Change of Pace

Something entirely different.

There’s been a lot of talk everywhere including in the least knowledgable of people, congress, about the very evil Ticketmaster and their owners LiveNation. If the people doing the whining asked how this happened they might understand. Something.

Let’s talk about what Ticketmaster really is and what it isn’t.

Ticketmaster isn’t a big giant evil corporate entity designed to rob the poor from their money although watching NBC I might have thought they were when the featured a young girl whining I couldn’t get my Tayler Swift tickets.

Wah. Wah. Wah.

And, I couldn’t get my brand new Mercedes 500s.

She doesn’t need Taylor Swift tickets. And, she’s not entitled to anything. With her entitlement issues I’m not sure she deserves to eat. And, I don’t deserve a new MBZ.

Yes. For sure. Ticketmaster’s handling fees are very high.

How did they get that way?

When booking agents, promoters, venue managers and artist managers get together to establish tour prices they figure out what they can get away with, not what they need.

Ticketmaster asks a simple question. What’s in it for us?

The reply is, “toss in a few bucks to the total.” This has gone on for years so there are $35 plus ticket service fees. This buys everyone involved protection from public heat. Ticketmaster takes it. They are doing exactly what they are paid to do.

When Bruce Springsteen got hammered over $5,000 ticket prices or Taylor Swift’s fans crashed the system and she still made $350 million for doing nothing, all they did was shrug their shoulders even though it is always the artist final decision about ticket prices. Nobody else makes the decision. Ever.

Springsteen’s final comment? “Taylor Swift is welcome to join me onstage anytime.”

Man of the people? My ass.

He also sold his entire song catalog for one half billion dollars.

Just sayin’.

Between his catalog sales, ticket sales and recording sales he’s earned around two billion dollars. Has he earned it? Sure. Has he worked hard during his career? Sure.

But, don’t tell me about your blue collar stories.

They were never yours in the first place. They were your dad’s.

And, all those congress people?

Let’s just hope we never get into our own shooting war. We’ll never get our tanks rolling before we are blown off the face of the earth.