When you read about the proposed Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger, you might have thought to yourself, “Sure, this would be a merger between the world’s largest ticketing company and the largest concert promoter, but I think it could be more horrifying.” Comcast apparently agrees, as they’re considering getting in on the merger.
Bloomberg News has the story from two anonymous sources familiar with the talks. Although nobody at Comcast, Ticketmaster, or the Justice Department is commenting, the speculation is that Comcast would partner with Ticketmaster in exchange for revenues from ticketing software and client contracts.
The prospect of having to deal with Comcast and Ticketmaster to see a concert or sporting event is upsetting enough, but the sickest part of this story is that the Comcast partnership is apparently being considered to alleviate antitrust concerns that the Justice Department might have about the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger.
We’ll keep you updated on any future developments (maybe AT&T or MLB would like to be a part of this?)
Comcast Said to Work with Ticketmaster, Live Nation [Bloomberg]
(Photo: The Searcher)
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I think they’re pissed they didn’t get the golden poo this year. Comcastmaster would be unstoppable!
@HRHKingFridayXX: I am going to puke in my mouth now.
They also want to buy NBC-U.
*sigh*
No! This will cause a singularity of bad value and crappy customer service that will rip the fabric of the universe in twain!
If this partnership does not come to pass we may only conclude is that the people in the future took a break from sabotaging the LHC to prevent this from occurring.
@diasdiem: Wait! Maybe that’s it! This merger won’t happen because the only way to fix the resulting issue would be to employ the LHC against it, thus the universe will respond by preventing Comcast and Ticketmaster from ever merging.
And if the universe happens to take its preventive steps a little too far, who are we to complain?
Hopefully they will bring an airline into the mix so they can add a service charge to the baggage fees while making you pay extra to watch the NFL Network.
Be careful of talking about anti-consumer abominations or the NFL (aka No Fun League) might send a DMCA takedown due to you insisting there’s a company that cares less about customers.
DOes this means I can get my concert trickets directly billed to my tv/internet bill…. Score!!!
@edguitar:
We can do that*
*there is will a $5 added fee per ticket / seat for that.
@edguitar: Just as long as you can take a day off for the tickets to be delivered to your home within a 4 hour window. That is, if the delivery person thinks you are home and also doesn’t want to take a long lunch…
Is this what the movie 2012 is about?
@Scoobatz: best comment all day
So I am not yet done with law school and have not taken antitrust law (that’s next semester) but could someone please explain this to me: how does involving another enormous corporation in a merger REDUCE antitrust concerns?
@allknowingtomato: I’m guessing it’s because Ticketmaster and Live Nation are in the same business; if they merge, then there’s no competition. Comcast does not sell tickets to concerts/events, thus not the same business. Big corporation, yes; against antitrust laws, I guess not.
And good luck finding a job after law school. I mean that sincerely; no sarcasm tag here. Too many lawyers, not enough jobs right now. Not a fun time in the marketplace.
@hotdogsunrise: Actually, I am one of the 7 law school students in the country who DOES have a job waiting for her. But thanks for your concern.
Patent law specialization/molecular biology degree FTW!
@allknowingtomato: Congrats! I know people I graduated with a year and a half ago that still don’t have jobs. It’s tough out there.
@allknowingtomato: I was wondering that too. They aren’t adding a competitor they are adding a partner. The merger would still create a market with only one player in it which is what antitrust laws are there to stop.
Will AIG be financing the deal? Maybe there will be a promo deal that will allow Monster Cable to advertise at the concerts? Perhaps a partnership with Best Buy stores to sell tickets at the Geek Squad counter?
Can this be Part B of this week’s Consumerist Troll-a-Thon, started yesterday by Chris Walters with the story about receipt checking, Walmart, XBOX 360, and violence in the Walmart parking lot?
The world is coming to an end. And we don’t need to wait for 2012.
We need a government sponsored “public option” for buying tickets.
