Cable provider ComCast has announced they are getting into the ticket selling game ousting Ticketmaster in an increasing number of markets. While this new competition for Ticketmaster won't lead to lower prices for consumers (Comcast-Spectacor president Peter Luukko said ComcastTIX fees would match those of competitors - often about $13 per ticket); the plan is to update the site to also sell t-shirts, drinks, parking, and other concert related goods and services. I imagine it will also probably all be available via their vast cable system, eh?
Comcast has been selling tickets ever since it invested in Paciolan Systems Inc., of Irvine, Calif., a major player in the in-house ticketing industry, two years ago. Comcast then created New Era Tickets, which sold 6 million tickets nationally last year, mostly outside the Philadelphia market.
More info here.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
AEG In Hot Water Over Freeze Out
(Via Encore) A recent lawsuit filed by The Forum Center in Inglewood California contends that the company entered into a contract with Anschutz Corp.(parent company of AEG) to handle its booking, but instead of providing sufficient bookings AEG used their privileged position to drive traffic away from Forum and towards the (Anschutz-owned) Staples Center.
In 2000, the agreement was signed by the two parties and a few years later a yearly guarantee of $500,000 was tacked on. The yearly gurantee was apparently still not enough to nudge Anschutz to increase bookings at the 18,000 space venue.
"In other words, AEG has paid $500,000 per year to put the Forum out of business as an entertainment venue," the lawsuit claims.
While it is possible that there might be some dirty dealings here, I am inclined to believe that the true culprit is the over-sized overstuffed Forum itself. As we've discussed here numerous times before, the ticket buying public is not interested in the supersized arena shows of yesteryore (sic). As the less popular (or more sorely neglected, let the judge decide) of the two venues, they are obviously going to feeling the pinch a lot more. The case might just boil down to zeitgeist.
In 2000, the agreement was signed by the two parties and a few years later a yearly guarantee of $500,000 was tacked on. The yearly gurantee was apparently still not enough to nudge Anschutz to increase bookings at the 18,000 space venue.
"In other words, AEG has paid $500,000 per year to put the Forum out of business as an entertainment venue," the lawsuit claims.
While it is possible that there might be some dirty dealings here, I am inclined to believe that the true culprit is the over-sized overstuffed Forum itself. As we've discussed here numerous times before, the ticket buying public is not interested in the supersized arena shows of yesteryore (sic). As the less popular (or more sorely neglected, let the judge decide) of the two venues, they are obviously going to feeling the pinch a lot more. The case might just boil down to zeitgeist.
OK, OK, I'm back
So yeah, a few days turned into a month, and then I thought maybe I'd just stay away, but there were social pressures and so now I'm back. News and views will recommence today. Stay tuned.
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