Ticketbastard

Oh, this is a great interview.

Hot Seat: The CEO Who's Master Of The Tickets

Q: What's the biggest misconception about Ticketmaster?
A: The biggest misconception is that people think Ticketmaster controls the inventory. By control, I mean things like set the prices or in some way hold back or reserve inventory. Anything like that we have no control over. We are simply an agent that distributes tickets on behalf of our clients.

Bullshit! Oh, Ticketmaster doesn't set the prices of their ridiculous "Convenience Fees" or "Handling Fees" that add between $10 and $20 to each ticket? And how come I can get better tickets at a General Onsale than I can during an Internet Presale?

Answer: Ticketmaster releases a selection of (mainly shitty) seats during an Internet Presale, hoping that you'll think this is your only (and best) chance to get good tickets, and therefore you'll snatch 'em up.

Q: Do you think people who buy tickets should be allowed to resell them?
A: People who buy things should have the ability to recoup their investment by selling it to somebody else, in my personal opinion. Whether they get profit, that's the legislator's prerogative.

Translation: I'm a big pussy and don't want to piss off the brokers keeping me in business.

Q: How big a share of Ticketmaster convenience fees do sports and concert venues receive?
A: We've got over 6,000 clients that we serve and I think it's fair to say that we have a different arrangement with every one. It's very standard in the business that a portion of our fees is shared with the people that are the controllers of the inventory.

Translation: Fuck you and your question about my convenience fees.

Q: Do you have special access to tickets?
A: I just purchased tickets to Toots and the Maytals at the Roxy in Los Angeles. I did it exactly like anybody else, went on Ticketmaster.com, ordered my tickets, and paid like everyone else.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Oh man, that's good avoidance.

I don't want to start a huge rant about Ticketbastard, but let's just say that it's extremely - EXTREMELY - rare that I've heard a positive experience about them.

Okay, I'm going to rant.

Today I bought two tickets for a concert. Tickets were $41.50 each. No prob, I can handle $83.

Convenience Charge: $9.60 per ticket
Order Processing Charge: $4.35

Total: $106.55

How do they get off charging me an extra $23.55 in fees?

Answer: They're the only game in town.

Sure, there's Ticketweb and a few others, but for the big venues, if you're not dealing with Ticketbastard, you're not going.

/rant off