Ticketmaster
Event booking monopoly
Ticketmaster is the dominant ticket sales and distribution company in the United States, handling events for concerts, sports, and theater.
The name has become shorthand for frustrations with modern ticketing—hidden fees, crashed websites during high-demand sales, and inflated prices: I tried to get Taylor Swift tickets but Ticketmaster was a nightmare.
Live musical performances
- sportsCompetitive physical activities
- theaterVenue for live drama
- festivalsOrganized communal celebrations
- toursGuided sightseeing expeditions
stadium events · Broadway · comedy · WWE · NBA · NFL · NHL · MLB
One seller, no substitutes
- antitrustAgainst corporate market dominance
- Eras TourRecord-breaking concert series
- congressional hearingOfficial governmental fact-finding session
- market dominanceControl over a sector
Taylor Swift · bot attacks · queue system · waitlist · sellout · consumer protection · class action · investigation
Second sale
- marketplaceVenue for commerce
- barcodeEncoded product stripes
- transferMove between locations
- accountRecord of dealings
app · checkout · seat map · interactive map · price levels · will call · delivery · confirmation
Fee for being served
- convenience feeExtra charge for easier payment
- facility feeCharge for using premises
- order processingManaging purchases through completion
- surchargeExtra fee added
markup · price gouging · face value · final price · total cost · dynamic pricing · surge pricing · processing fee
Commerce in preowned goods
- secondary marketExchange for existing securities
- scalpersResell tickets above face value
- aftermarketTrade in replacement parts
- inflated pricesCosts exceeding reasonable worth
bulk buying · flipping · markup · face value · price floor
concerts
Live musical performances
- sportsCompetitive physical activities
- theaterVenue for live drama
- festivalsOrganized communal celebrations
tours · stadium events · Broadway · comedy · WWE · NBA · NFL · NHL · MLB · residency
monopoly
One seller, no substitutes
- antitrustAgainst corporate market dominance
- Eras TourRecord-breaking concert series
- congressional hearingOfficial governmental fact-finding session
Taylor Swift · market dominance · bot attacks · queue system · waitlist · sellout · consumer protection · class action · investigation · competition
resale
Second sale
- marketplaceVenue for commerce
- barcodeEncoded product stripes
- transferMove between locations
account · app · checkout · seat map · interactive map · price levels · will call · delivery · confirmation · order number
service charge
Fee for being served
- convenience feeExtra charge for easier payment
- facility feeCharge for using premises
- order processingManaging purchases through completion
surcharge · markup · price gouging · face value · final price · total cost · dynamic pricing · surge pricing · processing fee · delivery fee
resale market
Commerce in preowned goods
- secondary marketExchange for existing securities
- scalpersResell tickets above face value
- aftermarketTrade in replacement parts
inflated prices · bulk buying · flipping · markup · face value · price floor
- ticketingbox office, general admission, reserved seating, presale, season pass
- Corporate SpinoffsPayPal, VMware, Kraft Foods, Chipotle, Expedia
- monopoliesmonopoly, Standard Oil, AT&T, De Beers, Ma Bell
- Travel AppsGPS, flight tracker, Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity
- online shoppingAmazon, cart, checkout, e-commerce, Walmart
- media companiesDisney, Netflix, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Viacom