As a result of efforts by the Biden administration, Live Nation, a concert promoter, has pledged to increase transparency regarding ticket pricing for consumers. In anticipation of a White House event that highlights the government’s crackdown on excessive fees, the company announced its plans to implement “all-in” pricing for its owned venues. This pricing system will allow ticket buyers to view all fees associated with an event at the beginning of a transaction. The new system is scheduled to launch in September. President Biden, Live Nation Venues President Tom See, and the CEOs of Seat Geek, xBk, DICE, and TickPick attended the White House event, where President Biden emphasized that this transparency promotes competition and reduces costs for working Americans.
Ticketmaster, which is owned by Live Nation and is a popular ticketing service, will also introduce an optional feature for users to view upfront pricing for all tickets sold on the platform, not just those for Live Nation-owned concert venues. However, it will be up to individual venues to decide how their prices are displayed. According to a Live Nation spokesperson, fans are aware that tickets include service fees, but displaying the total cost from the beginning simplifies the ticket-buying process and aligns it with other retail experiences.
Addressing “Junk Fees”
In recent years, additional fees added to tickets, sometimes surpassing the ticket’s face value, have drawn political and public ire. Congressional Democrats recently introduced the Junk Fee Prevention Act, which aims to prohibit extra charges for communication services, event tickets, and airline seating. The Cure frontman, Robert Smith, expressed his dismay in March at the fees charged by Ticketmaster for his concerts, with some exceeding the ticket’s actual value. Smith took to Twitter to express his frustration and emphasized that artists cannot control or limit these fees.
During a Senate hearing in January, members of the band Lawrence revealed that they only received $6 from a concert ticket sold by Ticketmaster for $42, after a 40% fee was added.
Ticketmaster’s commitment to greater transparency in pricing practices is beneficial to consumers. The platform controls approximately 80% of ticket sales in the U.S., and its parent company, Live Nation, operates some of the most popular and profitable venues in the country. According to the White House, over 30 million people attended events at Live Nation venues last year. Consumer watchdog Teresa Murray from the U.S PIRG Education Fund views this as a significant victory for consumers and believes that the elimination of unexpected fees should extend to other industries, such as airlines, retailers, and banking.
All-In Pricing for All
All-in pricing options will also be available on SeatGeek and xBk, an event venue located in Des Moines, Iowa. Consumer Reports’ advocacy program director, Chuck Bell, stated that people have been calling for all-in pricing for concert tickets for some time. While price transparency is desirable and allows consumers to make informed purchasing decisions, Bell believes it will not necessarily limit how much venues can charge. Rather, it will enable individuals to accurately anticipate their expenses.
Beyond the concert industry, Consumer Reports is pressuring Congress to regulate hidden fees in various sectors, including hotel bookings, apartment rentals, car purchases, cell phone plans, and airline ticket purchases. Chuck Bell highlighted that this issue extends beyond one industry and poses a serious concern for individuals on fixed incomes.
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