Should I buy concert tickets on Ticketmaster?

With ticket prices rising and fees seeming to multiply every year, buying concert tickets is getting more and more expensive. Many concertgoers are frustrated with Ticketmaster, which is the primary ticket provider for most major concerts and live events. Is Ticketmaster still the best option for buying tickets, or are there better places to get them for less?

The Benefits of Buying from Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster is the dominant player in event ticketing for a reason. Here are some of the benefits of buying tickets through them:

• Access to tickets for major concerts and live events – Ticketmaster has exclusive partnerships with many venues, artists, sports leagues, etc. They get first access to a large portion of event tickets.
• Large inventory – With so many partnerships, Ticketmaster has a very large ticket inventory. Even for hot shows, they may have access to more tickets than other sellers.
• Reliability – Ticketmaster is unlikely to sell fake or scam tickets. Their tickets are guaranteed valid.
• Refunds – Ticketmaster will provide refunds in certain situations where events are canceled or you can’t attend.
• Transferable tickets – You can easily transfer Ticketmaster tickets to someone else if you can’t attend an event.
• Convenient delivery – Ticketmaster offers digital tickets, mail delivery, and even e-ticket kiosks near some event venues.

In summary, Ticketmaster provides convenience, selection, reliability, and buyer protection that’s hard to match. For very popular events, it may be the only way to get tickets at all. But the convenience comes at a cost…

The Downsides of Ticketmaster

While Ticketmaster offers some real benefits, many customers are put off by their extremely high fees. Some other drawbacks include:

• High ticket fees – Fees routinely add 25%, 50% or more to the base ticket price. The fees go to Ticketmaster rather than the artist or venue.
• Dynamic pricing – Ticketmaster uses “surge pricing” algorithms that frequently raise prices as demand increases.
• Bundled products – You’re often pushed to buy “platinum” tickets that bundle other perks for exponentially higher prices.
• Lack of transparency – Final ticket prices are not shown upfront due to the vague fees added at checkout.
• No resales – Ticketmaster prohibits ticket resales, forcing customers to use their own platform at inflated rates.

Ticketmaster’s dominance in the industry allows them to charge exorbitant fees with little recourse for consumers. Their platform intentionally obscures the final ticket prices and pushes customers into expensive bundled products.

Major Ticketmaster Fees and Charges

Here are some of the specific Ticketmaster fees to be aware of when buying tickets:

Keep in mind that most major events will incur all of these fees per ticket. It’s not uncommon for fees to add 50% or more to the base price. Those fees don’t provide any additional value for customers – they only serve to generate massive profits for Ticketmaster.

Alternatives to Ticketmaster

The good news is you don’t have to use Ticketmaster to buy tickets, even for major concerts and sporting events. Here are some alternative places to get tickets:

Official Artist Presales

Many artists will offer special presales for their most loyal fans. These presales typically use the artist’s own ticket seller rather than Ticketmaster. Fans can often access presale codes by joining the artist’s fan club or email newsletter. Doing so is free and can provide earlier ticket access without Ticketmaster fees.

Venue Box Offices

If you live near the venue of an event you want to attend, you can often buy tickets directly through their box office. Tickets bought this way don’t incur any of Ticketmaster’s processing or service fees.

Reseller Marketplaces

Sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats run resale marketplaces where fans can resell event tickets they purchased. Prices are set by sellers rather than the venues. Reseller sites charge lower fees than Ticketmaster, though prices can be higher for very high demand events.

Ticket Lotteries and Raffles

For extremely popular concerts, artists will sometimes run ticket lotteries or raffles. This gives all fans an equal chance to buy tickets without having to compete against scalpers. These promotions are normally advertised on the artist’s social media channels before tickets formally go on sale.

General Ticketing Sites

Some other ticket marketplaces like SeatGeek and TickPick offer primary tickets without the fees you’ll find on Ticketmaster. These sites charge much lower service fees and show the full ticket prices upfront. However, they may not have as large an inventory for the biggest concerts.

How to Save Money on Concert Tickets

If you want to get the best deal on concert and event tickets, here are some tips:

• Join fan clubs and email lists – Get access to special presales and pre-order opportunities before the general public.
• Buy early – Prices usually start lower and go up over time as an event approaches.
• Avoid “platinum” tickets – Don’t buy bundled packages or VIP tickets if the normal seats will do.
• Buy the least desirable seats – The worst available seats tend to be the cheapest. Consider nosebleed seats instead of lower levels.
• Buy in pairs – Single seats often cost more due to surrounding dynamic prices. Buy two seats together even if you only need one.
• Check resale sites – Sites like StubHub can sometimes have tickets for less than face value right before an event.
• Use ticket discount codes – Check sites like TicketDiscount for promo codes before you check out.

With some work, patience and flexibility, you can still find reasonably priced tickets in 2022 even with Ticketmaster’s dominance. Don’t take their fees for granted.

Is Ticketmaster Still Worth Using?

Despite the high fees and questionable tactics, Ticketmaster can still be your best option for buying tickets to the most popular live events. The key considerations are:

• How high is demand for the event? If it’s expected to sell out immediately, Ticketmaster may be the only way to guarantee you get tickets.
• Do you need the best seats? Ticketmaster often has exclusive access to the closest seats and VIP packages.
• Is convenience important? If you want digital delivery, flexible transfers, etc., Ticketmaster has advantages.
• Are you price sensitive? Ticketmaster is rarely the cheapest option anymore.

In general, Ticketmaster makes most sense for very high demand events where convenience and selection matter more than price. But for more average events, take the time to explore alternative sellers. You can likely find solid seats for a lot less in fees.

The Future of Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster’s market dominance has led to repeated calls for legal action and investigations. Pearl Jam famously tried to tour without using Ticketmaster in the 90s but found they couldn’t book suitable venues. With their control of venues and lockdown on major concert promotion, Ticketmaster remains extremely difficult to challenge or avoid.

However, the growing backlash against service fees and dynamic pricing has forced some changes. Ticketmaster now has “all-in pricing” for some events that shows full costs upfront. They also offer some “fan to fan” resales without the usual restrictions. And sites like SeatGeek are establishing direct partnerships with teams and venues to break Ticketmaster’s exclusivity.

It’s unlikely Ticketmaster will lose its dominant position anytime soon. But fan demand for fairer prices and more options should slowly drive improvements in the industry. As consumers, we can also make a difference by avoiding Ticketmaster when reasonable alternatives are available.

Conclusion

Ticketmaster still offers significant benefits in reliability, selection and convenience that are hard to replicate. For hot shows or events, it may be the only way to guarantee you get tickets. But customers should be aware of just how much they are overpaying in fees compared to the base price. Avoiding Ticketmaster for average events can save a lot of money.

To get the best deals, look for artist presales, buy early, choose undesirable seats, and check resale sites. Also consider venue box offices and alternative ticket sellers when fees matter more than convenience. Hopefully over time, market pressure and competition will force Ticketmaster to reduce fees and provide greater transparency.

But for now, weigh your priorities carefully when buying tickets. If you can compromise a bit on seat location, purchase timing, or buyer protections, you can likely avoid Ticketmaster and save a bundle. Every ticket not sold through their platform helps send the message that fans are fed up with fees.