New Ticketmaster Tool Will Let You See How High Ticket Prices Have Been Jacked Up

To buy or not to buy?

To buy or not to buy?

Dare you hope that there are any seats left in a section not inclined to causing nose bleeds or severe wallet hemorrhages? With Ticketmaster’s new resale system TM+, now you’ll know without a doubt for some events that yes, resale prices have skyrocketed and/or you will be banished to the outer reaches of the arena, so you can pack your plastic bags accordingly.

The system has been unveiled thus far in a smattering of concerts and currently has over two dozen professional sports teams lined up to use it, reports the Associated Press. Despite having 300 events under its belt thus far, it’s still in test mode.

TM+ lets ticket buyers see where each and every (if any) available seat is in a venue, and how much it’ll cost. Whether or not it’s a marked-up resale seat or just one going for the normal price. Which means if you’re nabbing a jacked up seat, you’ll know exactly how ticked off to be.

It’ll also allow buyers to do a bit more comparison shopping — buying one seat could be cheaper than buying one right next to it, which will be apparent in the system.

This of course allows Ticketmaster to make money off every resale, as those that sell through TM+ will net it about 10% of the price from the seller and 10% from the buyer.

“I look forward very much to seeing how it works out and embracing it,” said one ticket reseller. “Competition is always good for the consumer, right?”

Ticketmaster puts resale, unsold tickets in 1 spot [Associated Press]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.