Live Nation owns large entertainment venues, promotes many of the larger concert tours, and — most controversially — uses its Ticketmaster business to sell fee-laden tickets to these events. But Live Nation’s biggest competitor seems intent on beating Ticketmaster at its own game.

AEG, which owns a handful of arenas like the Staples Center in L.A. and the Sprint Center in Kansas City, recently announced that the 19,000-seat Target Center in Minneapolis would no longer be using Ticketmaster. Instead, the home of the Minnesota Timberwolves will be using AEG’s own AXS Ticketing system.

“After successfully launching AXS Ticketing in venues and arenas throughout the country and across the pond, we’re looking to continue to build the momentum with the rollout at Target Center,” said Bryan Perez, AEG’s president of digital, ticketing and media in a written release.

AXS claims it is more consumer-friendly than Ticketmaster. For example, it doesn’t charge a ludicrous fee for customers to print their own tickets at home.

According to KARE-TV, all events that go on-sale or on pre-sale after Nov. 6 will be handed by AXS. It doesn’t say, but we’re guessing that since Timberwolves tickets are currently available through Ticketmaster for the rest of the season that these will remain with Ticketmaster.

We are just glad to see that Ticketmaster may someday have a viable competitor in the event-ticketing field.

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