Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#1

Post by jnac » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:07 PM UTC

It seems there are a variety of solutions to prevent value from being transferred from artists/fans/venues to resellers. Why does it seem like there have been no significant attempts to implement an alternative?

The only YC company[1] I can find in this space seems to be DOA.

[1] https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/the-ticket-fairy

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#2

Post by CabSauce » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:11 PM UTC

I heard that ticketmaster has exclusive agreements with basically every large venue. So if performers want to play venues of over a medium size (large theaters, arenas), they're forced to use ticketmaster.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#3

Post by datapolitical » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:13 PM UTC

The answer is that Ticketmaster gives 50% of their revenue to the venue, which is a pretty good deal for the venue, so they have every incentive to keep that relationship going

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#4

Post by anuvrat1 » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:13 PM UTC

The vertical integration, from venues to ticket reselling.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#5

Post by yuy910616 » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:14 PM UTC

Yeah like other comments have said - agreements with venues. In the real world, it is still relatively easy to control the supply, especially given there are so few big venues and only a number of big artists that can fill those venues.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#6

Post by egypturnash » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:15 PM UTC

Ticketmaster's a very vertical monopoly, if you go with anyone else then a ton of venues simply will not work with you. If you open a venue that works with anyone besides Ticketmaster then you won't be able to book any acts that do work with TM, which is "pretty much fucking everyone". There's a lot more to this, Doctorow and Giblin's recent book "Chokepoint Capitalism" has a couple of chapters that examine this whole setup in great detail.

https://craphound.com/chokepoint/2022/09/27/twitch-does-a-ch...

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#7

Post by nervousvarun » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:15 PM UTC

This has been discussed a few times before (see link below).

It's difficult to do a TLDR for such a complex issue, but from what I remember the biggest problem seems to be that Ticketmaster is extremely vertical to the degree it either owns or has exclusive contracts with venues.

Seems like a pretty strong argument that they have a monopoly (so gov. regulation might be the only way to change anything).

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18025209

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#8

Post by sf4lifer » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:15 PM UTC

datapolitical wrote: post #3

The answer is that Ticketmaster gives 50% of their revenue to the venue, which is a pretty good deal for the venue, so they have every incentive to keep that relationship going

Venues also sign multi-year contracts and ticketmaster also has multi-year contracts with all the talent agencies as well.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#9

Post by treepunch » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:16 PM UTC

CabSauce wrote: post #2

I heard that ticketmaster has exclusive agreements with basically every large venue. So if performers want to play venues of over a medium size (large theaters, arenas), they're forced to use ticketmaster.

That's because most of the major venues are owned by LiveNation... which is the same company. When they merged in 2010 everyone saw this coming.

Re: Ask HN: Why is it so hard to disrupt Ticketmaster?

#10

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 3:16 PM UTC

[deleted]