Fan Freedom

05/23/2024

Even one of the senior DOJ officials who allowed Ticketmaster and Live Nation to merge admits it hasn’t worked and that it’s “necessary” to address the lack of competition: “‘Ticketmaster’s use of anticompetitive contracts that blocked competition makes a break up now necessary,’ said Gene Kimmelman, a senior fellow at Harvard and Yale, who helped lead the DOJ’s 2010 settlement. ‘Efforts to use less severe constraints clearly have not been sufficient to open the ticketing market to competition.’”

The case follows years of backlash from consumers, rivals and lawmakers against Ticketmaster and its parent company.

03/05/2024

Our great friends at Sports Fans Coalition absolutely nailed it with this one, ya’ll. Breaks down what’s happening in Annapolis re: YOUR tickets really well. Give it a read and call your Delegate!

Members of the Maryland General Assembly have made it clear that reform of the live events ticketing industry is on the agenda this session. This is encouraging news for the countless fans who have faced limited choice in the ticket market, experienced a clunky purchasing process, or felt duped by m...

03/04/2024

The Maryland Legislature has put forth a proposal - that is shockingly close to passing - that would criminalize a fan for reselling their ticket. CRIMINALIZE. What in the AF are we doing here, Maryland?

On the heels of the Baltimore Ravens announcing that they would be raising their ticket prices and instituting “dynamic pricing” (that thing when a lot of people are on Ticketmaster’s website and are looking for the same event Ticketmaster raises the price of the ticket and the price of the fees - LITERALLY while you’re shopping. See: Swift, Taylor) for all of their home games which is really a great way to tell the fans you appreciate their support on your playoff run from last year.

Beyond criminalizing though - and this is where I’m hitting up my fellow O’s fans - there is no exception for season ticket holders. So - get this - 81 home games, even at the splendid Camden Yards, is too many to attend. What do many Orioles season ticket holders do for games they can’t attend - ding!ding! - resell them in an effort to put the money towards offsetting the costs of the season ticket packages. Well, you ready? The wonderful sponsors of SB539/HB701 won’t respond to questions about such things - pitting - yet again - you against your favorite teams and the global empire that is Ticketmaster. Imagine telling decades long season ticket holders that they can’t resell any of them without committing a crime? Sheesh.

Enough already, maybe - and I get how big of a “maybe” this is - if the Maryland Delegates sitting around lovely Annapolis want to tackle actual consumer positive issues they can require “all-in pricing” so we aren’t hosed at check out when buying tickets? How about opening up the ability to transfer and resell MORE not less tickets? It’s wild that the Maryland legislature is more interested in protecting billionaires and their dollars than the hard earned dollars of its constituents who aren’t billionaires and just want to enjoy some time at their favorite ball park (also owned by the billionaire and managed by Ticketmaster but I digress).

Come on guys, get it together. Pitting beloved teams like the Ravens and the Orioles against their fanbases because the owners and their cronies at Ticketmaster tell you to is a little too on the nose.

04/28/2023

It's hard to imagine - but loving that Congress is actually starting to go after Ticketmaster and the monopoly they hold on the primary ticket market!

It's time for "Antitrust Investigation," Taylor's Version.

03/21/2023

https://www.billboard.com/pro/taylor-swift-eras-tour-ticket-sales-aeg-live-nation/ - and to think that Ticketmaster and Live Nation Concerts - LOL, whoops.

The companies had agreed to loosen Ticketmaster’s exclusivity requirements in a 2021 agreement that didn’t hold up for the Eras Tour.

02/07/2023

In what is probably the least surprising news of the day - Ticketmaster system is buckling during the Beyoncé tour launch.

Some users get an error message on Ticketmaster, others are kicked out of the 500,000-strong queue.

02/06/2023

Are you trying to get Beyoncé tix today through Ticketmaster verified fan set up? Did it not go as well as you had hoped? Get bounced while in line? REACH OUT TO FAN FREEDOM! We want to know and fight for you!!

02/04/2023

It's wild what Ticketmaster and Live Nation Concerts will do to grow their monopoly - look at this bill in Colorado! https://www.coloradopolitics.com/legislature/colorado-legislator-wants-to-end-deceptive-event-ticket-selling/article_ce065f60-9e88-11ed-94f5-6fe2d9d29186.html

You buy a ticket on a reputable secondary site (not named Ticketmaster) from a seller who lawfully owns the ticket they're selling you and because Ticketmaster doesn't like it they can deny you entry at the gate! Imagine getting tickets for the fam to go check out a show and because you didn't buy it the way the company that owns/manages the venue, promotes the artist and controls the ticketing (vertical integration much?) didn't get every last penny out of you they tell you and kiddos at the door "NOT ALLOWED". Stop it. This is absurd.

Hopefully wise minds in Denver will realize this is bad for fans across Colorado and drop that provision!

From hundreds of invalid Bad Bunny concert tickets during his world tour to Taylor Swift fans experiencing hours-long wait times for tickets costing thousands of dollars a pop, confidence in

02/01/2023

Oh - Beyoncé is using Ticketmaster for her tour. I hope she spoke with Taylor Swift first about how bad it is for the fan - verified or otherwise.

02/01/2023

The BeyHive is gearing up for another world wide tour for Beyonce - is Ticketmaster ready this time?

02/01/2023

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/01/fact-sheet-president-biden-highlights-new-progress-on-his-competition-agenda/ LETS GO JOE! Enough already!

President Biden Will Call for a Junk Fee Prevention Act to Eliminate Unfair and Costly Junk Fees As part of the fourth meeting of the President’s

01/24/2023

The Senate Judiciary Committee is wrapping up their hearing on tickets. It shined a VERY bright light on Live Nation Concerts and Ticketmaster world. Now the Senate, and Congress on the whole, needs to act. Start with the BOSS ACT and then do more! Transparency is key! Thank you Amy Klobuchar and Senator Lee - stay on it!