In recent weeks, legendary musician Bruce Springsteen has spoken out strongly against Ticketmaster and their practices around ticket sales and fees. This comes in the wake of the company being heavily criticized for extremely high fees on tickets for Springsteen’s upcoming tour with the E Street Band. So what exactly has Springsteen said about Ticketmaster, and what is the background to this conflict?
Springsteen’s Initial Comments
Springsteen first addressed the Ticketmaster controversy in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine published on July 14, 2022. When asked about the sky-high costs for tickets to his tour, including over $4000 for certain floor seats, Springsteen expressed frustration and put the blame squarely on Ticketmaster.
“I’m old school,” Springsteen said. “When I walk out on stage, I want fans in the arena who paid a fair ticket price. The ticket prices this time around got a little out of control. That’s just how it is.”
He went on to say he was “pissed off” about the high prices, and disappointed that many of his working class and middle class fans were getting priced out. “I’ve always done everything I can to keep ticket prices down to what I feel is affordable for the average fan,” he stated.
Later in the interview, when asked who sets the ticket prices, Springsteen directly targeted Ticketmaster. “In the past decade, Ticketmaster has changed significantly into a very monopolistic situation,” he said. “They seem to experiment, as they relentlessly limited transparency and seem focused on reselling inventory on the secondary market.”
Further Comments About U.S. Tour Prices
Springsteen continued to criticize Ticketmaster and the U.S. prices for his tour in later interviews. Speaking to a Swedish newspaper in late July, he said prices for the North American shows were “ridiculous” and he was not the one setting them.
“The ticket prices in the US are ridiculous, incredibly inflated,” Springsteen stated. “All that service charge nonsense, I don’t get it at all. We do everything we can to hold down the prices.”
He again pointed the finger at Ticketmaster, saying “the ticket broker or scalper exists because of these insane prices. I’m not benefitting from that at all.”
European Tour and Dynamic Pricing
Part of Springsteen’s frustration seemed to stem from the fact that ticket prices for his European tour dates were significantly lower than in North America. Some reports state average ticket prices were around $100 euro (approximately $100 USD) for most locations.
In the Swedish interview, Springsteen implied the pricing model was different than what Ticketmaster enforced in the U.S. He also criticized the company’s use of “dynamic pricing,” where ticket prices can fluctuate higher or lower based on demand.
“We have tried to keep our ticket prices down for many, many years,” he explained. “Here in Europe they have been very affordable for an average person. Much more reasonable than in the States. In the past decade, Ticketmaster has changed quite a lot. There seems to be a lot of backdoor deals now where the regular fan does not get a shot at good tickets at reasonable prices.”
Fan Backlash
Beyond Springsteen’s own remarks, there has been significant anger and pushback from many of his fans about the Ticketmaster fees and higher prices. There was frustration over the lack of reasonably priced tickets, and a feeling that regular fans were shut out while scalpers could easily snap up seats.
Many fans expressed their thoughts on social media and fan message boards. A common sentiment was that working class people were being priced out from seeing one of their musical heroes. As Springsteen has so often sung about the struggles of everyday Americans, the irony was not lost on those now unable to afford tickets.
There has also been wider scrutiny placed upon Ticketmaster and whether they are engaging in unfair practices that hurt consumers. Some U.S. politicians have even called for the company to be broken up, due to its large market share in ticketing and perceived monopoly power.
Bruce’s Benefits for Good Causes
It is worth noting that despite the outrage over ticket prices, Springsteen has a long history of holding benefits and charity concerts where all proceeds go to various causes.
Going back to his early days, he has done acoustic sets and full band shows where fans pay normal ticket prices but everything is donated. Causes have included food banks, aid for wounded veterans, homelessness prevention, and more.
Most recently, Springsteen hosted two huge benefit shows in New York’s Central Park in October 2021. The concerts raised money for state food banks and food pantries, helping people struggling with hunger and food insecurity.
So while Springsteen is no doubt frustrated and angered by what has happened with his tour tickets, he has always tried to use his platform as an artist to help others. The astronomical prices for seeing him in concert do not appear to be his choice.
What Might This Mean Going Forward?
For music fans, Springsteen shining a spotlight on Ticketmaster’s practices has sparked a larger conversation about how the live entertainment industry functions. Venues, promoters, ticketing companies, and even artists themselves are analyzed in terms of their culpability.
There will likely be more pressure on acts like Springsteen, who present themselves as advocates for the working class, to take stronger stances against exploitative ticketing processes. Artists may demand more control and push back on systems they see as unfair to their supporters.
For Ticketmaster, they are embroiled in controversy at the worst possible time. With live music bouncing back in a major way post-pandemic, and more scrutiny on corporate behavior, their dominance in the industry may face existential threats.
Both politically and commercially, the winds may be shifting. Springsteen himself said “changes are going to have to be made” in how the live music experience treats fans. Time will tell if his speaking out makes an impact.
Conclusion
Bruce Springsteen, as one of the most renowned American musicians ever, holds a unique place in the culture. So when he calls out Ticketmaster for exorbitant ticket prices that exclude many of his loyal followers, it resonates loudly.
By condemning the “ridiculous” costs of seeing him in concert, and pointing to Ticketmaster’s practices as the root cause, The Boss has sparked a major re-evaluation. Critics have vilified the company’s perceived monopolistic tactics and lack of transparency around fees.
Beyond Sparkteens’s remarks, fan discontent has boiled over. There is a sense that corporate greed ruined a communal, even spiritual experience. It remains to be seen if anything fundamental will change in the live event ticketing sphere. But Springsteen’s willingness to criticize the system offers hope that artists can still be advocates for their supporters.
Key Points
- Springsteen slammed Ticketmaster for the extremely high ticket costs for his 2023 tour with the E Street Band
- He called the U.S. prices “ridiculous” and not something he was responsible for setting
- Compared to his European tour dates, the North American shows were much more expensive
- Springsteen said Ticketmaster has changed into a “very monopolistic situation” focused on reselling tickets
- Many loyal fans felt shut out of getting affordable tickets to see him in concert
- The controversy has sparked wider debate about Ticketmaster’s power and criticism of their business practices
- As a voice of working class people, Springsteen may feel more responsibility to speak out against unfair treatment of fans
- His comments could increase pressure for reforms in the live entertainment ticketing industry
A Table Summarizing Key Events
| Date | Key Event |
|---|---|
| July 14, 2022 | Springsteen criticizes Ticketmaster in Rolling Stone interview |
| Late July 2022 | Springsteen calls U.S. ticket prices “ridiculous” in interview with Swedish outlet |
| Summer 2022 | Fan backlash grows over high ticket costs for Springsteen tour |
| October 2021 | Springsteen holds benefit shows raising money for state food banks |
