Recently there has been some controversy between Ticketmaster and country music singer Zach Bryan. Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies, controlling a large percentage of major venue ticketing. Zach Bryan is an up-and-coming country artist who has amassed a dedicated fanbase in a short period of time.
In June 2022, Zach Bryan announced a new tour and fans rushed to buy tickets on Ticketmaster. However, many reported issues with hidden fees, dynamically changing prices, and other problems with the Ticketmaster site. Zach Bryan and his team have been vocal about their frustrations with Ticketmaster, resulting in a public feud between the two parties.
Here is a brief overview of what happened between Ticketmaster and Zach Bryan:
Zach Bryan announces tour
In June 2022, Zach Bryan announced a new tour called the Burn, Burn, Burn North American Tour. This was Bryan’s largest headlining tour to date, with over 50 shows scheduled across the United States and Canada.
As an increasingly popular but still emerging artist, Bryan’s team likely worked with Ticketmaster to handle ticketing logistics and sales for the tour. Ticketmaster is the dominant ticketing provider for major concerts and live events.
Fans experience issues with Ticketmaster
When tickets went on sale in June, many of Bryan’s fans reported frustrating experiences with Ticketmaster. Some of the main complaints included:
– Hidden fees – Ticket prices skyrocketed after fees were added at checkout. Some fans reported the final price being 60-100% higher than the initial list price.
– Dynamic pricing – Ticketmaster appeared to be dynamically adjusting prices in real time based on demand, leading to rapidly fluctuating prices.
– Website crashes – Large demand for Bryan’s tickets crashed the Ticketmaster website temporarily.
Zach Bryan and team criticizes Ticketmaster
In response to the backlash from fans, Zach Bryan and his team criticized Ticketmaster on social media. They expressed disappointment and frustration with the “broken” ticketing system:
– In a tweet, Bryan told fans “we’re learning that the hard way.”
– Bryan’s manager, Seth England, said Ticketmaster’s actions were “unacceptable” and that they were “actively working on a solution.”
– England tweeted that the Bryan team did not approve of Ticketmaster’s changes and hidden fees.
Bryan makes tickets available through fan club
Following the Ticketmaster issues, Zach Bryan made a limited number of tickets available directly through his fan club for a fixed $50 price with no fees. These sold out quickly.
Making tickets available this way allowed Bryan to bypass Ticketmaster and offer his fans a simpler, more transparent ticketing experience. However, the number of tickets was limited since Ticketmaster controlled the bulk of inventory.
Ticketmaster responds
In response to the public criticism, Ticketmaster released a statement defending their pricing model. They stated:
– Ticket prices are set by the artist’s team, not Ticketmaster. The initial list price is approved by the artist or promoter.
– Fees include costs for Ticketmaster services, venue fees, promoter fees, etc. They are not hidden, but shown during the purchasing process.
– Dynamic pricing helps adjust prices based on supply and demand to discourage scalping.
Despite this defense, Ticketmaster faced ongoing criticism for a lack of transparency and exorbitant fees. The negative attention added fuel to long-standing criticism of Ticketmaster’s dominance in the ticketing industry.
Key Details on What Happened
Here are some additional key details on what exactly happened between Zach Bryan and Ticketmaster during the tour ticket sale:
Ticket prices increased 60-100% after fees
Fans reported ticket prices increasing dramatically once fees were added. For example, a ticket initially listed for $50 might end up costing $90 after fees. In some cases, fans saw ticket prices double or triple the initial list price after fees.
Fees totaled up to 75% of ticket price
According to fan reports, Ticketmaster fees amounted to 50-75% of the final ticket price in some cases. These fees included vague charges like “processing” and “services” fees.
Ticketmaster blamed dynamic pricing algorithm
In response to backlash over rapidly rising costs, Ticketmaster said prices were changing dynamically based on demand by their algorithm. This algorithm could adjust prices in real-time.
Over 75,000 tickets sold in presale
Zach Bryan’s team reported over 75,000 tickets being sold during the artist presale alone. The massive demand from fans overwhelmed Ticketmaster’s system.
Fans waited hours in online queues
Many fans reported having to wait in online queues for hours just to access Ticketmaster’s website due to the volume of traffic. The waiting room queues led some fans to lose access to tickets.
Ticketmaster website crashed temporarily
For a period on the first day of the general on-sale, Ticketmaster’s website crashed completely. It displayed an error message for approximately 15 minutes before stabilizing.
Zach Bryan’s team did not get a cut of increased fees
Bryan’s management asserted that the artist’s team did not see any of the substantially increased revenue from added fees. The fees went to Ticketmaster and its partners.
What Led to the Ticketmaster Backlash?
What caused this specific Tour announcement by Zach Bryan to kick off such widespread frustration with Ticketmaster? Here are some of the key factors:
Bryan’s rapidly growing popularity
In just a few years, Zach Bryan has gone from a relatively unknown independent artist to one of country music’s rising stars with a passionate fan base. His popularity has skyrocketed. This tour represented a milestone moment with his first large nationwide tour.
Scarcity of Bryan’s major tour tickets
As Bryan’s first major nationwide tour, tickets were in extremely high demand relative to limited supply at major venues. Bryan had not toured extensively before, so fans were eager to see him live.
