Robert Smith, the lead singer, stated that he was “sickened” by the result. When The Cure announced their US tour for 2023, they assured their fans that they would work hard to keep ticket prices affordable.
“We want the tour to be affordable for all of our fans, and we have a very wide (and we believe quite fair) price range at each show,” they stated in a statement.
Nevertheless, when fans visited Ticketmaster on Wednesday, they were charged additional costs that, in some cases, doubled the band’s original ticket.
About the additional costs, he remarked,
“To make very clear, the artist has no control over them.”
“I have inquired as to their justification. I will let you know if I receive a coherent answer “He guaranteed.
Fans uploaded screenshots of Ticketmaster’s pricing breakdown when the tour went on sale.
A consumer who purchased four $20 (£16.54) tickets ultimately paid $172.10 (£142) after adding service costs, a facility charge, and an order processing fee.
Another person who wanted to see the band in Phoenix, Arizona, paid $72.25 (£59.75) for a $20 (£16.50) ticket.
The prices varied per venue, with one fan reporting a $16.75 (£13.87) service fee in Massachusetts and another reporting a $15 (£12.42) service fee in Toronto, and they did not always exceed the original ticket price. Some of the more costly seats, for instance, cost $90 (£74.50) each.
A touch of deception
The Cure released a thorough statement regarding their ticketing plan for their first US tour since 2016 earlier this month, including a promise to reduce pricing.
“With the exception of a few charity seats at the Hollywood Bowl, there will be no ‘platinum’ or ‘dynamically priced’ tickets on this tour,” they said.
The band also stated that tickets would be non-transferable in an effort to “prevent scalpers from interfering.”
If unforeseen circumstances prevent a fan from using a purchased ticket, they will be allowed to resell it on a face-value ticket exchange.
Posting on Twitter, Smith recognized there were “serious problems” with the ticketing industry; nonetheless, he affirmed that the band had the “ultimate say” in determining ticket prices because they “didn’t want those values to be instantaneously and terribly warped by resale.”
The Cure did not agree to Ticketmaster’s “platinum” (i.e., premium) tickets or “dynamic pricing” system – in which prices vary based on demand – “because it is a bit of a fraud in and of itself.”
In response to a request for clarification, he added:
“To determine if I had misinterpreted something, I had a separate chat about platinum. But I hadn’t!
“It is a greedy scheme, and artists have the option to opt out. If no artists participated, its existence would disappear.”
The musician returned to Twitter when the tickets went on sale and stated that he was motivated to obtain answers.
“I will return if I receive any concrete information on TM fees,” he concluded. “In the meantime, I feel compelled to record my reoccurring elephant in the room thought: that if nobody purchased tickets from scalpers, then…”
BBC has reached out to Ticketmaster for comment.
In January, officials were brought before the United States Senate to answer concerns about the company’s dominance, which has been the subject of increased scrutiny in recent months.
Demand for Taylor Swift’s impending tour swamped Ticketmaster’s systems and sparked suspicions about price inflation, which prompted the hearing.
“With Ticketmaster’s market dominance, why haven’t you reduced fees more?” Senator Amy Klobuchar questioned Joseph Berchtold, president of Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster.
He replied that Ticketmaster “does not set ticket prices” and that “the majority” of such costs “go to the venue, not Ticketmaster.”
Former CEO Frederic Rosen recently stated to the technology website The Hustle that the corporation retains approximately 20% of the fees it charges.
Nonetheless, the lack of clarity regarding these fees and their purpose irritates many fans.
The website of Ticketmaster provides some clarification, however, the specifics are relatively hazy. It breaks down the ticket price in the following manner:
Decided by the artist and/or their promoter. This money is collected and distributed by Ticketmaster.
Service charge / Order processing fee: Added by Ticketmaster to cover costs associated with selling and shipping tickets. “Ticketmaster may generate a profit,” but “the money is normally distributed to our customers.”
Delivery costs are determined by the client, typically the venue, based on the delivery alternatives required. In some instances, Ticketmaster may earn a profit from delivery fees.
Facility fees are imposed by each venue to assist cover running expenses. “Ticketmaster does not contribute to facility fees.”
The technique of attaching extra fees at the end of the transaction, which Ticketmaster does not typically employ in the United Kingdom, is considered to influence budget-conscious fans to spend more than they want.
Steven Tadelis, an economics professor at the University of California who has examined drip pricing, recently told The Hustle, “It boosts the number of tickets sold because people who otherwise wouldn’t have purchased are now purchasing.”
US President Joseph Biden criticized the practice of adding “junk” fees to ticket pricing, hotel bookings, credit card surcharges, and airline tickets one month ago.
“The American people are exhausted,” he said, urging lawmakers to prohibit the practice. “We are sick and weary of being played for fools.
“Junk fees may not matter to the very wealthy, but they matter to the majority of people who grew up in households similar to mine, as did many of you. These total several hundred bucks per month.”
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