Ticketmaster, Live Nation confirm merger

rovert

Ticketmaster, Live Nation confirm merger

Ticketmaster and Live Nation have confirmed plans to merge and create a new company called Live Nation Entertainment.

The $2.5 billion (£1.73 billion) company will combine Live Nation's concert promotions business with ticketing services from Ticketmaster.

Live Nation boss Michael Rapino said: "This combination will drive measurable benefits to consumers

"Together, we will work to simplify the ticketing process and ultimately increase attendance at live events."

He added that, at present, too many tickets are unsold and fans are often frustrated by their ticket-buying experiences.

Earlier this month, Bruce Springsteen attacked the merger, claiming that it would make ticketing "even worse for the fan than it is now".

The musician argued that the deal would result in a monopoly of music ticketing and urged fans who oppose the idea to make their opinion known.

They have us completely by the balls now

Bluetonic

Ties in with this...

updated 10:14 p.m. ET Feb. 5, 2009

TRENTON, N.J. - Bruce Springsteen said Wednesday he is angry with Ticketmaster and believes its selling practices constitute a conflict of interest.

When tickets for Springsteen’s show at New Jersey’s Meadowlands went on sale Monday, some fans got an error message on their computer screen that shut them out. The potential ticket-buyers then saw an ad for Ticketmaster subsidiary TicketsNow offering tickets for hundreds of dollars more than face value.

Springsteen said on his Web site Wednesday that he and the E Street Band are “furious.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29014484/

Red Sleeping Beauty

You'd think that if there was a couple of big names like Springsteen then they could get together and do something.
I know Pearl Jam tried doing a tour without Ticketmaster and they were left short of venues or something because Ticketmaster own/have contracts with the venues.

Patricide

God i hate ticketmaster...

Motley Crue

Oh that's it, we are ****ed

Be prepared to shell out big for the truly important concerts you want to see...the rest will be small, low key affairs in drafty pubs, and your mates band will be the support

Alter-Ego

Do livenation own the point/o2?

NTC

Balls, it goes from bad to worse! :mad:

Mushy

Alter-Ego wrote: »

Do livenation own the point/o2?

Yup!

Neo#

Mr.S wrote: »

I can't see prices being raised tbh, in Ireland anyway.

Me neither. But they wont be going down!

Mushy

Don't think this has quite gone ahead yet lads. Read today some anti-trust thing in America might be blocking/appealing it, probably due to anti-competitiveness so-and-so.

tubedude

I read they were going to combine the two names into what would become Live Master! But they decided it sounded a bit sinister...

Red Sleeping Beauty

Mr.S wrote: »

I can't see prices being raised tbh, in Ireland anyway.

Wouldn't be surprised. Ticket prices have shot through the roof in Ireland in a few short years. Part in due to the Gvt's sneaky "outdoor gig" 20Euro tax. They could very easily put a tax on any ticket for any event.