High baseline cost of tickets
According to reports, even the initial ticket prices before fees were relatively high, ranging from $50 to $200 each. For an emerging artist like Bryan, these costs were seen as high and set the stage for greater frustration when fees were added.
Lack of fee transparency by Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster has faced ongoing criticism for confusing and non-transparent fee structures. Fans were outraged to see 30-50% in fees added at checkout, exceeding the initial ticket prices.
Ticketmaster’s dominance in industry
Ticketmaster controls such a large share of major event ticketing that fans and artists have few alternatives. This tour highlighted frustrations with the lack of competition in the industry.
Timing of Bryan’s first arena tour
As Bryan’s first tour at large arenas, this represented a milestone where Ticketmaster fees and sales tactics became especially problematic compared to smaller venues. The scale brought things to a head.
How Did Ticketmaster Respond to the Controversy?
Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation have defended their ticketing practices as this issue gained widespread attention:
Blaming dynamic pricing algorithm
Ticketmaster has said that frequent price changes during the on-sale periods were driven automatically by their dynamic pricing software based on supply and demand. However, they have revealed few details about how these algorithms work.
Noting fees disclosed during process
In statements, Ticketmaster has pointed out that service and other fees are not hidden but disclosed during the purchasing process before fans complete ticket checkout. However, critics argue the complex fee structure is still opaque and deceptive.
Highlighting artist control over initial pricing
Ticketmaster has maintained that artists, their management teams, and concert promoters set the initial ticket prices displayed. Ticketmaster has cast blame back on the Bryan team for the high initial prices.
Promoting benefits of market-based pricing
Ticketmaster has said that data-driven, dynamic pricing helps discourage scalping, ensures equitable distribution of tickets, and maximizes revenue for artists and promoters. However, many have challenged this notion.
No major changes announced
Despite some concessions in statements, Ticketmaster has announced no significant changes to its core ticketing operations, fees, or policies in the wake of the Bryan controversy so far.
What Has Been Zach Bryan’s Response?
Zach Bryan and his management have continued criticizing Ticketmaster since the initial ticketing debacle:
Social media complaints about fees
Bryan has repeatedly taken to Twitter and Instagram to highlight and complain about Ticketmaster’s fees. He has surfaced many fan complaints and cited fees totaling as much as 75% of ticket prices.
Selling tickets directly to fans
Bryan made a limited number of tickets available directly through his fan club at flat $50 prices with no fees. He has indicated he wants to find ways to improve access and affordability for fans.
Partnering with other ticketing platforms
For some newly announced tour dates in 2023, Bryan’s team is using alternate ticketing platforms like AXS instead of Ticketmaster in selected locations. This allows them to avoid Ticketmaster fees.
Harsh words for Ticketmaster
In interviews, Bryan has called the Ticketmaster system “broken” and criticized the “greed” of the company. His management has said Ticketmaster’s actions related to his tour were “unacceptable.”
Contrasting Ticketmaster statements
Bryan’s team has repeatedly contested Ticketmaster’s messaging, saying the artist does not dictate or benefit from fees and that the overall ticketing system remains non-transparent.
What Are the Longer Term Impacts?
It remains to be seen how much long-term change will come from the conflict between Zach Bryan and Ticketmaster. Here are some potential longer term impacts:
Increased government scrutiny
The criticism has added momentum to ongoing efforts by some politicians to investigate Ticketmaster over antitrust concerns and potentially break up its dominance in the industry if violations are found.
Loss of goodwill with artists
The heavy-handed treatment of an artist like Bryan may further erode Ticketmaster’s reputation with the creative community and push more artists to seek alternatives where possible.
Pressure for greater fee transparency
There will likely be increased calls for Ticketmaster to clearly disclose all fees earlier in the purchasing process rather than surprising fans at checkout.
More dynamic pricing backlash
As dynamic pricing expands, fan frustration appears to be growing over the opacity and perception that it is used to charge higher prices based on demand. There may be a consumer backlash.
Calls for more industry competition
Critics of Ticketmaster’s effective monopoly will feel emboldened to challenge its dominant position and promote alternative ticketing models that redistribute power.
Conclusion
The conflict between Ticketmaster and Zach Bryan highlights ongoing tensions in the event ticketing industry. While Ticketmaster defends its pricing and fees as normal industry practice, there is growing dissatisfaction from fans and artists alike over transparency, costs, and fairness. Moving forward, it seems likely that political leaders, regulators, artists, and consumers will exert greater pressure for reforms and changes to Ticketmaster’s contentious ticketing policies and operations. Time will tell if this amounts to meaningful changes or just temporary controversy.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2022 | Zach Bryan announces Burn, Burn, Burn Tour with Ticketmaster handling tickets |
| June 2022 | Ticket sales launch, fans face website issues and high hidden fees |
| June 2022 | Bryan and his team criticize Ticketmaster over fees and problems |
| June 2022 | Ticketmaster defends their pricing model |
| June 2022 | Bryan sells a limited number of tickets directly to fans without fees |
| Summer 2022 | Bryan and Ticketmaster continue public feud over tickets |
| Fall 2022 | Some shows for Bryan’s 2023 tour use alternate ticket companies |
| Fall 2022 | Government scrutiny of Ticketmaster increases after controversy |
