“The merger of two of the music industry’s most powerful juggernauts—Live Nation and Ticketmaster—has been in the works for nearly a year, but it wasn’t until late last week that the concert promoter and ticketing giant received their shareholders’ approval to merge. Still holding up the merger is the U.S. Justice Dept.’s negotiations with the two companies over possible violations of U.S. antitrust laws.
Shareholders may have given the go ahead to both companies, but the merger cannot go through without approval from the Justice Department. All three parties have been negotiating a deal—so far with no real progress. Reports say that the Justice Department wants Live Nation and Ticketmaster to make a number of compromises to ensure that this merger—between the world’s largest concert promoter and the world’s largest ticketing group—would not create an all-powerful monopoly in the industry.”
I know I’m disappointed because whether it’s technically a monopoly or not, the options to buy tickets in any other way is fast becoming as rare as [insert some apt, witty example of rapidly-declining trend]. I often get excited about a reasonably priced-show until I realize a $12 ticket price will soon be bombarded with handling fees, venues fees, fees for such-and-such’s cousin frank who is somehow involved twice-removed with the ticket process somewhere… For the music industry, who as a whole has realized much like the rest of the country, that they can no longer rise above such a stagnated economy, they sure are finding even more ways to alienate their customers.
A Bit of Stardust 