Now I have XTC in my head.
Dear God
Comcast is considering
Partner-
ing with ticketmaster
If Bank of America and GM had a baby, this would be it.
God, help us.
This is really bad news for Consumerist. Just think of the “Worst Company” contest. They’d win every year by a landslide.
If all of these proposed mergers go through, we’d have …
National Ticket BroadComcastMastering NationCompany
Any other ideas?
@TCama: Shorter Name: Walmart
Ticketmaster does not currently suck enough for concertgoers to refuse to buy tickets from them, for bands to refuse to play shows at Ticketmaster venues, or for venues to lose attendence due to using Ticketmaster.
That means that either Ticketmaster is pretty good, or it just isn’t bad enough to need to improve anything.
I don’t know what a marriage to Comcast would do. It wouldn’t necessarily be worse, but maybe worse would be the best case scenario. Maybe it’ll make Ticketmaster so bad that people will stop buying tickets from them. That’s the best thing that could possibly happen to live music.
Awesome! Soon only the rich will be able to afford concerts for anyone beyond the local band level!
Ticketmaster, the whore of a company who provides marginal service for big bucks and is under investigation with the Justice Dept concerning anti-trust issues, joining forces with ANY company is a bad idea.
Look under the dictionary definition of clusterfuck. There it is.
Am I going to end up seeing a “convenience fee” added to my monthly cable bill? Will I have to pay to print out my own bill? Will they automatically charge me for parking my ass in front of the TV?
http://www.comcasttix.com
Everything in the Philadelphia area goes through them. They also run the Wachovia Center, the home of the Sixers and Flyers. To be fair, Comcast Spectracor is a pretty decent outfit.
@allknowingtomato: I hear patent law + science or engineering degree is the way to go. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but I opted for the Ph.D. instead of the J.D. Some of my friends are looking at patent law, but I think I’d be bored senseless. That is to say, congrats and good luck to you!
I have been lucky in that I never had Comcast anywhere I have lived; however my significant other was forced to use them since they where the only “provider” allowed. She has had more problems with her provider then I have had with my last 5 providers in four different states.
I avoid Ticketmaster events due to the “fees”, I perfer smaller locations which may offer Ticketmaster service but still allow you to buy the tickets at the box office before or even at the day of the show. I started to use Ticketmaster once a year ago to see a show in DC. I looked online at the ticket prices and Ticketmaster was charging the max weekend price for the front rows for the tickets for the weekday rear rows before “fees”. I am unsure if that is criminal but I ended up spending a day looking around online before finding the tickets for the correct price. The $65 dollars saved was worth my time for those couple hours.
I hate Ticketmaster. A few years ago I took my son to see a WWE show at our local arena. I bought the tickets at the arena and had to pay a convenience fee.
@diasdiem: Maybe this?
@diasdiem: Thats absolutely hilarious.
My guess is the Illuminati or this guy
[reporting.journalism.ku.edu]
@axiomatic: If you like.
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: Is complaining to one monopolistic franchise about another monopolistic franchise really going to help all that much?
@theblackdog_FeelingRandom: “Your concert is scheduled to start between 4 and 8 pm”
followed by:
“Hey, why was the concert canceled?”
“It wasn’t canceled-the concert showed up at the venue, but nobody answered the door.”
@Joeb5: There will be a $20 service/convenience fee for *not* doing that.
@Alys Brangwin: TR would be considered a communist today.
@Coles_Law:
or they can say we are out of slots and can’t let you in. after they over sell it.
@arstal: Why does everyone keep blaming communism for everything?
@subsider34: Personally, I don’t care what people call me or what I think, be it socialism, communism, or whatever! I call it fair play: let’s give everyone a little shot at some of the good stuff from our excessive wealth accumulators.
@H3ion: That would be the “arses of evil” eh?!
@econobiker: Not only that, but TR could have kicked the crap out of U.S. Grant when both were in their primes.