Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. The band’s original lineup consisted of Eddie Vedder (lead vocals), Mike McCready (lead guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Jeff Ament (bass) and Dave Krusen (drums). Pearl Jam achieved worldwide fame with their debut album Ten in 1991, which included hit singles like “Alive”, “Even Flow” and “Jeremy”. The band has sold over 85 million records worldwide and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In the early 1990s, Pearl Jam had a public dispute with Ticketmaster over the company’s service fees for concert tickets. The band unsuccessfully tried to tour without using Ticketmaster but found it logistically difficult. This led to a Department of Justice investigation into Ticketmaster’s monopolistic practices. Though the dispute received a lot of media attention at the time, Pearl Jam eventually started using Ticketmaster again out of necessity as the dominant ticketing provider.
Pearl Jam’s Dispute with Ticketmaster in the 1990s
In 1994, Pearl Jam took issue with Ticketmaster charging excessive service fees up to $3.25 per ticket, with the band receiving less than a dollar after fees were deducted. The band tried to boycott Ticketmaster by scheduling a tour using alternate ticketing companies. However, they found it extremely difficult as Ticketmaster had exclusive contracts with many major venues at the time. The Department of Justice launched an investigation into Ticketmaster in 1994, concluding they had monopolistic practices. But no legal action was taken against the company.
Frustrated in their efforts, Pearl Jam ultimately had to start using Ticketmaster again to book shows at venues with exclusive contracts. The band continued criticizing the company’s fees and called for federal regulation of the ticketing industry. Pearl Jam’s vocal opposition put the issue of excessive ticketing fees into the public consciousness and cast Ticketmaster in an unfavorable light. But the company maintained its dominant position in the industry.
Why Pearl Jam Had to Eventually Return to Ticketmaster
There were a few key reasons why Pearl Jam had little choice but to resume using Ticketmaster:
- Ticketmaster had exclusive contracts with most major concert venues across the US at the time. Pearl Jam found it extremely difficult booking shows when they were shut out of those venues.
- Smaller ticketing companies did not have the capability to handle ticket sales for concerts with huge demand. Their systems often crashed, leading to long delays and confusion.
- Without access to Ticketmaster’s platform and network, it became very inefficient for Pearl Jam to manage and coordinate ticketing logistics in every market.
- Boycotting Ticketmaster severely impacted Pearl Jam’s ability to generate revenue from touring, which most bands rely on. It was not financially sustainable.
- Though the Department of Justice investigated Ticketmaster’s monopoly, no concrete action was taken to regulate the industry or break up their dominance.
Facing those realities, Pearl Jam had little choice but to start using Ticketmaster again by 1995 to book the majority of their shows. Their boycott efforts failed due to Ticketmaster’s entrenched position and exclusive venue contracts at the time.
Does Pearl Jam Currently Use Ticketmaster?
Yes, Pearl Jam still uses Ticketmaster as their ticketing provider for most concerts and tours. Following their unsuccessful boycott in the 1990s, the band has continued working with Ticketmaster over the past 25+ years out of logistic and financial necessity.
Some key points:
- As of 2023, Ticketmaster continues to have exclusive ticketing contracts with many major venues and dominates the primary ticket market.
- Pearl Jam is still dependent on playing those larger Ticketmaster-contracted venues to earn money from touring.
- Independent ticket companies have grown since the 1990s, but do not have the reach and capabilities to entirely replace Ticketmaster.
- Pearl Jam has explored some alternative ticketing options for specific shows, but Ticketmaster remains their primary provider.
- The band still criticizes Ticketmaster’s fees publicly, but has not attempted another full boycott.
Based on Ticketmaster’s ongoing dominance in the industry, Pearl Jam has remained a Ticketmaster client for the past 25+ years for their concert ticketing needs. However, the band has not stopped advocating for more regulation and reforms in the ticketing business.
Occasional Use of Alternate Ticketing
Though Pearl Jam mainly relies on Ticketmaster, they do sometimes use other ticketing options on a limited basis:
- For some shows at non-Ticketmaster venues, they may use the venue’s own ticketing system or another smaller provider.
- Pearl Jam partnered with Ticketfly for ticketing their 2018 Seattle “Home Shows”. But Ticketfly was then acquired by Eventbrite, which has its own service fees.
- The band has done various promotions with fan clubs and sponsor partnerships to distribute a portion of tickets directly.
- In Europe where Ticketmaster does not dominate, Pearl Jam uses alternate ticketing providers specific to each country.
However, these alternate ticketing approaches tend to be one-off cases or limited to smaller shows. For full-scale tours, Ticketmaster remains the predominant choice based on their reach, capabilities and venue contracts. Critics argue this shows the industry is still lacking true competition.
Why Pearl Jam is Still Dependent on Ticketmaster
Despite their public frustration, Pearl Jam continues using Ticketmaster for most of their ticketing needs for a few key reasons:
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Venue Contracts | Many major venues exclusively use Ticketmaster due to contractual agreements. Pearl Jam has to work with Ticketmaster to book these venues. |
| System Capabilities | Ticketmaster offers sophisticated ticketing software and analytics not matched by smaller providers. Their high sales volume also provides stability. |
| Distribution Network | With an established network of retailers and partners, Ticketmaster has unparalleled reach and control of the primary ticket market. |
| Fan Familiarity | Fans are used to buying tickets through Ticketmaster, especially for major concerts. |
| Financial Considerations | Not using Ticketmaster for large tours risks significantly impacting Pearl Jam’s income from live shows. |
These factors mean Pearl Jam and most other major artists remain dependent on Ticketmaster, despite the company’s much-criticized service fees and industry dominance. Viable alternatives at scale are still lacking.
Future Outlook
It is likely that Pearl Jam will continue using Ticketmaster as their primary ticketing partner for the foreseeable future. Despite more competition emerging, Ticketmaster maintains key advantages:
- Exclusive contracts with major venues that book the most popular tours.
- Unmatched distribution network, sales capabilities and data analytics.
- Strong brand recognition among fans purchasing tickets.
However, there are signs of gradual change in the industry:
- Some artists are partnering directly with technology companies to manage ticketing and bypass third parties.
- New ticketing platforms like Dice are using mobile-first approaches to attract specific fan bases.
- Calls for more regulation and fee transparency in the ticketing industry persist.
While Ticketmaster’s position remains secure currently, increasing competition and scrutiny could slowly erode their dominance over the coming decade. But Pearl Jam and other major tours will likely depend on them for the near future given the entrenched advantages. Absent meaningful regulatory intervention, Ticketmaster is still the benchmark ticketing giant with the capabilities needed to handle massive concert demand.
Conclusion
In summary, Pearl Jam’s high-profile dispute with Ticketmaster in the 1990s over service fees was unsuccessful at permanently boycotting the company. Though the Department of Justice investigated possible monopoly practices, no concrete actions were taken. Ticketmaster retained its dominant position through exclusive venue contracts and unmatched distribution capabilities. Lacking viable alternatives, Pearl Jam eventually had to resume using Ticketmaster for most of their ticketing needs starting in 1995. They still rely on Ticketmaster today as their primary ticketing partner for full tours, despite criticizing the company’s fees and industry control. While emerging competitors and new technology offer some hope for more options, Pearl Jam and most big artists remain dependent on Ticketmaster to provide the sales infrastructure needed for today’s high-demand concert environment. Significant reforms are still needed in the ticketing industry to reduce service fees and monopolistic practices. But until structural changes occur, Pearl Jam has little choice but to continue collaborating with the dominant Ticketmaster ticketing giant.