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Anti-LiveMaster campaigners launch TicketDisaster website
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 17 December 2009
I’m sure these guys felt very satisfied with themselves the moment they came up with their campaign’s name and realised the web domain was available. A US ticketing industry trade body, basically the trade association for more business-like ticket touts, and the US National Consumers League have teamed up to launch a new website specifically designed to persuade American authorities to block Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s much previously reported attempts to merge. The website is called TicketDisaster.org.
With support from other consumer rights groups and some political types, the site’s home page lists five reasons why allowing the LiveMaster merger would be a very bad idea indeed. The reasons are as follows…
1. Ticketmaster and Live Nation dominate the live entertainment industry and any further integration will allow the new company unprecedented control over pricing and access, thereby relinquishing consumer purchasing power.
2. Ticketmaster uses multiple means to take advantage of consumers and increase the price of tickets and services, a practice that will grow with increased control over the market.
3. A Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger will guarantee the new company full and exclusive access to competitively sensitive live entertainment information.
4. Ticketmaster has a track record of initiating anti-competitive practices to block competitors from accessing their events.
5. Blocking the merger outright is preferable to approving it with conditions.
While for many in the music industry it’s Live Nation who are the dangerously dominant big player, it’s clear this campaign is motivated more by a long held hatred of Ticketmaster. Presumably the ticketing giant would deny any allegations of past anti-competitive practices, while the other claims regarding the negative impact of the merger have already been countered by submissions by the two live entertainment giants.
Point five is perhaps most interesting, given approval with conditions seems the most likely conclusion of both the US and UK authorities’ investigations into the merger proposals. Competition authorities hope measures, such as forcing the merged entity to sell off some divisions, or to commit to use the services of third parties, will placate those who oppose the merger. This campaign wants to make it clear from the start that it wants the proposed deal completely blocked.
Helping launch the site at a press conference in Washington, congressman Bill Pascrell told reporters: “All of us agreed that it was time to take this fight to the seats. That’s where the fans are, and they are the people who have had virtually no opportunity to represent their interests in the pending merger of these two companies – until now. This website will give the fans, the ticket buyers, the information they need to understand how they will be affected by the proposed merger, as well as giving them the chance to voice their opposition to the pending deal to the US Department Of Justice’s antitrust authorities”.
All four of the key US congress members supporting the website are Democrats, which is possibly important, given this merger has been positioned by some as a test as to how willing the still newish Democrat regime at the White House are to stand up to big business. Presumably the Congressman have some useful contacts in this regard.
Neither Ticketmaster nor Live Nation have responded to the new website as yet.
