Nashville, TN 9/16/22...Atlanta, GA 4/29/25...Atlanta, GA 5/1/25
  • RoleModelsinBlood31
    RoleModelsinBlood31 Austin TX Posts: 6,242
    TM did this starting a few years ago to compete with stub hub and resellers.  If you want to sell your tickets, for most events that don’t care, they “recommend” a price to you, and it’s usually massively inflated
    I'm like an opening band for your mom.
  • CreedDisease
    CreedDisease Posts: 241
    Thanks, guess I am late to the game, haha... I read the reason why they do this is to "give fans fair and safe access to some of the best seats in the house." hmmm... Thanks for the feedback!
  • brewdog123
    brewdog123 ATL Posts: 685
    its not even about private sellers reselling their tickets, thats part of it. Ticketmaster releases tickets directly to platinum pricing, not resellers necessarily. which is even more f'd
    Atlanta, GA 8/7/00...Atlanta, GA 4/19/03...Columbia, SC 6/16/08...New Orleans, LA 5/1/10...East Troy, WI 9/3/11... East Troy, WI 9/4/11... Atlanta, GA 9/22/12...Greenville, SC 4/16/16...Nashville, TN 9/16/22...Atlanta, GA 4/29/25...Atlanta, GA 5/1/25
  • PJNB
    PJNB Posts: 13,890
    brewdog123 said:
    yes. TM is scalping its own tickets. been doing it for several years. i promise you PJ tickets get this treatment too.
    I am not saying that Pearl Jam tickets have not had this happen but aside from the past charity tickets when have they? I guess I usually get 10C tickets so I never really notice but I can not remember a time.
  • ZAPPER
    ZAPPER Posts: 253
    Ticketmaster can suck a fat one. 

    They saw how much money private sellers were making so of course they want to double dip.

    most of the general public thinks those inflated prices are normal and dont even know what face value is. I refuse to buy from scalpers, TM or brokers. I would rather not attend an event if its like that. People keep paying these stupid prices, companies will keep doing their shady shit.
    Previously known as Elzar
  • SHZA
    SHZA St. Louis, MO USA Posts: 4,314
    The platinum tickets are owned by the artist. So it's a way of cutting into scalpers' profits so artists get more of the true market value for the seats. 
  • PJNB
    PJNB Posts: 13,890
    SHZA said:
    The platinum tickets are owned by the artist. So it's a way of cutting into scalpers' profits so artists get more of the true market value for the seats. 
    I thought this was the case as well. Of course the fees are higher which helps TM. 
  • on2legs
    on2legs Posts: 15,991
    Those platinum seats allow the artist to scalp their own tickets without looking like scalpers to their fans.  They let Ticketmaster look like the bad guy, which of course they are only too happy to do. 
    1996: Randall's Island 2  1998: East Rutherford | MSG 1 & 2  2000: Cincinnati | Columbus | Jones Beach 1, 2, & 3 | Boston 1 | Camden 1 & 2 2003: Philadelphia | Uniondale | MSG 1 & 2 | Holmdel  2005: Atlantic City 1  2006: Camden 1 | East Rutherford 1 & 2 2008: Camden 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 (#25) | Newark (EV)  2009: Philadelphia 1, 2 & 4  2010: Newark | MSG 1 & 2  2011: Toronto 1  2013: Wrigley Field | Brooklyn 2 | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2015: Central Park  2016: Philadelphia 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 | Fenway Park 2 | MSG (TOTD)  2017: Brooklyn (RnR HOF)  2020: MSG | Asbury Park  2021: Asbury Park  2022: MSG | Camden | Nashville  2024: MSG 1 & 2 (#50) | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2025: Raleigh


  • huntersthompson
    huntersthompson Posts: 1,033
    I tried to get Jeff Tweedy tickets at the Fillmore in San Francisco---tickets were $80 face value.  I was on at exactly the moment that tickets went on sale....standard short delay and two tickets were available.  The only tickets available 10 seconds after the show went on sale were Platinum tickets at $180 a ticket...f-that....
  • tschav
    tschav Posts: 2,900
    SHZA said:
    The platinum tickets are owned by the artist. So it's a way of cutting into scalpers' profits so artists get more of the true market value for the seats. 
    ^ this

    In some cases, like PJ and RATM, their platinum tickets raise prices but sell as charity seats - so while they’re at “scalped” prices the extra $$$ goes to causes they support.

    This, of course, is not common for most live acts who are squeezing extra money out of their allotment.
  • Foriginal Sin
    Foriginal Sin Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,876
    CreedDisease said:
    These are not Pearl Jam tickets mind you, but I was just shopping for tickets that were outrageously expensive and I noticed that next to the ticket it said "official platinum" next to it.  I immediately thought "oh, this is some special promotion", but it turns out it is a system that adjusts the ticket price based on supply and demand.  Do you guys think that this is scalping?  I mean don't scalpers buy tickets and then sell them based on supply and demand?  Or is this a clever way to end scalping by letting the corporation getting the higher ticket price (and if so, is that better)?  I just found this interesting and would be interested in other people's thoughts.  PS, I can't imagine PJ doing this.

    The many scalper booths outside Wrigley Field work directly for the Cubs. So all those “sell outs” are just great marketing to get people to buy “scalped” tickets with the Cubs benefiting once again. 
    Chicago 6/29/98, Alpine Valley(EV) 6/13/99, Alpine Valley 10/08/00, Chicago 10/09/00, Phoenix 10/20/00, Orlando 4/12/03, Tampa 4/13/03, San Diego 6/05/03, Vegas 6/06/03, Phoenix 6/07/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Orlando 10/08/04, D.C. 10/11/04, Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, LA 7/12/08, Chicago 8/23/09, Chicago 8/24/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09 (Front Row Center, Finally), Phoenix(EV) 11/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Phoenix 11/19/13, Denver 10/22/14, Wrigley 8/20/16, Wrigley 8/22/16
  • Manu117
    Manu117 Burlington VT Posts: 117
    at the end of the day, there is little difference for the fan who buys from a scalper or TM platinum seats
  • mace1229
    mace1229 Posts: 9,846
    It’s even more weird to me that Red Rocks will sell scalped tickets on their website. Actually, not on their website, but when you click on the “buy tickets” link it takes you to a third party site with scalped tickets 10x the original price. Seems odd the venue would promote that.
  • Manu117
    Manu117 Burlington VT Posts: 117
    mace1229 said:
    It’s even more weird to me that Red Rocks will sell scalped tickets on their website. Actually, not on their website, but when you click on the “buy tickets” link it takes you to a third party site with scalped tickets 10x the original price. Seems odd the venue would promote that.
    it's not a 3rd party site. red rocks uses axs to sell regular and reseller tickets on the same platform, so when a show is sold out all you see are the reseller tickets. it makes sense, really, since it avoids people going to 3rd party platforms like stubhub

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